Book Review: The African Witch by Joyce Cary

This post is a review of The African Witch by author, Joyce Cary.

This was an interesting book to read. The subject matter itself was captivating enough but that’s not exactly what I mean by interesting. I’m more referring to all the things around it, the general attitudes of the time, that shaped it in less tangible ways but that clearly made their way into the narrative. In particular, the racism jumps off the page. It’s so tangible in fact that it made it difficult to concentrate. At a lot of points this book was difficult to stomach, but I felt strangely compelled to finish it. In part because the writing itself had enough merit to keep my attention and even, in parts, to thoroughly enjoy.

The second reason I couldn’t look away was more sinister. It was the same phenomenon that compels us to stare lingeringly at a car crash. I had to know just how bad the racist under and overtones would get and the only way was to keep reading.

What is The African Witch about?

Storyline (Blurb) of The African Witch

"It is the many-mooded story of a small colony of whites living peacefully, even smugly, on the brim of a volcano seething with black magic older than any Western civilization. It is s study of conflict between reason and instinct, between enlightened folkways and the ancient powers of darkness.

It has freshness of challenge; it is about things not entirely understood, but real and terrible. Here is brilliant writing, rich on wisdom, excitement, and humor, that will haunt you with mysteries the white man has forgotten, busy in his conquest of the physical world.

The story builds to a climax of utter honesty that will leave your blood racing. For in it you see ideals of the Western world demolished in a moment of time, and the spirit of Africa completely triumphant."

What I Liked About This Book

I’m going to start by talking about what I liked. It’s a much shorter list. Unfortunately, even what I like is tied to something I don’t.

The Writing (Liked and Disliked)

Case and point, I think Cary is a good writer. However, written in 1936, the oftentimes bulky style of the time is reflected in his prose. There were many times when the writing was too dense with detail. In trying to paint every scene so vividly, the grace of the storytelling was lost and I found myself laboring to get through certain sections.

Pacing (Liked and Disliked)

The story takes quite a long time to get going such that there were many times when I asked myself “What is going on?” or “Who is this again?” in reference to a character I was reading about. I’ve read enough old books to know that this is largely characteristic of the time when short attention spans were not a consideration writers had to contend with, allowing them much more space and time to hook the reader. Some things that took long to uncover, like where exactly the story is set, were actually enjoyable and added to the experience of the story. You feel for a long time that this could be happening anywhere along the Niger River until you learn exactly where it is. So, while it’s not particularly the easiest writing to get through in parts, I understand that as coming with territory. 

Characters (Some)

Additionally, I thought Cary showed great instinct and skill for character depictions, particularly his white characters that felt fuller and more complex than their black counterparts (more on that later). Added to that, I enjoyed the quality of the conversations between these characters, finding them to have a real quality and often a humorous one too. Writing great dialogue and crafting complex and distinct characters is no easy feat, and I’m always impressed when I see it. 

Now, let’s dive fully into the things I did not like.

What I Disliked About This Book

The Racist Rhetoric

As alluded to earlier, I want to discuss the blatant racism in this novel, but to fairly do so, I must discuss the context within which it was written and published because it matters a great deal. Context is about putting things within a time and place. Oftentimes, understanding the environment that shaped the thing can be as or more consequential than dissecting the thing itself.

To start, let’s uncover how we end up with a white, Irish man writing this Africa-centric book in the first place. 

The African Witch, written by Joyce Cary, was first published in 1936. Cary was an Anglo-Irish novelist and a colonial officer. In 1936, although the landscape was rapidly shifting with the rise of Germany in Europe and the momentum for decolonization movements across what was the British empire, Great Britain was still the biggest world power. 

One of the countries Great Britain colonized was Nigeria, where Cary’s book is set. Cary himself spent quite a great deal of time in Nigeria as an officer both before and after the First World War. He held several posts in the country, including that of the magistrate and executive officer in Borgu. By all accounts, Cary was passionate about ending colonial rule in Africa, and I believe he felt his novels were the best means of making a case for African independence. Unfortunately, whatever good he wished to do is completely eclipsed by the insultingly shallow world he creates for the superficial characters who live in it. These paper thin characters are no more than a thinly veiled stack of stereotypes meant, one can only assume, to confirm biases long formed about what it means to be an African. 

I cannot imagine the target audience for Cary’s books were the Nigerian people he was writing about, but rather the British people back home who wondered after his adventures in the deep savage jungles of Africa. I think Cary’s dilemma is that he desired to meet his audience’s appetite for the African as a savage needing to be tamed, while also trying to put forth a good faith argument for the liberation of these same people. As a result, all his characters became caricatures and the sincerity of his liberal views became questionable. 

