Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Official Grimoire – A Magickal History of Sunnydale

The Grimoire is one of my absolute favourite books from the Buffyverse. Like many of the hardback books available, it's beautifully presented and feels much more expensive than it is, with an embossed front cover and a spine that really makes it stand out. You immediately feel like you're holding a magic tome.

The real magic of this book, though, is when you open it up and see what's inside. From the opening pages it feels like you're stepping into another universe rather than reading a book, both in the way it looks and the way it reads.

There's a mix of different types of content, ranging from diary entries to Wiccan laws and even the seating plan for Xander and Anya's wedding. The heart of the Grimoire, though, is obviously the spells: you can learn anything from how to understand cats to summoning a demon, with plenty of love spells in between.

On top of these, there are plenty of incantations from the series, right up to the final spell cast, the one at the end of season seven that shares the power of the Slayer among the Potentials.

The diary entries and Willow's side notes also give you a much deeper understanding of her character, and will no doubt help you pick up new things on your many rewatches of the show.

Verdict

An amazing and essential part of any wannabe Scooby's toolkit.