Book Review: - Suite101
Mystic Medusa's Surreal Field Guide to Astrology
by "Mystic Medusa"
Published by
Hardie Grant Books, 2001
When I first saw the title of this book I wasn't sure what to expect.
Sporting a hot pink cover with fun graphics on the front, it gave the impression of being a light-hearted and enjoyable look at astrology. The title also suggested a guide to astrology that was aimed at the general public. I was pretty much spot on with my assumptions.
"Mystic Medusa" is a pseudonym for the astrologer that writes a weekly column for The Weekend Australian newspaper every Saturday. She (I assume!) has her own website,
www.mysticmedusa.com where you can find more astrological information if you enjoy her style of writing.The blurb on the back of this book gives a feel for the style of writing used::
Which Sun Sign is the most beautiful of all?
Are Virgos really the kinkiest?
Who is the worst 'guilter' of the zodiac?
Are there any Leos not obsessed with their hair?
Do Arians really know everything?
Is it true that Libran men always smell nice?
I found the introduction to be concisely written but full of interesting tidbits for the budding astrologer. The language is down-to-earth and easy to understand. The style of writing I found to be fun with a few "naughty" words here and there. Although the book itself is very well presented, I did encounter several typesetting errors that I picked up on a single page.
The book is divided into sections according to zodiac signs and then further into sub-sections. These are:
- generalisation of the sign;
- motto;
- symbolism;
- ruling planet;
- great characteristics;
- not so great characteristics;
- famous people with the same zodiac sign;
- fashion;
- money;
- job guide;
- love;
- compatibility;
- karmic matters; and
- famous quotes by sign.
Even though I didn't read every section, I did read my own zodiac sign to find out whether or not I related to the information found under the various sub-sections. There was a lot of information to go through and although I didn't relate to all of it I did enjoy reading the material. In defense of the author though, I must say that when trying to use Sun Signs alone in defining an individual I would describe an attempt to do this as "mission impossible"!
The book is aimed at the general public and is well written for this audience. My ten-year-old daughter thought it was fantastic. I would recommend this book for the novice and those looking for a ground level approach to understanding the various zodiac signs.
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