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In Focus #14
In Focus Runes: Your Personal Guide
Learn the basics of runes and how to use them to reveal the future and make your life better and more enjoyable.
This accessible and beautifully designed guide includes a frameable poster of runes and their essential meanings.
Runes are the letters of the ancient Norse alphabet , but each letter contains secret, mysterious meanings used for magical purposes . Unlike tarot cards, playing cards, and even chess pieces, runes don’t reflect the lives of historical kings, queens, and courtiers. Instead, they focus on the legendary gods of the Norse and Saxon peoples, created to explain the world and its inhabitants.
The runes have ancient roots but continue to offer relevant and down-to-earth messages for those who possess a basic understanding of them. Rune readings can throw light on murky situations and offer advice on how solve problems , move forward in life , and predict the future . To unlock the full potential of these powerful symbols, you’ll Read them for yourself or cast them for friends and family. The more you use them, the better you’ll become at giving accurate readings, earning the respect accorded to the rune readers of old. Combining elegance and expertise, this is your essential modern guide to an ancient tradition .
The In Focus series applies a modern approach to teaching the classic body, mind, and spirit subjects. Authored by experts in their respective fields, these beginner’s guides feature smartly designed visual material that clearly illustrates key topics within each subject. As a bonus, each book includes reference cards or a poster, held in an envelope inside the back cover, that give you a quick, go-to guide containing the most important information on the subject.
This accessible and beautifully designed guide includes a frameable poster of runes and their essential meanings.
Runes are the letters of the ancient Norse alphabet , but each letter contains secret, mysterious meanings used for magical purposes . Unlike tarot cards, playing cards, and even chess pieces, runes don’t reflect the lives of historical kings, queens, and courtiers. Instead, they focus on the legendary gods of the Norse and Saxon peoples, created to explain the world and its inhabitants.
The runes have ancient roots but continue to offer relevant and down-to-earth messages for those who possess a basic understanding of them. Rune readings can throw light on murky situations and offer advice on how solve problems , move forward in life , and predict the future . To unlock the full potential of these powerful symbols, you’ll Read them for yourself or cast them for friends and family. The more you use them, the better you’ll become at giving accurate readings, earning the respect accorded to the rune readers of old. Combining elegance and expertise, this is your essential modern guide to an ancient tradition .
The In Focus series applies a modern approach to teaching the classic body, mind, and spirit subjects. Authored by experts in their respective fields, these beginner’s guides feature smartly designed visual material that clearly illustrates key topics within each subject. As a bonus, each book includes reference cards or a poster, held in an envelope inside the back cover, that give you a quick, go-to guide containing the most important information on the subject.
144 pages, Hardcover
Published December 14, 2021
17 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 21, 2022
Part of a series of short guides teaching various spiritual skills to beginners, this book caught my eye as I’ve had a set of runes for several years and keep saying I’ll “get around” to learning them. I recently read a book based in Norse mythology that made me think now was the time, and a fairly short, accessible guide seemed right up my alley! Generally I found it to be a good introduction, though with the caveat that this review is more about how it was to read as a beginner than any comment on accuracy, since I wouldn’t know enough to judge.
Though this book is meant to get you started quickly, there is a fair bit of grounding in Norse mythology and where the runes actually come from. Some of the key stories from the Norse Eddas are included, and though I think interested readers would be served by exploring a range of interpretations of the texts, these summaries are a fine starting point. Author Jan Budkowski also explains how runes were used as an alphabet, their more mystical symbolism, how the system of the Elder Futhark is organized, and the key Norse figures associated with the runes.
The meanings of the runes themselves are presented in brief including explanations of their associations with the mythological figures and stories introduced where applicable, reversed / face-down meanings, and meanings that are health-specific. I found that splitting the basic meaning across a few short sections sometimes made it a little confusing what to prioritize, but I did appreciate the broad coverage overall for times when a rune isn’t making immediate sense in a reading. The reference guide at the back of the book is also particularly handy while learning, simplifying a bit.
I also liked how Budkowski ties meanings to something specific about Norse mythology or culture when possible, helping the reader to remember the meaning and to understand its significance. In some cases there’s even a helpful relationship between the shape of the rune and an object or concept. I found it a little confusing the way Germanic or later meanings were sometimes scattered among the Norse symbolism, but not to the point of distraction. The modernizing of interpretations was also a bit inconsistent, so some runes felt more and less relevant and I wished for a little more of an energetic sense of what they’re about so I could better assess how they might apply to my own life, but it’s possible this is a problem shared among authors.