I find the racism in and around this book to be layered. The first, in all fairness, is not on Cary, it’s rather just a sign of the times in which it was released. Remember, Great Britain was still a colonial power which means that forced white governance over the so-called colonies created and upheld systems of white supremacy. Also, there was no such thing as worrying about the political correctness of anything. Still, it was quite jarring to read this on the book cover. And I quote “Perhaps, because of his own Celtic background, he is not bewildered by the psychology of the superstitious negro.” Luckily, we’ve moved far enough past this that I think most of us would find that language shocking, and I would hope that even more of us would find more issue with the ideology behind it. In any case, that’s the first form of racism, the most direct and obvious- that you could just call black people ’superstitious negros’ in broad book daylight and in real daylight and that it was completely acceptable. 

Characters Crafted From Racist Stereotypes and Tropes

The second form of racism is also blatant and obvious, but this time it is on Cary. There is a particular callousness and disrespect with which he treats his black characters. It reads and feels like he’s putting them down. Worse, this abuse is so central to the writing that without it he wouldn’t have a story. That need for an entire cast of characters so stupid, wild, and without any of the virtues we would ascribe to people we like is its own sinister form of oppression. His descriptions of the ‘negro’ and ‘negress’, both physically and intellectually feel like they go far past what can be considered ‘creative license’. 

Of Coker, a black character, he writes “He was not reading. He seemed vacant, half asleep. His face, as he sat sideways in the lamplight, gazing in front of him with his eyebrows raised high, a wrinkled forehead, a dropped under-lip, was like that of an imbecile. In fact, he was not thinking anything. His mind was completely vacant as if his body were inhabited only by a collection of organs. Like other negroes, he was capable of falling into this condition at any time, and passed long hours during which he was unaware of the passage of time. His body informed him when it was time to feed or sleep. He had then, no personality, only his body had physical idiosyncrasies.” 

Now, it would be one thing and completely acceptable if this description of Coker was kept to just him. It’s not a crime to write a stupid character, no matter the respective races of either the author or the character. I am all for artistic freedom. But Cary’s description goes past this to paint these characteristics that he’s ascribed to Coker to “all negroes”. As such, this is simply racist. Whatsmore, for a white author writing about black characters in the land in which he is actively a colonial officer governing over them- one would think he would feel even more compelled to handle their representation with care. Instead, he reduced them into these shallow, unimaginative, and detrimental stereotypes. It’s incredibly ugly and profoundly insulting. 

In general, there is a lack of care for the black characters that is painful to witness, but it doesn’t feel like the work of a writer whose crafted it that way in order to make you feel that discomfort on purpose or for a point- it’s just not there because the writer didn’t feel he needed to have it for them. They are things, objects to be used for the purpose of electrifying the pages. Their constant savage acts had much in the form of shock or comic value, but little in what made them real, full, and human. This inability to humanize the characters leads me to my final form of racism. 

Black Stories As Written By White Authors Who Don't See Their Humanity

The third form of racism present in this book is the deepest and heaviest. It’s that true racism that fails to recognize the full humanity of what it has classified as a lesser race. I see this in Cary’s characters. They can be manufactured into these larger than life portraits, shadows of real people, because he never fully humanized them. I have to ask myself, are they that way on the page because that’s how he saw them in real life?

Reportedly,  During the First World War, Cary served with a Nigerian regiment fighting in the German colony of Kamerun. His short story "Umaru" (1921) describes an incident from this period in which a British officer recognizes the common humanity that connects him with his African sergeant. My issue with this story, and Cary’s brand of ‘literary activism’, is that this common humanity has to be discovered. This rests on the assumption that, prior to whatever event forcibly bonded him to these characters, they were not fully humane in his eyes. 

As an African who has always known my own humanity and that of my people, the idea that someone had to discover it- and was shocked to find it when they did- is mind numbing. The further idea that this person, so impressed with his discovery of African humanity, wrote books as a means of trying to convince other white people to see it, and that this is considered a form of racial advocacy- and as such, a thing that black people were meant to be grateful for-  is soul crushing. 

I have not read Cary’s other books and I probably won’t, but I know that many other people have raised similar concerns and criticisms of his other works. “Mister Johnson” (1939) by Joyce Cary has been criticized for its racial stereotypes and portrayal of African characters. The novel has been called racist by some critics, including Chinua Achebe. Achebe, a celebrated Nigerian author, said the novel was superficial and helped him decide to write his own novels about Nigeria. I don’t believe there is an African child who doesn’t know Chinua Achebe. In school, “Things Fall Apart” was required reading and that started my love affair with arguably one of Africa’s greatest and certainly one of its most impactful writers. I had no idea that his frustration with how Cary depicted his country and countrymen was what decided his writing path. So, if for nothing else, I am certainly grateful to Joyce Cary’s books for that.  

