This book is subtitled “Connecting to the Fae in the Modern World.” And let’s get one thing out of the way now—to get any enjoyment from this charming book by Tara Sanchez you have to be inclined to agree with her statement:

“The skill of imagination is one we have in abundance as children. Yet as adults, our social conditioning relieves us of one of the most valuable magical skills we will ever possess: the ability to imagine.”

I enjoyed this book, and I love the attempt at imagining how the fae might be part of the urban world. The books also covers how to spot signs of their likely presence, how to invite interaction with them, and how to tell when it’s safe (or not) to do so. It even includes chants, lures, and recipes for fairy treats to aid in your quest.

I also learned a lot about different types and alignments of fairies, and that genius loci (house spirit) is not a fae at all. I especially enjoyed the discussion of the Will-o’-the-wisp, given my visitations.

One of Sanchez’s observations that I found particularly interesting is how, in current times, spirituality (broadly speaking) is primarily driven by what it can do for the practitioner. An attitude of “what can you do for me” will not get you very far in the fairy world, she cautions.

Throughout the book are brief recaps of legend and lore that I hadn’t encountered before. (For example, hiding an old shoe in the wall of a building under construction to ward away goblins, demons, and elves.) There are also numerous contemporary references to locations that have ties to fairy occupation—such as the Fairy Bridge on the Isle of Man where, tradition holds, you must greet the fae while crossing.

And speaking of contemporary, I was pleasantly surprised by how many of the entries in the bibliography are recent publications. Who knew that so many books about fairies have been published in the last couple of decades? (I was expecting them to all be of Brothers Grimm vintage.)

In a discussion of the intersection of fairy study and Eastern philosophy, there’s a tangent about the ages of mankind. We are currently living in the age of Iron, which, as Sanchez observes, is a rather alarming description of the worst part of our world:

… during this age, humans live an existing of toil and misery. Children dishonor their parents, family feuds cause deep rifts, and bad people use lies to be thought good.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and learned quite a bit. Sanchez’s writing style is warm and easy, and if you’re willing to go along the journey, she’ll help you see your city in a new light. (Check out her website.) This book was published in 2021 by noted woo-woo publisher Llewellyn and I got my copy at Quimby’s Books in Chicago, but of course, it’s also found at the Amazon.