How to actually do a reading with runes isn’t addressed until after Budkowski has gone through all the meanings. I appreciated that this information was presented somewhat flexibly—do or don’t include reversals as you like, various options for spreads, and even a number of spreads from other traditions so that you can blend your practice using, for example, a Celtic Cross if you’re a tarot reader or the 12 houses if you’re an astrology person. I find that sometimes references on divination can lock students in to a particular reading style, not realizing that it’s not “the only way,” and for the most part this book doesn’t adopt that approach, other than suggesting that cleansing the runes is necessary. Similarly this book isn’t too precious about the runes themselves. Several ways to make your own are suggested, but there’s no poo-pooing storebought runes, and there’s even an idea for making them out plastic bottle caps! And if you’re less interested in divination, there’s also a whole section on how to use runes in magical practice.
Overall, I found this book a decent start to learning about runes, and I especially liked the way focusing on the cultural context of the runes and their importance in mythology helped me to absorb their meanings. I came away with the impression that this system could blend particularly well into an existing practice with tarot or other tools if you’re looking for guidance on how to approach actions and decisions right now and in the near future, without quite as strict a “future prediction” vibe as say, Lenormand. I’d like a little more sense of what questions are best-suited for the runes, and some more context for the meanings, but this is a good introduction for newbies like me.
(ARC provided through Edelweiss.)
Though this book is meant to get you started quickly, there is a fair bit of grounding in Norse mythology and where the runes actually come from. Some of the key stories from the Norse Eddas are included, and though I think interested readers would be served by exploring a range of interpretations of the texts, these summaries are a fine starting point. Author Jan Budkowski also explains how runes were used as an alphabet, their more mystical symbolism, how the system of the Elder Futhark is organized, and the key Norse figures associated with the runes.
The meanings of the runes themselves are presented in brief including explanations of their associations with the mythological figures and stories introduced where applicable, reversed / face-down meanings, and meanings that are health-specific. I found that splitting the basic meaning across a few short sections sometimes made it a little confusing what to prioritize, but I did appreciate the broad coverage overall for times when a rune isn’t making immediate sense in a reading. The reference guide at the back of the book is also particularly handy while learning, simplifying a bit.
I also liked how Budkowski ties meanings to something specific about Norse mythology or culture when possible, helping the reader to remember the meaning and to understand its significance. In some cases there’s even a helpful relationship between the shape of the rune and an object or concept. I found it a little confusing the way Germanic or later meanings were sometimes scattered among the Norse symbolism, but not to the point of distraction. The modernizing of interpretations was also a bit inconsistent, so some runes felt more and less relevant and I wished for a little more of an energetic sense of what they’re about so I could better assess how they might apply to my own life, but it’s possible this is a problem shared among authors.
How to actually do a reading with runes isn’t addressed until after Budkowski has gone through all the meanings. I appreciated that this information was presented somewhat flexibly—do or don’t include reversals as you like, various options for spreads, and even a number of spreads from other traditions so that you can blend your practice using, for example, a Celtic Cross if you’re a tarot reader or the 12 houses if you’re an astrology person. I find that sometimes references on divination can lock students in to a particular reading style, not realizing that it’s not “the only way,” and for the most part this book doesn’t adopt that approach, other than suggesting that cleansing the runes is necessary. Similarly this book isn’t too precious about the runes themselves. Several ways to make your own are suggested, but there’s no poo-pooing storebought runes, and there’s even an idea for making them out plastic bottle caps! And if you’re less interested in divination, there’s also a whole section on how to use runes in magical practice.
Overall, I found this book a decent start to learning about runes, and I especially liked the way focusing on the cultural context of the runes and their importance in mythology helped me to absorb their meanings. I came away with the impression that this system could blend particularly well into an existing practice with tarot or other tools if you’re looking for guidance on how to approach actions and decisions right now and in the near future, without quite as strict a “future prediction” vibe as say, Lenormand. I’d like a little more sense of what questions are best-suited for the runes, and some more context for the meanings, but this is a good introduction for newbies like me.
(ARC provided through Edelweiss.)
June 10, 2022
3 stars
This book has a lot of great, detailed background on Norse mythology as an introduction to rune interpretation. I had a hard time getting through some of the rather dense text, but I did learn a lot.
[What I liked:]
•The book is obviously well researched, & seems to be a thorough introduction to Norse cosmology for the unfamiliar.
•The book does a good job of tying the names & meanings of the runes to the myths/stories it provides as background.