Reductive Premise

Aside from the racist rhetoric, another great flaw of the storyline is the reductive reasoning of the premise. The book jacket describes the book as “a study of conflict between reason and instinct.” It’s not explicitly stated, but it’s obvious that the reasoning whites are at odds with the instinctual blacks. I find this condescending but also nonsensical. Surely reason isn’t the enemy of instinct, are there not enough instances where the instinctual reaction is also the most reasonable? 

In his defense, I do think this blurb meant to highlight Cary’s intention to showcase that, in fact, sometimes, instinct trumps reason- so, sometimes, the rudimentary ways of the savage negro are just what’s called for instead of the meticulous reasoning of the white man-particularly in his own environment. As I hope is clear, even at its best, this is insulting. The blurb continues to describe the story as building “to a climax of utter honesty that will leave your blood racing. For in it you see ideals of the Western world demolished in a moment of time, and the spirit of Africa completely triumphant.” This is perhaps the most telling sentiment, that what Cary has written is considered a triumph of the African spirit. How poor must the view of the African and her spirit have been to warrant such praise for this most shallow, reductive, and hurtful of depictions? 

The answer is probably ‘astoundingly poor’ and, in that context, I can actually understand how in their time, Cary’s books might have been a force for good. I understand why he wrote his books. I even understand why they were celebrated. What he wrote and how he wrote it offends all my sensibilities and that is not the luxury of time speaking- I would dislike it a hundred years ago as much as I do now. However, for his time, he was much further along than most in his ability and willingness to see his version of African humanity (however limited it might have been) and to advocate for its liberation. In this way, he no doubt moved the needle forward and helped to shape better racial attitudes, however little, within his race and class. That he chose to use his art form to this end is in itself commendable, even if I cannot like the end product. 

Verdict: 2 Stars

As a matter of objective criticism, one of my guiding principles is that art doesn’t care about the facts but it does ask that you stir true feelings within the audience. For books, this requires characters that feel real and complete, and in that completeness, we can examine their words and actions and know when they feel true to those same characters. Cary failed to do this. So, fundamentally, even with an interesting subject matter and some objectively good writing, he failed to write a good book because a lot of these characters never felt real. 

Additionally, the various forms of racism present in this book made it an even tougher read. The luxury of writing this 100 years after some of his works were published is that it allows me to enjoy the fact that they have not aged well. That, at least, gives me hope.

Let me know if you pick it up and what you think of it.

Happy reading and talk soon,

Nonjabulo

Book Review: The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings

This post is a review of The Women Could Fly by author, Megan Giddings.

What is The Women Could Fly about?

This is a book about autonomy, particularly that of a woman over her own mind and body. The setting is magical and the major threat of the day is an accusation of witchcraft, but the underlying threat of having your ability to govern your own life looms large and it's a direct commentary on the loss of protections for women's reproductive rights.

In fact, as a social commentary book, it's about all the inequalities that ail modern American society- racial, gender, and wealth inequality. These are woven into the experiences or viewpoints of various characters within the story, so while the story feels fantastical, it's also firmly rooted in reality.

It's also a book about mothers and daughters- my favorite- and the complex dynamics that can exist within these relationships. In this case, Jo is dealing with the scars and repercussions of her mother's abandonment in a world where her existence was already suspicious. The stigma of Tania's disappearance threatens to make it hostile.

I also found it to be a book about the people who stay. For all the emphasis of Tania's disappearance and the mess that left behind, it's equally about all the people who were there to help pick up the pieces when she left: Jo's dad, her best friend, her aunts.

Storyline (Blurb) of The Women Could Fly

Reminiscent of the works of Margaret Atwood, Shirley Jackson, and Octavia Butler, a biting social commentary from the acclaimed author of Lakewood that speaks to our times--a piercing dystopian novel about the unbreakable bond between a young woman and her mysterious mother, set in a world in which witches are real and single women are closely monitored.

Josephine Thomas has heard every conceivable theory about her mother's disappearance. That she was kidnapped. Murdered. That she took on a new identity to start a new family. That she was a witch. This is the most worrying charge because in a world where witches are real, peculiar behavior raises suspicions and a woman--especially a Black woman--can find herself on trial for witchcraft.

But fourteen years have passed since her mother's disappearance, and now Jo is finally ready to let go of the past. Yet her future is in doubt. The State mandates that all women marry by the age of 30--or enroll in a registry that allows them to be monitored, effectively forfeiting their autonomy. At 28, Jo is ambivalent about marriage. With her ability to control her life on the line, she feels as if she has her never understood her mother more. When she's offered the opportunity to honor one last request from her mother's will, Jo leaves her regular life to feel connected to her one last time.

In this powerful and timely novel, Megan Giddings explores the limits women face--and the powers they have to transgress and transcend them.

