The Crystal Code by Tamara Driessen (Review)

Title: The Crystal Code
Author: Tamara Driessen
Type: Nonfiction
Genre: Spirituality
Publisher: Penguin Life (Penguin Random House)
Date published: October 30, 2018

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Our lives are pretty stressful, from the mountains of work emails to the never-ending life admin, finding time to see friends and family whilst still getting in those gym workouts, and why does everyone on Instagram have all this figured out. Working with crystals is a way to slow that frenetic world down, realign your intentions and find the inner calm we all seek. Some say that crystals are magic, but they’re more than just magic. They have the power to reveal your truest self, the version of you that’s been waiting to be seen and acknowledged.

The Crystal Code explains how to the harness the power of these awesome rocks, introducing us to seventy stones and their unique personalities. It will show you how to find the perfect crystals to empower and energize you and will teach you some easy rituals, meditations and crystallized self-care routines. Whether it’s peacock ore to give you more confidence on that nerve-racking first date, white celestite to conquer anxiety or purple amethyst to you help you feel centred, this is the ultimate guide to regaining control of your life and to feeling happier, healthier and more grounded.

When I was in grade school, my mother owned a small clothing shop that was in the same plaza as an even smaller crystal shop. My parents have always been interested in crystals, and we had a lot of them around the house, so it wasn’t surprising that I became interested in them as well. I spent a lot of time in that crystal shop after school, and we brought many of the crystals and gem stones that we bought there with us to Canada. Once we moved to Canada, my interest in crystals kind of waned. They were still around the house, but I had other things to think about, like surviving high school, haha. Over the past year, however, I’ve started feeling that pull again! Crystals are in my life again the way they were back when I was a child, with the only difference being that I am a lot more interested in, and aware of, their attributes and/or benefits.

It should not be surprising, then, that I requested this book, read it, and am now reviewing it. I first noticed the crystal shape on the cover and the beautiful combination of colours. Next, I noted the word “crystal” (although I was already invested by this point) and was very happy to find that the book would actually be about precious stones. Many stones are described and discussed in The Crystal Code, which is great. I’m also happy that this book is a hardcover because of how much easier it is to hold and flip through, and also because it is more resistant to damage. Along with some very useful descriptions, this book also features full colour photos. I do wish that the photos had been larger, and that the paper had been glossier. I personally prefer when images take up an entire page and are printed on the best quality paper. Overall though, I do recommend this book, and think that it would be useful to those who are new to crystals, and also to those who have dabbled in them for a number of years, like myself.