•The book has a visually appealing layout, & some basic charts in the front & back of the text as references.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•Each rune is introduced with pages & pages of very detailed backstory for the characters & concepts associated with each rune. While this is a wonderful resource, I had a hard time retaining the basic information about each rune (name, symbol, basic associations, etc.) because of the long & dense text about each one. It would’ve been helpful to have a section with abridged info on each rune to get familiar with before progressing to the in-depth parts.
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
This book has a lot of great, detailed background on Norse mythology as an introduction to rune interpretation. I had a hard time getting through some of the rather dense text, but I did learn a lot.
[What I liked:]
•The book is obviously well researched, & seems to be a thorough introduction to Norse cosmology for the unfamiliar.
•The book does a good job of tying the names & meanings of the runes to the myths/stories it provides as background.
•The book has a visually appealing layout, & some basic charts in the front & back of the text as references.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•Each rune is introduced with pages & pages of very detailed backstory for the characters & concepts associated with each rune. While this is a wonderful resource, I had a hard time retaining the basic information about each rune (name, symbol, basic associations, etc.) because of the long & dense text about each one. It would’ve been helpful to have a section with abridged info on each rune to get familiar with before progressing to the in-depth parts.
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
January 4, 2022
While the author does seem to know their archeological history and lore they sadly omitted the fact that the Blank Rune is a modern item and never used before the work of Blum who shoehorned the lack of symbol in to fit Runes to the I-Ching. Odin did not hang on a tree nine days and nine nights as a sacrifice for a blank rune.
Also, rather than use he/him and have a paragraph explaining that, it would be so simple to use the terms They/Them.
Lastly, it needed a UPG disclaimer for some of the sections connecting certain runes to deities. There's nothing wrong with UPG and making these connections but they are not universal and a beginner can be confused by this when exploring the runes further.
In the end, while pretty and containing nice graphics and a few interesting sections of reference, this is not a rune book I recommend to my clients or students wanting to learn.
Also, rather than use he/him and have a paragraph explaining that, it would be so simple to use the terms They/Them.
Lastly, it needed a UPG disclaimer for some of the sections connecting certain runes to deities. There's nothing wrong with UPG and making these connections but they are not universal and a beginner can be confused by this when exploring the runes further.
In the end, while pretty and containing nice graphics and a few interesting sections of reference, this is not a rune book I recommend to my clients or students wanting to learn.
September 24, 2024
tl;dr An okay introduction to runes. I don't love the gender binary/stereotypes, and the definitions are rather flat. It did offer some interesting insights, but it's not a book I'd keep in my collection.
Not tl;dr:
I liked that the author opened up the book with covering some basic historical bits of Norse mythology and the history of runes. I think that helps both build an understanding of the purpose and meaning behind them, but also an appreciation of their use and the culture from which they came from.
While I understood what the author was going for with the explanation that runes are for everyone but for simplicity, they picked he/him pronouns, I don't understand why the author opted to not then use they/them? Like, it's right there. And in general, the book is very gender binary. Berkana has a description including, "Sometimes this rune represents a woman who is having the reading, but if the inquirer is a man, it refers to a woman who is already in his life or who soon will be." (This happens quite a bit in this book for multiple runes.) The tarot community has this issue too, of associating gender with clients/people, rather than aspects of the client/people. I wish this book took a more neutral approach.
While the author does mention the 'blank rune' being a more modern addition, given the discourse surrounding it, I think more than a one-off sentence would've been helpful in understanding its history. As someone who is indifferent to its use, I know it is often a heated debate in the community of whether its use is valid, and not including that in the book is a big missed detail. (Similarly, I have heard 'reversals' are a debated topic as well, with some saying the practice was not used traditionally with runes, but came from tarot.)
With that though, I did appreciate the flexibility with how the author says we can read the runes. (Reversed if desired, but not a requirement.) However, I do have some issues with the bulk of the book--the meanings of the runes.
Many of the runes all had the same meaning, with little nuance to really differentiate them. Upright suggests good fortune (in business, relationships, health), and reversed bodes misfortune. I've read quite a few articles and watched many videos discussing runes, and this book, I feel, has the least amount of information on their meanings. (And SO much was on new relationships, babies/fertility, and, of all things, ulcers, for some reason.) I was pretty disappointed here. The surrounding information was pretty well done, so I'm not sure what happened in this section. But if I didn't already familiarize myself from other resources of what each rune means, I would have a hard time being able to tell them apart from this book.