What I Liked About This Book

Concept

I really enjoyed the idea of this book: create a world with a magic system that can function as a backdrop for seamless social commentary on racial inequality, gender inequality, wealth inequality, and the structures that keep these systems in place. As a concept, it is exciting and full of so much promise.

Characters

I liked the characters in this book. They felt real and substantial, most were layered in interesting and complex ways. I appreciated the ways in which a lot of them were contradictory and flawed.

Jo's mom, Tania, is a great example. Perhaps most glaringly, in her quest to find out if her love for her family is true and selfless, in wanting to know if the love within her marriage and life can be real if the absence of such commitment would result in forfeiting all her personal liberties, she leaves her husband and child- which is perhaps the most unloving and destabilizing thing she could do to them. Her quest for selflessness made her selfish.

What I Disliked About This Book

Execution

I think I know what this book was supposed to do, or at least I know what I hoped it would do- and it just didn't. At least from a U.S. perspective, I think this was meant to be a commentary on women's rights that are being chipped away with the recent overturning of Roe vs. Wade and the ongoing battle of the repercussions of that ruling ever since. Likewise, it attempted to make commentary on the burden of blackness within this society and how it carries penalties that those who benefit from whiteness don't have to face; and even less so those who benefit from both whiteness and money.

I thought the distance created by the magical setting would create a safe, untouched space where all this could be explored without being too on the nose and that the book would manage to feel light and detached from this weight and feel contained within its own story.

What I experienced was either or, and that was more frustrating than anything else. I would have preferred a lecture on the history and impacts of race and wealth on society or a fairytale about witches in modern-day society and how they are forced to navigate the constant threat of persecution. I fully understand what Giddings tries to do in splicing these together, and I respect the vision. I think there was a way to do it well such that it elevated the gravitas of the fairytale without weighing it down with well-reworded statistics. I just don't think she found it.

For me, the blending of the ideas wasn't seamless and I could almost tell when she decided to slip in a fact or even orchestrate scenes in such a way as to reference documented instances. Again, this in and of itself is fine as a tactic and tool and can lead to some really great and stirring writing- but it has to be done well. I found her execution to lack subtlety and I was constantly pulled out of the story to mull over the statistics or a stretch of writing that reminded me of the corresponding statistics.

A Quick Comparison

I recently did a review of An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, and I think hers is a shining example of the execution I would have liked to see here. Part of my review reads:

"To be able to write on such a heavy subject matter as being a black man in America, especially the American South, as it pertains to incarceration and its unjust repercussions not just for the person behind bars but also for all the people that they are connected to- to be able to write truthfully on a subject of this weight and magnitude is difficult enough. To do it with such a light hand and gentle strokes is the work of a master."

So, I know it can be done and it can be done well. Granted, Jones' book has no magical elements, but I don't think that really factors in what I'm critiquing.

Writing

I found the writing to be okay. It wasn't bad in any way, it just didn't excite or inspire me. I wasn't dying to pick up the book and finish the chapter, and in some cases, reading felt like a drag or something to get through just so I knew what happened next. I won't say this happened throughout the book, but enough to be noteworthy.

Verdict: 3 Stars

I think 'social commentary dystopian' is the genre that Giddings is known for and I am yet to pick up her acclaimed first novel, Lakewood, so I don't know how different that non-magical story reads in comparison to this one. It's possible that removing the fairytale aspect is the key to her genius. I do know that having it in this novel took something away from it.

I just think it's not (yet) her element and the final result wasn't smooth which took away from the reading experience. That said, I think the idea was good even if the execution was not. This is really a book I wanted to love and I'm sad that, in the end, I just couldn't.

Let me know if you pick it up and what you think of it.

Other Books by Megan Giddings

• Lakewood

Happy reading and talk soon,

Nonjabulo

Angelic/ Ethereal Style Essence: What is It and Do I Have It?

I think of great style as a marriage between body lines, as can be determined by the Kibbe Body Types Test as well as style essence. I've done a great deal of writing on the different body types because I think it's important to get that part done first. Knowing your body type is like the sponge of the cake, it's the structure.

Now, I'm focusing on style essences, which for me is like the icing on top. These two parts can be enjoyed separately, but the real magic happens when both are present. In style, this is the person who has perfected their unique authentic style. Their clothes fit and accommodate their body perfectly (body type lines) and they communicate who they are as a person (essence).

In this post, I will be discussing the Angelic/ Ethereal Essence- what it is, how it can be expressed, and how to tell if you have it. First, however, I think it's important to fully understand just what a style essence is in the first place.

Note: In body types analysis, I used the Kibbe system of body typing. For essence analysis, I will be using both the Kibbe and the Kitchener systems. I am adding the Kitchener system as I think it's both more comprehensive and intuitive, and I have had no issues with using the two systems together. In fact, I think they complement each other.

