Forest Song: Finding Home by Vila SpiderHawk - Book Review by Dawn "Belladonna" Thomas

Forest Song: Finding Home

By Vila SpiderHawk

ISBN: 0981473989

Book Review by Dawn “Belladonna” Thomas

I was excited to begin this book after reading Ms. SpiderHawk’s book Hidden Passages: Tales of to Honor the Crone. I was definitely not disappointed. The story begins with a young girl, Judy, living with her family in Germany. Her family builds a wrought iron fence to attempt to contain her. Judy hears the song of the forest and constantly tries to break through and run for the woods. She realizes at a young age that she doesn’t fit in with “city life.” When Judy finally makes it to the woods, it changes her whole world. She sees and hears things differently than what she is used to. The lessons that she learns are essential to all of us. Those she meets in the woods become more of a family than she ever had with her biological family. Judy learns about relationships, magic, and ways to honor nature and Goddesses.

I found myself rereading sections because the messages in the story are so profound. I can see myself becoming more involved. I felt very strong about this message: “But rituals are important. Without them it’s easy to forget who you are. And if you lose yourself you can’t help other people.”

Ms SpiderHawk is a talented storyteller and I believe I will be rereading this story again and again. I am sure that I would enjoy any book that she wrote and I am already looking forward to her next book.