Among the variety of socio-political phenomena discussed in the context of postsocialist transformation, changes within Central Eastern European religious landscapes occupy a prominent place. Sociologists, anthropologists, and political scientists have dedicated a great deal of attention to the subject of church-state relations, religious revival and decline, and the connection between religious and other identities (primarily ethnic and national ones). As the editors of this volume rightly observe, the phenomenon of pagan and native faith movements has neither received much attention nor been discussed in a broader socio-political context. Meanwhile, the contributions collected here demonstrate that such movements constitute a great lens through which to discuss timely issues relevant for understanding ongoing transformations. Particularly promising in this regard are the authors' reflections on neo-paganism as a resistance against modernity and globalization; as a product of national mythologies and resentment; and as a phenomenon lying at the intersection of religious, ethnic, ecological, and political ideologies. Despite a promising introduction and a richness and variety of material, however, the volume falls short of discussing these problems in depth. Many of the chapters present a great starting point for an interesting discussion, yet they themselves do not fully engage in one.

The volume is composed of three parts. The first one, “Overviews,” contains four introductory articles that elaborate critical issues, such as terminology, the roots of pagan movements, and their relations with right-wing ideology. The second, and most developed, part consists of twelve country studies that depict the development, character, and popularity of pagan movements in various Central Eastern European countries. The third one, dedicated to “thematic studies,” brings together old and new influences on neo-paganism by discussing phenomena such as early-twentieth-century nationalist thought, popular culture, and the influence of the Internet. In this way, the book covers numerous subjects, many of which run throughout the book and can be considered the volume's leitmotivs. Nonetheless, the volume does not provide the reader with a well-defined picture of the discussed phenomena. Perhaps most problematic is the difficulty the reader may face in envisioning how these movements function. While many contributions focus on beliefs, myths, and ritualistic acts, less emphasis is placed on the movements' “social” side as well as the relation between belonging to the movement and other spheres of members' lives. The individual perspective of nativists and pagans is virtually absent as well, with the notable exception of the chapter by Kaarina Aitamurto and Alexey Gaidukov, who provide a compelling account of six personal trajectories. Consequently, although we learn about the socio-economic (Chapter 13), environmental (Chapter 8), and political (Chapter 5) reasons behind the movements' popularity, the question of what ultimately attracts people to join them is not fully explored.

This problem, in turn, is related to the paucity of theoretical discussions. By and large, regardless of whether they draw on secondary sources or original research, the contributions remain descriptive. This is unfortunate, given that the two contributions that actually attempt to theorize the discussed phenomena provide a great point of reference for other authors. Mariya Lesiv develops a thought-provoking argument about paganism and syncretism. The author makes some fundamental points regarding the relation between pagan and native movements and mainstream religions. These points, if developed further, would permit the reader to insert the problem of such movements in a broader discussion of religious-secular dynamics (e.g., the problem of syncretism is mentioned, yet not engaged theoretically in other chapters). Piotr Wiech proposes reading postcommunist experiences as postcolonial and discusses the growth of neo-paganism in the context of Central Eastern-European history.

Equally problematic are scarce references to neo-pagan movements around the world. Placing Central-Eastern European phenomena against such a background would not only enable comparisons, but also an exchange of methodological tools and theoretical concepts. Recent scholarship on neo-pagan movements has seen many interesting contributions, including ethnographies (Pike 2000; 2004; Magliocco 2004) and sociological studies (York 1995; 2003). While some of these works are referred to by the volume's contributors, they do not follow the well-developed path these works advocate; namely an attempt to invite readers to view neo-pagan movements as one of a variety of possible responses to modern challenges and one of a variety of possible expressions of spiritual, religious and ethno-religious identities. On the contrary, due to the lack of both a comparative perspective and a careful grounding in the local contexts (and local lives), the contributors of the volume tend to reproduce the idea of pagan and native faith movements as marginal and exotic nolens volens.

Despite these shortcomings, the volume is undoubtedly a significant contribution, and it will constitute an important point of reference for scholars working in the vibrantly developing field of pagan studies. The theoretical contributions of the joint work by Scott Simpson and Mateusz Filip, which carefully explicates the basic “pagan” terminology and concepts, is a great example of the volume's contribution to the field. Moreover, the volume has opened the door for more research on the subject due to its emphasis on three very promising issues: the interplay of ethnic and religious ideas, myths and rituals in shaping pagan and native faith movements; the movements' connection with right-wing groups, patriotic and nationalist ideologies (while simultaneously recognizing the often-simplistic divisions between “left-wing” and “right-wing” movements); and the relation of the movements to mainstream or “traditional” religions, the exploration of which could be very helpful in understanding both sides of this relation — and of religion per se.