A style essence is different from a body type.

The body type is based on a person's body geometry and identifying it helps a person to know their best clothing lines and styles so that they always look their best.

An essence is less tangible. It's based on a person's embodiment and personal expression and identifying it helps a person know their inner stylistic character so that they always look like themselves, or harmonious.

Essence, by virtue of how intangible it is, is difficult to describe. Like class and grace, it's difficult to pinpoint, but you know it when you see it and it's glaringly obvious when it's missing.

A person dressed in a way that captures their essence looks wonderfully complete and they animate their look- they bring it to life. Conversely, even in lines that perfectly match their body type, a person who doesn't dress for their essence will look dull and incomplete.

Let's look at an example to illustrate this:

I'm not sure what Anya Taylor-Joy's body type is, but at 5'8, she looks to be a Dramatic or a Flamboyant Natural. Regardless, what's obvious about her is her dominant Angelic essence. She has that otherworldly look and she looks her best when she honors it.

In these lines, Anya looks stiff. These lean more Dramatic in essence due to the long vertical lines, the monochromatic scheme, the heavy, stiff fabric, and the dark colors.

At best she looks fine and at worst she looks constricted and weighed down by these garments. They don't honor her light and surreal Ethereal/ Angelic essence and they take something away from her.

Here, Anya looks amazing. Her Angelic essence is on full display, in each of these looks I get the sense that she's just about to fly off into another realm.

The feathers, lightweight fabric, loosely fitted silhouette, and gentle coloring all add to this light and airy effect and her long, loose, blonde hair ties it all together. She looks like a dream and she looks like the truest version of herself.

What Things Communicate Essence?

Essence is elusive, so it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what individual elements create it. In truth, it's probably a combination of all of them; the style of clothing, the color palette, the hair and makeup, and the choice of accessories.

However, some of these are more fixed than others. For example, the style of clothing is likely dictated by a person's body type and the color palette is likely dictated by their color season. So the elements that are left to play with to create or highlight the desired essence are hair, makeup, and the choice of accessories.

Packaging (tangibles)

These tangible elements are the things that anyone can manipulate in an effort to recreate a representation of a particular essence. On the right person, it will come to life and look beautifully natural. On the wrong person, even if it looks beautiful, it will look like a costume.

Hair

Hair is communicative. Whether it's tied or loose, sleek or voluminous, polished or unkempt, all of these variations create a different vibe for the person wearing them. Some styles will be more 'them' than others, meaning that some styles will capture their essence better than others.

Makeup

Similarly to hair, makeup is a very communicative element of any ensemble. Whether bold or subtle, sharp or blurred, bright or subdued can create a harmonious look that highlights someone's beauty and essence or one that clashes with it.

Accessories

Accessories are fun and dynamic and they allow for the ultimate expression of a person's essence because of all the options that are available. Not only do they complete a look by stylistically tying it all together, but the shapes, colors, textures, edges, and details of each individual piece can be used to communicate the essence of the wearer.

Embodiment (intangibles)

These intangible elements are the crux of an essence. These pieces come together to animate the packaging (as listed above) of a person's embodiment- which is really what we're judging when we talk about their essence.

Movement

One way that a person's embodiment of their essence can manifest is in how they generally move. How they pick up and put down things, how they hold them, how they walk, etc. Certain people can be described as gentle, graceful, and poised- this is a particular embodiment. Other people can be described as fun, energetic, and even strong- this is a completely different embodiment.

Speech

How a person talks can reveal a lot about them, and particular ways of speaking lend themselves to certain essences. For example, a person can be bold and direct in how they communicate- this is a powerful and perhaps even dominant essence. Or, a person can be lighthearted and almost frivolous in how they communicate- this is a soft and perhaps even flirty essence.

Demeanor

A demeanor is all-encompassing but it can also be clearly worn on a person's face and it's how that person is perceived by most people. This is how a person generally outwardly presents. Some people are intimidating and intense, while others are warm and welcoming. Some are mischievous and some are pure and innocent.

That Indescribable Magic

I'm purposefully putting this here so that we can all remember that an essence can't be boiled down to a formula. The truly animating part, that thing that brings a person's essence to life is not something that I can pinpoint and describe. It's the ever-elusive muse- it just is. Some people are just a certain way and other people aren't. You either have a particular essence or you don't.

If you do, then embodying that essence and allowing it to shine through will make you your most beautiful because it will make you your most natural, truest self. If you don't have a particular essence, pretending to have it and trying to embody it will make you your least beautiful because it will be a cheap imitation of someone else.

There are no good essences or bad essences, there's just what's yours and what isn't. Beauty is simply being true to yourself.

