3 out of 4 stars
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When his wife becomes involved with a cult that practices black magic, Pin loses his job and his family. Unfortunately, he meets another man in a similar situation. He creates an anti-black magic kit to help solve his problems, but he ultimately needs the help of the White Witch.
Pin Osuji's Life Bewitched is a memoir and cautionary tale filled with magic, both light and dark. It is also a story of love because he does everything he can to restore his family and his business. His journey to find the White Witch shows the lengths people will go when their loved ones are in trouble. He seeks to learn everything he can to reverse the curse placed upon his family, even when it seems hopeless.
Pin's story is bookended between two educational chapters. The first chapter introduces different types of witchcraft, including light and dark magic. He carefully explains that many stereotypes of witches are not accurate and that not all witches worship the Devil. Not all of the information in this chapter is relevant to his journey, but he includes it show the different types of magic. His depiction of witches is balanced, showing both the negative aspects with the cult and the positive aspects with the White Witch. The concluding chapter describes the prejudices witches face and gives historical information, creating a connection to the introduction.
There were several errors I found throughout the book, most notably the change from having a son and daughter to having two daughters. The author states that he has a son in the second chapter, but he refers to his children as “daughters” for the remainder of the book. It is unclear if the son suddenly identifies as female; if that is the case, Osuji should clearly state it. I also had a slight problem with the mention of voodoo but not hoodoo, which is typically portrayed as voodoo in the media. However, this omission could be due to lack of knowledge and easily dismissed by those who are not aware of the differences.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The inconsistency with the children's genders bothered me the most, and there were several other punctuation and grammar issues. Some of the errors might be the result of language differences or translation issues, but I would rate this book higher after at least one more thorough round of editing. I would recommend this book to those interested in the history and effects of witchcraft or those seeking more information than just the American view.
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Life Bewitched
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