This book is an account of how the author ended up working as a secular exorcist. It includes a brief history of his interest in the occult, an introduction to the mechanics of the mundane side of the business, his views on magic and religion, and a sample of the highlights of his career thus far.
It is clearly stated at the beginning that this is not a ‘how-to’ guide and that details of the actual exorcism process are not included to prevent the unprepared from ‘having a go’. Though understandable, it is a shame those details were left out, I feel they could have added an interesting dimension to the book.
The author claims that one of the qualities required in an exorcist is a near arrogant belief in themselves and their ability. This attitude is certainly apparent in the writing style, which at times comes across as bordering on patronising, but is tempered somewhat by a wicked sense of humour.
It would have been very easy to slip into the realm of the horror story when relating the details of particular exorcisms he has performed but the few sample cases that the author includes are presented in a professionally detached tone, using plain language and eschewing sensationalism.
I would have preferred if the cases had been presented in a more documentary tone, like those in medical texts where a case is presented then analysed, but that is simply my stylistic preference.
I’m not a big fan of biography or memoirs but this one was different enough to catch my eye. While it didn’t provide the more detailed insight into an unusual profession that I had hoped for it was, nonetheless, an interesting enough read and the recommendations in the further reading list might be worth a look.-Lynn
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