What is the Angelic/ Ethereal Essence?

The Angelic/ Ethereal essence can be described as the most divine expression of femininity. It is pure, mature, and mystical. It is power both potent and gentle.

Note: Throughout this article, I have and will use the terms 'Ethereal' and 'Angelic' interchangeably when describing essences. This is for ease and for keeping within what I see as the standard within the style essence space in general- I want you to know what I'm talking about.

However, I do believe a distinction exists between them and I will explain it in further detail in the 'Ethereal/ Angelic Essence Icons' section below. So please keep reading and keep that in mind as you do so.

There is no consideration for the Angelic/ Ethereal essence in the Kibbe world. David Kibbe seemed to feel it wasn't substantial or differentiated enough to be its own essence.

So, for this essence, we are working purely with Kitchener who describes the essence as the most Yin essence. Women with this essence tend to have a soft appearance and look like they come from another time and another realm (otherworldly).

Outwardly, this is made up of designs and fabrics that evoke a sense of mythical airiness and floating away. The elements (patterns, details) are elemental and whimsical; the colors are soft, pastel, and glimmery; and the fabrics are light and airy.

Using the criteria set above, the Angelic/ Ethereal essence can be distilled as follows:

Hair

Angelic hair is light and airy. It's long, often giving the impression of never being cut, and this length helps create the impression of floating away. The color is low contrast so as to create a gentle and faded framing of the face.

Ethereal hair has an edginess and may have an earthiness to it.

Makeup

Angelic makeup is light and subtle, it tends to blend and blur into the face to create a beautiful blank canvas that radiates purity.

There is also a good use of shimmer or highlighter to create that heavenly glow. The colors are natural and the overall look is simple, subtle, and radiant.

Accessories

Ethereal accessories evoke another time or dimension like the ocean or other worlds. Think of moonstone, the shimmer of pearls, and unique earthy elements.

Angelic accessories evoke heavenly landscapes and a sense of flying. Think of feathers, the color white, and soft and airy elements.

Movement

Angelic movement is subtle yet majestic. These women seem to float away or glide over the earth, they have such grace and command.

There is nothing dramatic or jerky, every move seems controlled and deliberate and effortlessly perfect.

Speech

Angelic speech is sparse and commanding. They give the impression of never having to speak, opting to rather influence with their aura.

In reality, these are women who don't waste their breath going back and forth, they speak and it is done. But their power isn't forceful, instead, they effortlessly persuade.

Demeanor

The Angelic demeanor is aloof, it's elsewhere. It gives the impression of being just out of reach. These are women we may describe as 'spacey' or 'in their own world'. Something of them and their attention is just never where they are and this is a big part of their allure.

People find themselves asking: What it would take to keep their attention? and Could I do it? Before they know it, they're sucked in.

What Sort of Woman Does This Create?

A woman that is out of this world and that evokes something divine. She is mature, wise, and feminine. She is strong and capable and she leads with her authority, although she is non-threatening.

She is a moral role model and she embodies goodness and what is right. These women are breathtaking, but in a way so pure that it doesn't evoke desire. She seems untouchable and unreachable.

Ethereal Essence Icons

Embodying an otherworldly essence is a tall order and I think women who do are rare, especially those who have it as their dominant essence. Only one really came to mind for me, 90s actress and everyday muse, Lisa Bonet. The other examples are the fictional female elf characters of the Lord of The Rings.

It was a challenge to capture the Angelic/ Ethereal essence in motion, how do you capture someone looking otherworldly or like they're about to fly away?

So, I've been forced to discuss these icons in picture format rather than the GIF format I typically do.

Lisa Bonet

Lisa Bonet is always the coolest person in the room in every room she's in. It's her aura, her effortlessly graceful, Natural, and otherworldly essence.

Lisa Bonet has both a Natural essence and an Ethereal essence, which makes her equal parts grounded and out of this world. She is an enigma.

In these images, I see a Goddess. Both of Lisa Bonet's essences are clearly visible here. She looks like the embodiment of Mother Nature. Beautiful, sensual, earthy, and just out of reach.

That 'just out of reach' is the signature of the Ethereal essence woman. It's an aloofness that comes from their looking and feeling like they don't belong in this world and they're just passing through. And we mere mortals just can't touch them.

There's something about this essence that makes them unreachable. It's the sense that they're better than us in some big and important way.

Another essence with this 'better than you' vibe is the Dramatic essence. In the case of the Dramatic, this comes from people projecting it onto these women in a slightly negative way, so the overall vibe is of them being standoffish and it makes us feel small.

With the Ethereal essence, this 'better than you' vibe is projected in a positive way. We're okay with feeling like they're better than us and it even makes us feel inspired.

