Wood Nymph Seeks Centaur: A Mythological Dating Guide

By Francesca Lia Block

From bestselling author Francesca Lia Block, an imaginative new guide to dating based on the timeless wisdom of myth, folklore, and fairy tales. Navigating the world of dating can be like wandering an... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596916222
• ISBN13: 9781596916227
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.6" x 0.8" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Fantastical

I am happily paired, but purchased this book because I am a huge fan of Block's. I always found it fun to read astrology books, but was never all that into it. This book really captures a lot that I felt was missing in astrology. The "types" are very very very well done, and as another reviewer said, you will start to "see" them all around you immediately! I think this may be because astrology forces you into one category whereas Block takes into consideration the make-up of the whole individual, including physicality, drive, sexual appetite, passions, style, and everything else you may find important when you're trying to find your match! There is even a section for mixed types and pairings of the same sex! Not only do I think this book will help my writing (it is so imaginative and I think that the "types" will help me to round out my characters,) but I think I discovered why I crave attention so much. My mother is clearly a Banshee, and yes, her marriage to my "Hob" father is definitely a strange match! Block hits it on the nose every time. I completely recommend this book! Another plus: the awesomely beautiful illustrations by Fumi Nakamura!

Clever and Perceptive

I bought this book on a whim. Having just left a four year relationship behind, I felt intrigued by looking at dating from a mythological POV. I was completely delighted and surprised after identifying myself as a fairy and my ex as a Satyr; I was able to see how are match lasted but was ultimately not meant for happily ever after. My Satyr was a scorpio and Block had even managed to ID this! Astrology and mythology combined! This is a fun, light read and oh-so enjoyable to re-read after entering the dating world again. I was even able to ID my family members and some of their right/wrong relationship pairs. I hope Ms. Block writes another similar sequel!

If you love personality typing . . .

Let me start off by saying that Francesca Lia Block has been a favorite author of mine for the past decade and, being a personality-typing junkie, I was thrilled when I heard she was coming up with her own system. How intriguing! I immediately began typing the people in my life: one sister is a total Urban Elf, another sister and my mother are Tesses (short for "giantesses"), another sister a Brownie, my father a Hob (short for Hobgoblin). I, on the other hand, was not so cleanly defined--a decent amount of Wood Nymph with heavy tendencies from almost every other type. Of course, personality typing is not a science, and Francesca does not pretend that this system is. However, she does base her research for the "match-making" part of the book on her friends' relationships and her own past experiences with dating different "creatures." Not perfect, but not without some merit. If you're a fan of either personality typing or of Block's other works (or in my case, both), you should definitely check out this book. This is a unique take on match-making that also includes same-sex couples and allows for fluidity between the genders as well. This inclusiveness is a welcome touch to a very intriguing book. You'll start finding Woodsmen, Pixies, Garden Elves, and other "creatures" all around you.

Fun and Quirky

If you love mythological creatures, if you enjoy categorizing people, if you always ask people what their astrological sign is upon first meeting them, you will love this book. In A Mythological Dating Guide: Wood Nymph Seeks Centaur, acclaimed author Francesca Lia Block describes people's dating personalities in terms of creatures lifted straight from fairy tales and popular mythology with uncanny accuracy. There are twenty four total categories, twelve for males and twelve for females. Some people will inevitably not fall into any particular category but instead be combinations. Short quizzes at the beginning of the book will help people determine whether they are a wood nymph, satyr, werewolf or brownie among other whimsical choices. I categorized myself (an Urban Elf and Wood Nymph combo known as an Urban Elf Nymph) and my friends (a Fairy, a Mermaid and a Hobby, short for Hobgoblin) right away. Block offers detailed descriptions of each type and how they match up with the other types (she includes same-sex matches). She is also very uninhibited about sharing her personal experiences dating some of the male types, which gives the book a real-life edge. All in all, a great guide to read over and over again.