At the very least, in the appendix, the summarized descriptions there are more unique and specific to each rune, so I'm not sure why that same effort wasn't put in the longer more detailed pages? Still very gender binary though. :/
I did like that the author brought up spreads and gave several options, but for a book intended to teach absolute beginners on this topic, I was surprised there were no example readings given. General definitions of the runes and ideas for spreads is one thing, but for those inexperienced, not seeing them in action can make it difficult to actually use the spreads for the first time yourself.
I did like that the author encouraged the reader to make their own runes if they'd like, and not have to go store bought. I think it can make for a fun and personal art project, and a nice way to get familiar with each rune.
As for the poster in the physical book: it's quite nice! It's 18 x 24 inches, the paper quality is rather thick and sturdy, and the printing is clean and legible. The font is a bit small to squeeze in all the text, but it does seem nice. I have mixed feelings on its inclusion vs more pages with information though, as the poster doesn't present anything new, just repeats what was said in the appendix.
In general though, I was really hoping to get more from this book. Compared to free online resources I've found, this kind of is just, "Meh," in comparison. I suppose if you know absolutely /nothing/ about runes, this isn't a /bad/ place to start, especially because of the historical and mythology information, but other than that, YouTube videos or online articles will be much better for learning what each rune means and how to use them.
Not tl;dr:
I liked that the author opened up the book with covering some basic historical bits of Norse mythology and the history of runes. I think that helps both build an understanding of the purpose and meaning behind them, but also an appreciation of their use and the culture from which they came from.
While I understood what the author was going for with the explanation that runes are for everyone but for simplicity, they picked he/him pronouns, I don't understand why the author opted to not then use they/them? Like, it's right there. And in general, the book is very gender binary. Berkana has a description including, "Sometimes this rune represents a woman who is having the reading, but if the inquirer is a man, it refers to a woman who is already in his life or who soon will be." (This happens quite a bit in this book for multiple runes.) The tarot community has this issue too, of associating gender with clients/people, rather than aspects of the client/people. I wish this book took a more neutral approach.
While the author does mention the 'blank rune' being a more modern addition, given the discourse surrounding it, I think more than a one-off sentence would've been helpful in understanding its history. As someone who is indifferent to its use, I know it is often a heated debate in the community of whether its use is valid, and not including that in the book is a big missed detail. (Similarly, I have heard 'reversals' are a debated topic as well, with some saying the practice was not used traditionally with runes, but came from tarot.)
With that though, I did appreciate the flexibility with how the author says we can read the runes. (Reversed if desired, but not a requirement.) However, I do have some issues with the bulk of the book--the meanings of the runes.
Many of the runes all had the same meaning, with little nuance to really differentiate them. Upright suggests good fortune (in business, relationships, health), and reversed bodes misfortune. I've read quite a few articles and watched many videos discussing runes, and this book, I feel, has the least amount of information on their meanings. (And SO much was on new relationships, babies/fertility, and, of all things, ulcers, for some reason.) I was pretty disappointed here. The surrounding information was pretty well done, so I'm not sure what happened in this section. But if I didn't already familiarize myself from other resources of what each rune means, I would have a hard time being able to tell them apart from this book.
At the very least, in the appendix, the summarized descriptions there are more unique and specific to each rune, so I'm not sure why that same effort wasn't put in the longer more detailed pages? Still very gender binary though. :/
I did like that the author brought up spreads and gave several options, but for a book intended to teach absolute beginners on this topic, I was surprised there were no example readings given. General definitions of the runes and ideas for spreads is one thing, but for those inexperienced, not seeing them in action can make it difficult to actually use the spreads for the first time yourself.
I did like that the author encouraged the reader to make their own runes if they'd like, and not have to go store bought. I think it can make for a fun and personal art project, and a nice way to get familiar with each rune.
As for the poster in the physical book: it's quite nice! It's 18 x 24 inches, the paper quality is rather thick and sturdy, and the printing is clean and legible. The font is a bit small to squeeze in all the text, but it does seem nice. I have mixed feelings on its inclusion vs more pages with information though, as the poster doesn't present anything new, just repeats what was said in the appendix.
In general though, I was really hoping to get more from this book. Compared to free online resources I've found, this kind of is just, "Meh," in comparison. I suppose if you know absolutely /nothing/ about runes, this isn't a /bad/ place to start, especially because of the historical and mythology information, but other than that, YouTube videos or online articles will be much better for learning what each rune means and how to use them.
January 9, 2022
Runes are a way of conveying not only a form of ancient writing but a means of magic & divination. According to this author, not only did they stand for letters in the Runic Alphabet, they also symbolized the Nordic gods & deities and held deeper meaning for every day life.