Lisa's Style

I love these outfits on Lisa Bonet. They capture her essence so beautifully. I love the light colors, the watercolor patterns, the tassels, and the loosely fitted silhouettes. I love the light and airy throw-over kimono that flows in the wind as she walks.

I also love the full lengths of the dresses. I don't know her exact body type as she is unverified, but at 5'2, she is a short lady and definitely Yin dominant. So, it's rather surprising that she would look so lovely in floor-length dresses, yet she does.

I think this is another testament to her strong Ethereal essence. Ethereal lines are long and loosely draped- like an elongated S shape. The length creates fluidity, another key component that helps create the illusion that these women could just glide instead of walking.

When done in the correct light colors, flowy fabrics, and drapey/ loosely fitted silhouettes, the dresses communicate her Ethereal essence and allow her to carry the look without being swallowed up by them as we would expect a woman of her size to be. She looks amazing.

Ethereal Elements

I love these two images because these outfits both have Angelic elements on them and they are so harmonious with Lisa.

The first look has the white fur shawl (white, light, and airy) and the second image has what looks like silver wings on the chest and shoulder area (wings give the impression of angels and flying). She looks amazing in both these looks and these elements take it to the next level.

Lisa's Hair

Hair is such an important part of Lisa's hair and the Ethereal essence in general. Her hair is iconic.

Again, I see both her Natural and Ethereal essences. Locs are a natural hairstyle, they are textured and come with a certain free and unkempt vibe.

Interestingly, it's very important for hair to look natural in order to project the Ethereal essence. This doesn't mean it has to be their natural hair or even their natural color, it just has to have that level of believability. I have to believe that your hair could be that long, light, airy or dark and unique, or whatever- it just has to feel harmonious.

What makes Lisa's hair Ethereal on her is the length and the styling. Her locs have that Goddess vibe and a whimsical feel, notice the moon detail in the first image (left). I can easily picture flowers in her hair, or jewelry, or feathers.

The point here is that hair is central to the Ethereal Essence. Without her hair, Lisa Bonet is a different person. I can't imagine her with any other hairstyle. It's very natural and harmonious on her, I almost don't know where she ends and it begins.

This is what happens when Lisa completely ignores her Ethereal essence. There is nothing in these outfits that communicates the lightness, fluidity, and otherworldliness of her essence and, as a result, she looks ordinary.

These clothes are stiff, the fabrics are heavy and the patterns are too solid, all of which are things that work against the delicacy of the Ethereal essence. This strips her of a lot of her specialness. She looks like a regular woman wearing regular clothes.

The first look (left) is the best on her because it at least preserves her Natural essence, and she overall looks free, cool, and edgy- just not magical. The third look (right) is just fine and insanely boring on her.

The middle look is the worst because the solid black color, stiff fabric, and boxy fit all create an outfit that just awkwardly sits on her, is dark and heavy and devoid of any lightness and delicacy. Here, the long length does swallow her up and she looks smaller than she is.

Lord Of The Rings Elves

Yes, really. I know they are fictional, but can you think of a better embodiment of the Angelic essence?

I know that throughout this article (and in keeping with what I see as the standard within the style essence space in general), I have used the terms 'Ethereal' and 'Angelic' interchangeably in discussing the essence, but I would now like to make a distinction between them.

Ethereal Essence

I see the Ethereal essence as purely otherworldly, meaning it could be anything alien. While this otherworldliness can express as pure and sweet, it doesn't have to. It can be dark and edgy, it can have density and weight.

I think both Tilda Swinton (left) and Willow Smith (right) are great examples of this Ethereal essence. I think their otherworldliness has an almost dark aspect and weight to it. I could believe them as both aliens and villains, so from another dimension but not necessarily good.

I think this is because both of these women also have a Dramatic essence, which is powerful and intense in nature, and this adds to their perceived edginess and depth.

Angelic Essence

I see the Angelic essence as otherworldly but in a strictly pure, delicate, and even sweet way. Think of what we conjure up when we think of angels. While the otherworldliness is central to this essence, there is a goodness and purity that underpins it.

I think both Halle Bailey and Liv Tyler are great examples of this Angelic essence. I think their otherworldliness has a goodness and a pure and sweet aspect to it. I could believe them as angels or other noble and virtuous guardian-like characters.

I think this is because both of these women also have an Ingénue essence, which is youthful and innocent in nature, and this adds to their perceived sweetness and purity.

Cate Blanchett- A Case Study

I think Cate Blanchett is an example of someone who embodies the otherworldly essence and has done so in both its pure and light (Angelic) and the dark and heavy (Ethereal) aspects. She can comfortably and convincingly play both the pure Elf and the dark and evil Villain.

However, like Tilda and Willow (above), I think the darker characters are more her because she also has a Dramatic essence, which gives her the edgy weight required to play the villain. I think this is why she went dark (as the Elf) and that too was so believable.

