In its original form, the concept of total defence is a set of principles and routines that engage large parts of the civilian population in the defence of their countries, mobilizing the society against threats from more powerful adversaries. In other words, countries that adopt total defence approaches understand that the defence of their country is not only a task for the armed forces, but rather for the whole society. Total defence is a reaction to the devastating world wars from the first half of the 20th century. Whereas Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and Norway are the most traditional cases of total defence models, other countries throughout Europe and beyond have adopted similar policies. The book’s main merit is to provide rich empirical details about how total defence principles and dynamics are either firmly established or in the making across Europe in a fast-evolving security landscape. With chapters focusing on Finland, Ukraine, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, Latvia, Switzerland, and Estonia, the edited volume provides a detailed analysis of the many different realities that constitute what its editor, Gjermund Forfang Rongved, labels the multiverse of European total defence. It shows how total defence is distinguishable from related concepts such as whole-of-society/whole-of-government approach or comprehensive defence. It also shows how total defence can serve as deterrent, increasing the potential costs of aggression to a foreign adversary. This comprehensive volume is a relevant contribution to the literature on total defence in Europe and on civil-military relations more broadly, providing elements to reassess civil society’s relation to defence in this time of great uncertainty in international security.