PP – Review of SRW’s Teen Witch Kit

By Jodi Lee
(warning – contains heavy sarcasm)
~Originally Published October 2000 – re-written and recently re-published in newWitch Magazine, Issue #07. Republish not permitted.~

I know I’ll likely lose my happy standing with Llewellyn publishers over this review, however, I cannot in good conscience, smile and choke out the words “It’s wonderful”. In fact, I won’t.

When the card came in the mail letting me know it would be available for review, I thought, ok, here’s a chance to actually see the Kit, and form an honest opinion on it. That was not to be, at least, not for a while. It seems the Kit was already back-ordered! Advance copies and review copies had already taken out the first available sets.

“Hmmm, maybe it’s better than we all thought.” WRONG!

Two months after having requested it, the Kit arrived in it’s little envelope. I rushed home from the post office before trudging off to do the mundane tasks of everyday life, simply to take a brief look at the contents of that package. I ripped the tear seal, and slid the book into my hands. Pretty as it is, and it IS pretty, I began to smell cheapness…Now don’t get me wrong, cheap can be good…Goddess knows I have spent hours searching for great deals on books and clothes and what-have-you. But this piece is going to cost American youth (that IS the target market after all) $24.95. In Canada however, it’s been priced anywhere from $34.95 to a whopping $45.00.

I have wandered off track now haven’t I? Ah, the mental wanderings of a witch on a soapbox! ;-)

The “box” the Kit is in, is actually an open-backed container, meaning the enclosed book serves as a back. The cover of the “box” will fold down once the book is removed, and lo! It’s an altar! Not just any altar, but one made of plastic, with little moon cycle symbols pressed into it. A shlocky, and I don’t like to put down any jewelry people, but this is the epitome of the word, pentacle is enclosed – not silver, but painted soft metal. The charm bag is pretty, but not really functional for anything more than small amulets. The Golden “Wish” cord is another bit of un-necessary fluff. The crystal, well, let’s just say I held that crystal in my hand, and I didn’t think, nor do I think now, that it’s quartz as claimed. It doesn’t feel right, and after months of working with the most energetic and beautiful crystals available (ok, as far as I am concerned they are – see my store site) and having compared the the SRW crystal with one from the mines in Arkansas; after describing the SRW crystal to many people online, some of whom are constantly working with minerals, none of us think this is quartz. Many think it’s cut glass crystal, but without taking it in for analysis, I can’t be sure. And the book – well, I’d rather not write a book on the in-consistencies and trivialities of that book.

The only saving grace in the entire package was the coins that were enclosed. One Goddess/God coin, and one for divination. They were up to “snuff” for me…(grin) I do believe they are the only real useful tool in the whole kit, and I hope that kids that are purchasing the kit will look for more useful ways of employing them.

SRW may have her fans, but as far as I am concerned, “If I don’t do it, someone else will” excuse for putting out the Teen Witch Kit just does not cut it with me, nor with many others.

I tried being objective with this – I did. But it’s hard to do when something is so mass produced and quite obviously for profit only. Definitely two thumbs down…
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Jodi Lee – is a freelance writer/editor living in southern Manitoba, Canada.

© 2000 – present All Rights Reserved; Republish not permitted.