With this distinction, the LOTR Elves are clearly Angelic in essence. They are pure and they are good and they embody that lightness of spirit that is not of this world.

They also bring to life the non-sensual femininity of this essence. While incredibly beautiful, these women don't awaken desire in the same way that Romantic essence women do. They lead with their Goddess energy which is more about power and grace, not sensuality.

Their clothing helps to create this impression. The long, flowy gowns are loosely fitted so there is an awareness of their body, but not in a way that evokes lust or desire. They are cut and styled modestly so that the body is almost fully covered.

They move with the body in a very fluid way that creates that sense of floating away. They are also very harmonious with the wearer such that they almost disappear on her so that all your attention is drawn to the face.

In a sense, it's almost like they don't have a body and there is nothing that someone could lust over or desire. This creates that sense of purity that we associate with Angelic beings.

Here again, the hair is important. It is long and loose, but controlled, communicating both a sense of freedom and order. The ultra-long length suggests that the hair has never been cut, again giving the impression of purity.

These Elven characters are wise, capable, and strong. They are good and pure and they hold themselves to a high standard of morality, and they embody it. They are breathtaking beings but their true beauty is within. This is the Angelic essence.

Sensuality ≠ Femininity

Past the packaging, an important part of femininity is about openness, receptiveness, kindness, and a general approachability. If a little child was in trouble, the woman she might approach for help is one who outwardly embodied this kind of openness/ approachability. This is femininity.

This is great news for all of us. I think we have incorrectly come to associate femininity with a particular look because of how it's often portrayed and sold to us. I think this is why so often women shy away from the more 'masculine' body types in Kibbe and certainly from the associated essences. There is this belief that falling into one of these categories takes away your femininity, but this is simply not true.

Femininity doesn't have a body type or favorite essence.

Femininity is simply the way of being for any woman in her true power. This is true in body types- Dramatic women look their most feminine when they honor their lines and lean into their 'masculine' recommendations.

As far as essences, I want to make clear that what I discuss here is a very superficial representation of what it means to be feminine. I can talk about movements, clothing, demeanors and general ways of being that are more or less feminine as compared to others, but that is not femininity.

Femininity as I understand it transcends these classifications. It exists for all of us and it is clearly visibly embodied by incredible women who fall into every category of body type and essence as I hope to showcase.

What does the Ethereal Essence Look Like? Celebrity Examples

While each of these women has a different Kibbe body type, what they have in common is an Ethereal essence. Essence doesn't have a body type, so even though Cate Blanchett, Jourdan Dunn, and Tilda Swinton are all Dramatics, they all have an Ethereal essence.

They have in common that they look their best when their hair is long and low-contrast; when their makeup is neutral and shimmery; and when their accessories are lightly and softly colored and invoking an otherworldly vibe.

In short, they look their best when they look serene, put together, and light and airy because this honors their Angelic/ Ethereal essence.

True Essence > Body Type Essence

It's important to identify your essence(s) because honoring them matters just as much if not more than honoring your body type lines. A huge mistake would be to assume that your body type dictates your essence, meaning that if you're a Natural body type, then you must have a Natural essence.

Case and point: Anya Taylor-Joy

Again, I think Anya is a Dramatic or Flamboyant Natural type, definitely Yang dominant. However, she has an Ethereal Essence and she looks her most harmonious when she honors that.

In the first image (left), this hair is more Natural in essence. It's relatively long and loosely, naturally curly. The color seems natural as well, I could believe that she is a brunette (I believe she is naturally blonde).

However, this Natural looking brunette color and style are very boring on her. She looks forgettable and not like what I think of when I think of Anya Taylor-Joy.

The middle image leans more Dramatic in essence. It's long and sleek, severely pulled back, and dark. I think she looks better than in the first image, but it's also far from being her best or most harmonious.

The last image (right), is the one in which she looks her best and most like herself. Even though she is famously a hair chameleon, this long, loose, blonde hair is her signature. In it, her look is elevated and so beautifully harmonious.

When I think of Anya Taylor-Joy, this is what I envision. The light hair color creates a low-contrast look and together with the long length and loose curls, creates that light and airy Angelic essence. She looks beautiful.

Takeaway

Make sure you know your essence(s) so you can style your hair, makeup, and accessories to honor them. This will bring out your best 'you'. If you don't honor them, even if you nail the body type lines, you'll look incomplete and dull.

Conclusion

Essence can be difficult to define because it is so intangible in nature. I hope this post has been helpful in deciphering what the Angelic/ Ethereal essence is and how it manifests in people who have it.

Do you have an Angelic/ Ethereal essence? Do you agree with my assessment? I'd love to hear from you.

Talk soon,

Nonjabulo