The Rules of Magic

If you are a fan of Practical Magic, then let this new chapter in the Owens family story be a Halloween treat to yourself. Safe to say, if you love one, you will probably love the other - the charm and sparkle and whimsy you expect is all there, along with the meandering, dreamy prose style.

Of the two books, The Rules of Magic is witchier, and more brooding, the plot focusing mainly on ill-fated love affairs and deaths (with a little bit of draft-dodging thrown in, it is the '60s after all). I found myself wishing these characters would occasionally do something else besides mooning about, given the story spans their entire lives. But this is a tale of love and loss, and capricious fate, and just as bittersweet as it should be.

New York City in the 1960s was a bustling town but still old fashioned in many ways. Susanna Owens knew her children had to be careful – their abilities set them at risk; their legacy continuing from way back in 1620 when their ancestor Maria Owens set it all in motion. The eldest of Susanna’s children, Franny was ethereal and frequently angry; Jet kept to herself, her beauty stunning everyone who saw her; while the youngest, Vincent, didn’t know who he was or what he wanted…

When Franny turned seventeen, tradition held that she spent the summer with their Aunt Isabelle in Massachusetts and she declared her sister and brother were to go with her. That summer the three siblings discovered more about themselves and their family bloodline than they had ever known before – the biggest that they were never to fall in love or tragedy would befall the person they loved.

When the three returned to New York City they were determined to defeat the curse – but the rules their mother set were harsh. The rigidity of it all caused them to despair in their own ways – but love was determined to find them. What would be the outcome for the Owens family who were blanketed by a curse which had never been lifted?

The Rules of Magic is my first by author Alice Hoffman and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Beautifully written, wonderfully told – powerful and poignant, it was heartbreakingly sad, filled with hope and a love between siblings that couldn’t be broken. My favourite character was Aunt Isabelle; she’s special! I’ll definitely be reading Practical Magic, of which The Rules of Magic is the prequel, and have no hesitation in recommending this delightful, magical novel highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy to read and review.

Like me you might have seen the movie ‘Practical Magic’ (or even read the book) about the Owens sisters, Gillian and Sally born into a long line of Owens witches and brought up by their two maiden aunts Franny and Jet in a ancient mansion in Massachusetts. Well this is the story of how they all came to be there. How Franny and Jet’s mother Susanna tried to keep them and their brother Vincent safe from magic and from the 300 year old curse that prevents the Owens from embracing true love. But ultimately there can be no hiding from magic and the Owens siblings must make their own way in life.

I enjoyed this enchanting story of magic, family, love and friendship. Alice Hoffman spins a wonderful tale and has created three very different characters in the siblings with different skills and personalities. Of course they will all fall in love and all have different ways of dealing with the curse and with the tragedies that come their way. Set in the 1960s with lots of references to current events and culture, the book also delves into the Owens history and the origin of that 300 year old curse. The novel is sad and funny in turns and made me want to believe that the Owens and their magic continues to exist in some quiet pocket of the world today.