This book focuses the exploration of the runes based on Nordic Mythology by giving an overview of the Norse gods & legends and then explaining each of the 24 Elder Futhark runes in three sections (subsets of 8 runes) each called an “aett”: Freya’s Aett, Hagal’s Aett, and Tyr’s Aett.
For each rune, you will be shown an image of it along with other names it is known by, how it is pronounced, its English equivalent, its upright & reversed meaning, its health interpretation, and background on the god(s)/deity it is associated with.
The author explains different ways to make your own set of runes, how to cleanse & prepare them and how to start a reading.
There are numerous helpful spreads in this book. They are broken down by chapter as to spread size. One is for smaller rune spreads, which includes ones that are great for beginners. Another chapter is for larger rune spreads, which are for more advanced readers, and include more detailed spreads. The last spread chapter contains crossover layouts from tarot and other form of divination such as The Celtic Cross Spread and the Numerology Spread.
The author also has a chapter on how to do rune magic through your rune casting practice, which includes some helpful tips that I wasn’t even aware of like, “Tradition says to use an odd number of runes for your magical message, perhaps three, five, seven, or nine. Frankly, less is more as far as spellcasting is concerned because too many runes will confuse your spiritual guides or gods, so I would recommend using anything from one to three runes.” (p. 113) There is even a handy Magical Rune List to cross-reference the rune you want to use for an intended magical purpose.
There are also handy charts for interpreting numerology through the runes and how to use all of this to make your own talismans and bind runes.
I received this book as an electronic copy for an honest review, but enjoyed it so much that I plan to purchase a copy of my own to keep in my library for reference.
Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book focuses the exploration of the runes based on Nordic Mythology by giving an overview of the Norse gods & legends and then explaining each of the 24 Elder Futhark runes in three sections (subsets of 8 runes) each called an “aett”: Freya’s Aett, Hagal’s Aett, and Tyr’s Aett.
For each rune, you will be shown an image of it along with other names it is known by, how it is pronounced, its English equivalent, its upright & reversed meaning, its health interpretation, and background on the god(s)/deity it is associated with.
The author explains different ways to make your own set of runes, how to cleanse & prepare them and how to start a reading.
There are numerous helpful spreads in this book. They are broken down by chapter as to spread size. One is for smaller rune spreads, which includes ones that are great for beginners. Another chapter is for larger rune spreads, which are for more advanced readers, and include more detailed spreads. The last spread chapter contains crossover layouts from tarot and other form of divination such as The Celtic Cross Spread and the Numerology Spread.
The author also has a chapter on how to do rune magic through your rune casting practice, which includes some helpful tips that I wasn’t even aware of like, “Tradition says to use an odd number of runes for your magical message, perhaps three, five, seven, or nine. Frankly, less is more as far as spellcasting is concerned because too many runes will confuse your spiritual guides or gods, so I would recommend using anything from one to three runes.” (p. 113) There is even a handy Magical Rune List to cross-reference the rune you want to use for an intended magical purpose.
There are also handy charts for interpreting numerology through the runes and how to use all of this to make your own talismans and bind runes.
I received this book as an electronic copy for an honest review, but enjoyed it so much that I plan to purchase a copy of my own to keep in my library for reference.
Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2022
I’ve seen quite a few books on runes and found this one to be easily read and understood. It’s a good place to start, but… I’d also check on other books as there is a bit of controversy between this one and others I’ve read. I am definitely no expert in runes but I am suggesting you look at more than one book on runes if you plan to study them.
As for this book, there are decent illustrations, several charts, and easy-to-read explanations of each rune. I especially enjoyed the background, history, and reading about the legends and mythology surrounding runes. Each runic definition includes the rune name, another name (if one), the pronunciation, the English equivalent, key meaning, attributes, what it is for (in brief), health check, and what it means reversed (blank side up). There are descriptions and illustrations of multiple spreads for a reading (like in Tarot cards) as well as magical uses. The glossary at the back is extensive and is followed by an index to make things easy to find.
Recommendations: Overall, this is a good basic book for beginners, but I would definitely follow it up with other books so you can delve more deeply into the history and meaning of runes.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this digital copy.
Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
As for this book, there are decent illustrations, several charts, and easy-to-read explanations of each rune. I especially enjoyed the background, history, and reading about the legends and mythology surrounding runes. Each runic definition includes the rune name, another name (if one), the pronunciation, the English equivalent, key meaning, attributes, what it is for (in brief), health check, and what it means reversed (blank side up). There are descriptions and illustrations of multiple spreads for a reading (like in Tarot cards) as well as magical uses. The glossary at the back is extensive and is followed by an index to make things easy to find.
