Book Review: Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison

Utterly Wicked: Hexes, Curses, and Other Unsavory Notions by Dorothy Morrison discusses magic’s “darker aspects” and challenges the idea that it must be all love and light.

According to Dorothy Morrison, “It’s for those folks who have what it takes to BECOME the things that go bump in the night and aren’t afraid to go there.”

Her book also addresses ethical dilemmas many witchcraft practitioners ask themselves: “Is there a justifiable reason to cast a curse or hex?”

Please note that I make every effort to ensure this information is correct and accurate through my own experiences and referencing sources throughout AND at the bottom of this article. 

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Who is the Author, Dorothy Morrison?

Dorothy Morrison lives with her husband, Mark, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was a Wiccan High Priestess of the Georgian Tradition with over 20 years of experience practicing and teaching witchcraft.

She founded the Coven of the Crystal Garden in 1986. In addition to Utterly Wicked, Dorothy Morrison has also published the following books:

• The Craft – A Witch’s Book of Shadows
• Everyday Magic: Spells & Rituals for Modern Living
• Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living
• Everyday Sun Magic: Spells & Rituals for Radiant Living

You can find Dorothy Morrison on her website: dorothymorrison.com

Well, yeah, I was Wiccan for a long time, and then I decided the religion did not work for me. I’m more of a spiritual person…

…but even with Wiccans, what they tend to miss is that in order to be a good practitioner you have to achieve balance between the mundane world and the spiritual world. And the whole idea is to walk evenly between the two.

Dorothy Morrison when interviewed on The Purple Mystic Podcast Episode 6 (20:05)

What is Utterly Wicked About?

Utterly Wicked is a book for spiritual practitioners interested in cursing and hexing. It includes over 100 spells and rituals to help you take action and protect yourself.

I chose Utterly Wicked as our first Peculiar Book Club read because it’s frequently recommended in the witchcraft community. I purchased my Utterly Wicked book on Amazon. Many of our members already had a copy but hadn’t read it yet, so we were excited to start!

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My Key Takeaways From Utterly Wicked

Dorothy Morrison’s Utterly Wicked sparked some great discussions in the book club! A few aspects didn’t resonate with me (specifically cultural appropriation issues and non-inclusive language).

However, her breakdown of hexes vs. curses, the magic of dirt from meaningful locations, and the positive uses for poppets all gave me fresh ideas for my own practice. This book challenged perspectives and definitely left a lasting impression!

Warning: From this point forward, there will be spoilers.

…and everytime I’ve written a book, I really haven’t written it for the general public. I write books to keep my information all in one place.

[so almost like it becomes your own personal grimoire you’re sharing with the world?]

Exactly because it’s mine.

Dorothy Morrison when interviewed on The Purple Mystic Podcast Episode 6 (28:40)

Cultural Appropriation

Almost immediately, a conversation about cultural appropriation came up in the book club. Especially when the topic of Hoodoo was discussed. Dorothy said, “This [Hoodoo] is in no way, shape, or form a religious system – it’s magic, plain and simple – at its origin is attributed to derivations of the magical practices of the Afro-Carribean people who were once enslaved in the United States.”

However, she doesn’t acknowledge that Hoodoo is a closed practice requiring initiation and community invitation. To quote Chantelle Sauls in this article, “Hoodoo is for African-Americans that are direct descendants of slaves.”

Dorothy’s guidance around cemetery dirt invokes Oya, an Orisha from the Yoruba religion, as the Queen of the Dead. However, she never fully explores the context of Orisha worship. I would feel uncomfortable practicing any of her cemetery dirt rituals because I think it dismisses the voices of those who worship Oya.

In another area of the book, she mentions dreamcatchers without discussing their Native American origins or cultural significance. Dreamcatchers hold spiritual meaning for the Anishinaabe people and many Indigenous communities and are tied to sacred beliefs and traditions.

I wish she had left these sections out because I liked the rest of the book!

Dorothy’s Definition of Hexes and Curses

I really enjoyed hearing Dorothy Morrison explain her views on the differences between hexes and curses. According to her, a curse uses only words, intense emotions (typically anger), or even a simple look, like giving someone the Evil Eye.

Hexes are more deliberate and structured spells or rituals and involve additional tools. However, that’s not to say emotions don’t play an important role in hexes, too! I thought this was interesting and could be helpful for practitioners to look at different ways they can approach magic.

For most practitioners, a curse relies solely upon the spoken word or, in the case of the Evil Eye, a personal gesture. They say that nothing else is necessary when cursing someone, as the emotion behind the words or act is the force that drives it…

…a hex is the product of a spell or ritual. And while it is certainly directed and powered by the emotional state of the practitioner, it also makes use of additional aids such as personal effects, powders, washes, charms, and so forth.

