As a scholarly book written by a professional historian, I did not expect to ‘swallow this book whole’, but I was mistaken. The Triumph of the Moon exceeded its already lofty reputation for me as it wove a rich tapestry of the sociocultural context from which modern pagan witchcraft emerged. Hutton presents a detailed overview of historical movements and shifts in ideology, which set the precedence for the pagan revival of the 1950’s. He gently but firmly breaks down the myth that modern day Paganism is the continuation of a surviving practice of Goddess worship, an assertion that contradicts the claims of Gerald Gardner and many other prominent Pagans, and is likely to vex a fair few practitioners of the Old Ways. However, his tone remains respectful, his argument compelling, and his style idiosyncratic throughout.
Hutton’s training as an academic is evident in the best ways, namely, his use of referencing where each contention is backed by a hearty serving of supporting evidence. The Triumph of the Moon changed the way I thought about my religion. It serves a refreshingly three-dimensional understanding of modern paganism, coupled with a renewed appreciation of its modern inception that enhances, rather than delegitimises, its beauty and mystique.
The first half of the book on Macrocosm was exceptionally captivating. In particular, the chapters on Finding a Goddess and Finding a God revealed the various mythological figures, most notably Diana and Pan, that captured the inspirations of writers and artists throughout the past few centuries. It was particularly interesting to discover how Western thinking has idealised and romanticised pagan ways for many decades before sensationalist media painted Wicca in a Satanic light during the mid 20th Century, the negative stereotypes of which many Pagans still live with today.
I would recommend to this book to almost anyone, but especially Wiccans and Pagans who would like to consume a critical and yet liberating perspective on modern pagan witchcraft. Contrary to how one would expect to feel about a book that dispels the very romantic myths on Wicca and Paganism and portrays both the formidable pioneering efforts as well as the imperfections of its founders, The Triumph of the Moon charged me with a sense of elation borne out of illumination. However, it can be quite dense, and may be more palatable for those with an academic background.