Recommendations: Overall, this is a good basic book for beginners, but I would definitely follow it up with other books so you can delve more deeply into the history and meaning of runes.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this digital copy.
Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
January 4, 2022
In Focus Runes
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review
So this was a pretty good guide. I liked the information that was here as well as how it was all presented. To me, this book was laid out very intuitively and it was easy to find what I wanted. Also as a visual person, I highly appreciated the pictures and charts that were included. I liked the breakdowns on the individual runes and thought those were strong sections. I also liked the last section which had some runes spreads as those are my favorite thing to find in books like this and one of my markers for a well-written guidebook. I would definitely refer back to this book when studying runes further.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review
So this was a pretty good guide. I liked the information that was here as well as how it was all presented. To me, this book was laid out very intuitively and it was easy to find what I wanted. Also as a visual person, I highly appreciated the pictures and charts that were included. I liked the breakdowns on the individual runes and thought those were strong sections. I also liked the last section which had some runes spreads as those are my favorite thing to find in books like this and one of my markers for a well-written guidebook. I would definitely refer back to this book when studying runes further.
December 31, 2021
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free E-ARC in return for an honest review*
A helpful and surprisingly wide guide towards runes and casting them.
In truth I expected this to be a lot less helpful than it was, though I am already somewhat versed in runes- this proved helpful for even an intermediate.
The perfect addition for anyone looking to learn more or hone this practice.
A helpful and surprisingly wide guide towards runes and casting them.
In truth I expected this to be a lot less helpful than it was, though I am already somewhat versed in runes- this proved helpful for even an intermediate.
The perfect addition for anyone looking to learn more or hone this practice.
April 27, 2022
Quick impressions: This is an accessible and easy to read book. It is a good book for beginners. I recently bought a simple set of runes to start learning and studying the runes, and this book can be a good companion source to start learning. It gives you just enough to get started without being overwhelming.
(Full review available on my blog.)
(Full review available on my blog.)
December 29, 2021
Nonostante l'utilizzo delle rune come metodo divinatorio sia più New Age di quanto non si pensi, in realtà questo libricino può risultare molto utile a chi segue quella linea di pensiero e non si è mai avvicinatx a questo strumento di divinazione. Super utili tutti gli schemi, facili da leggere
April 18, 2022
A great introduction book to runes however there are many others that are a lot better. I would suggest comparing it with others and not just settling on this one book if you want to learn about runes.
October 29, 2022
This is a great introductory book to runes but a little brief in terms of history and lore. It's the second reference book I own and I found the one that accompanied the runes to be much more informative.
December 20, 2023
wonderful for beginners or anyone wanting to learn a little bit more about Runes. this really explains each Rune down to brief, key attributes, key ideas, meaning, reversed meaning (blank side) and health check. Further back in the book it breaks down Rune Spreads.
May 28, 2022
It's about Runes and their meanings. Useful for witches in training.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2023
Very well written. Concise and practical. Great for basics.
October 23, 2023
Love the way that the mythology is written into this book, and the study of runes is absolutely fascinating.
November 23, 2023
Good book to get you started with runes ! Goes through some of the Norse mythology as well as groups and individual runes. It even covers some basic cleansing ideas and unique spreads.
June 26, 2025
I read this when I had just discovered runes, my husband wanted to learn more so I bought it for him originally but I was curious too. good read, informational and easy to keep up with.
February 22, 2022
Comprehensive without being overwhelming in detail, this book contained all kinds of interesting information, stories, illustrations and history about runes and Norse mythology. Fascinating.
January 28, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I loved all the initial information and I thought it was great for people who have basic or little to no knowledge of Norse Mythology. The way the runes are explained and showcased was simple and practical, and I found it very easy to assimilate. Overall, this is a great little resource if you have any interest in runes.
I received an eArc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an eArc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2022
Found myself a bit lost on the meanings as it delves into more ancient times rather then focusing on what each rune symbolises.
Also the format started out strong like majority of this series as its great in an engaging and easy way, whereas this one proceeded to crame things into pages all off a sudden instead of keeping it separate like the other runes descriptions beforehand?
Also the format started out strong like majority of this series as its great in an engaging and easy way, whereas this one proceeded to crame things into pages all off a sudden instead of keeping it separate like the other runes descriptions beforehand?
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