Dorothy Morrison – Utterly Wicked page 153

The Magic of Dirt in Witchcraft

Dorothy Morrison’s section on cemetery dirt didn’t really resonate with me, specifically when it came to working with certain spirits (like Confederate soldiers, murderers, or calling on Orisha deities).

However, I did enjoy her ideas about gathering dirt from different locations, like banks, courthouses, or flower shops, and using their spiritual energy. She also shared amazing tips about how to store the dirt, what tools to use, and creative ways to add it to spells.

One of the great things about dirt is that it works of its own accord. You don’t have to cleanse it. You don’t have to charge it…

…The fact that it’s a part of the Earth, and thus as old as creation, gives it stability.

Dorothy Morrison – Utterly Wicked page 45

Poppets Used for Good?

This chapter was laid out so well. She discussed materials to use, how to personalize and activate them, whether to dress them or not, and how to dispose of them. She even included the origins of curse dolls and binding spells.

Dorothy took the whole thing to the next level when she recommended using an 11” fashion doll and stuffing the cavities. Absolute genius! That idea alone opened up so many new creative ideas for my own practice.

Poppets are usually synonymous with only cursing or hexing. However, Dorothy Morrison flips that idea on its head and shows how poppets can be used for positive outcomes like manifesting goals or even healing.

The spell she shared for healing a personal illness was brilliant and combined magical work with practical medical care. This was a popular section in the book club, and I can see why!

What I Loved About Utterly Wicked

In addition to the section about poppets, I thought the following ideas were amazing and worth buying the book for!

Why You Shouldn’t Return Energy To Sender

Dorothy Morrison challenges the idea of returning negative energy to its sender (like in an Egg Cleanse Ritual). She argues energy isn’t inherently good or bad. Instead, it simply takes on the intent of the witch or spiritual practitioner using it.

Since energy never truly dies, she encourages witches to transform it and repurpose it into something positive and beneficial.

Her Swifting Ritual on page 134 is a brilliant method for redirecting negative energy! I’m obsessed! She turned something potentially harmful into a powerful tool to wield.

“Having learned this early on, you can imagine my reaction when someone else’s teacher announced that negative energy should always be returned to the sender…

…But that’s just an effort in futility….and it’s certainly not going to fix the problem!…

…Because if both practitioners have their shields in place…

…all this is going to do is cause a game of psychic volleyball. The energy’s going to bounce back and forth until someone gets tired.”

Dorothy Morrison – Utterly Wicked page 130 – 131

Immersing the Curse

As someone who enjoys crafting, this section really stood out to me. Dorothy talked about immersing the curse in plain sight. I loved her idea of making a DIY gift and adding a curse, specifically when she discussed quilts and their connection with magic squares.

Alternatively, Dorothy suggests buying a lovely gift for the person you’re cursing. She says that every time they look at it or use it, they’ll think of you and how badly they treated you.

I really liked this because it reminded me of Marie Kondo and her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. In it, Marie Kondo talks about feeling the energy and joy of each object. Then, you decide whether you want to keep it in your space.

At one point, Dorothy says, “Everything that someone touches carries their invisible mark, their energy, and their vibration.” Yes! That’s how I view magic, too! I recently embroidered an image of thyme into a curtain; there’s no way it’s not full of my personal energy and intentions. She also includes six stitches and how to use them.

What Dorothy Morrison Could Improve

I already covered the cultural appropriation issues, but they left me wondering if there were other problematic elements I might have missed. Dorothy Morrison seems to cherry-pick practices for her magical workings without fully exploring their origins, which made me uncomfortable.

I also wasn’t a fan of the non-inclusive language either. In a Witch’s Bottle spell (page 144), she suggests different materials based on gender: “Optional for women only: a tissue containing a few drops of your menstrual blood. Optional for men only: a tissue containing a few drops of your semen.” It would have been simple to use more inclusive wording.

Lastly, one section includes a rant about how no one can maintain focus anymore (cue my internal eye roll). Instead of offering useful techniques, she includes two exercises that are basically just automatic writing. She did not explain how automatic writing would improve your focus within your magical practice.

…most authors who’ve been in the business awhile will tell you that a bad review sells your book.

…Because what happens is people see these bad reviews online and they go, “ugh, really?” and they go buy the book to see what’s wrong with it…

Dorothy Morrison when interviewed on The Purple Mystic Podcast Episode 6 (31:30)

The Peculiar Verdict

I give Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison 4 out of 5 pentagrams!

This book has a lot of clever and creative ideas spiritual practitioners can use to help them push their practice further. I did take one pentagram off due to all the cultural appropriation issues.

I hope you found this book review of Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison helpful! Lots of love to you and remember, as always…