Pluto's children

"Scorpio" is a small book in the Sun Sign Series by Joanna Martine Woolfolk. Apparently, much of the text is adapted from her main work "The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need". Although Woolfolk does her best to explain both the positives and negatives of being a Scorpio, the negative constantly takes over. But then, we are talking about the "mysterium tremendum et fascinans" of the zodiac. Idealism, charm, sex, death, passion, manipulation, revenge...Scorpios can be connected to all, and more! Strong feelings, tremendous focus and a deviant personality (in whatever direction, for good or for worse) is said to be characteristic of this sign. Of course, it doesn't always show - Scorpio is also the sign of secrets.

There's no doubt that people with this personality type really do exist, although not all of them are born in October/November. Think J D Salinger, who was a Capricorn, yet seems to have been just as success-oriented, secretive and bizarre as a typical Scorpio is said to be. Conversely, Woolfolk claims that failed Russian revolutionary Leo Trotsky was a Scorpio - a *loser* who is a Scorpio? I'd say a talkative, pseudo-brilliant intellectual like Trotsky was a Gemini, LOL. OK, let's face it, astrology doesn't always make sense...

I was a bit disappointed that Woolfolk didn't say more about the three decans and two cusps of Scorpio - I found more meaty information on the web. There's no doubt that those personality types exist, too. I mean, every other person I bump into seems to be an atypical Scorpio. Do I have some kind of magnetic attraction on these wayward children of Mars and Pluto or what? ;-)

Apart from the usual stuff, this little book also contains some more esoteric information about Scorpio. The arachnid sign is said to rule Washington DC, the British town of Newcastle, Algeria, Norway and Rhododendron flowers! Weirdly, it doesn't rule arachnids, but rather crustaceans?!

These things aside, "Scorpio" nevertheless deserves three stars as a good introduction to the worst - and best? - sign of the zodiac...