An instant New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick from beloved author Alice Hoffman—the spellbinding prequel to Practical Magic.Find your magic. For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man. Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to … of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.
From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Yet, the children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the memorable aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.
Alice Hoffman delivers “fairy-tale promise with real-life struggle” (The New York Times Book Review) in a story how the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself. Thrilling and exquisite, real and fantastical, The Rules of Magic is “irresistible…the kind of book you race through, then pause at the last forty pages, savoring your final moments with the characters” (USA TODAY, 4/4 stars).
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I didn’t realize this was the prequel to Practical Magic when I picked this up, I just couldn’t resist a good story about kids growing up with magic. I hadn’t read Practical Magic or even seen the movie (both are on my list now), but that didn’t make a difference at all. This was extremely readable and such fun!
Although I loved the movie, Practical Magic, I have yet to read the book. When I heard there was a prequel, I decided I’d read it first. This book about the aunts from Practical Magic was heartwarming, sad, magical, funny, and hard to put down. It’s about love and life, the ups and downs, and although it made me cry, it also made me smile. I loved it!
As an adult, I rarely get to read about magic unless I read a YA or middle grade novel — which have their own rewards. But in The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, I found myself reading a smart, well-written book for adults where “magic is alive” (in the words of ee cummings). What a treat! The story manages to be both realistic and whimsical. The three main characters are siblings (Franny, Bridget, and Vincent) who come from a family of magic (some of their ancestors were condemned as witches). In the course of this story they must come to terms with their own powers. There is love, tragedy, tough decisions, sneaky adventures, heartbreak, redemption—you name it. I found the novel completely engrossing; the kind of book you want to start over once you’ve finished the last page.
I love the movie Practical Magic (although I confess I’ve never read the book), and The Rules of Magic is its prequel. This was the perfect, magical book to read for Halloween. Alice Hoffman’s prose is glorious.
Having loved Hoffman’s Practical Magic for years and being a book I’ve read many times, I felt excited to read The Rules of Magic a prequel full of new stories and more information about characters I already loved. This novel also introduced new characters who are dynamic, complex, and fascinating. Hoffman’s dreamy way with words and her incredible talent for creating a world of magic feels so real and lifelike that I feel certain I live in the same kind of magical space.
I adored this book. So much so that I read it, listened to it twice on audio book, and plan on reading it again soon. There are so many layers, and each time I listen (or read), I hear more and I fall more in love with this novel.
If you love magical realism, seeing the magic in the world around you, and becoming greatly attached to characters, this is the perfect book for you!
This prequel to Practical Magic made me go in search of Practical Magic to re-read. Alice Hoffman is a wonderful writer who crafts stories that never fit into a mold. Her prose flows beautifully, and her characters are unforgettable. You don’t always get the HEA from her…but you sure don’t forget the books!
I loved this book. It really was pure…well…magic! Great world-building, character development, and attention to fun, offbeat, idiosyncratic detail. Highly recommend.
I am still reading this book but can say unequivocally that it is an amazing read…I’d forgotten what a wonderful writer Alice Hoffman is…great characters, exquisite descriptions and depth of feeling.
The Rules of Magic is a wonderful prequel to Practical Magic. The book introduces the Owens family aunts as children and then weaves a wonderful story of their lives dealing with the Owens curse. The characters and their love lives are unique story lines that I didn’t expect. I could hardly put the book down. A must read if you loved Practical Magic.
The long awaited prequel to PRACTICAL MAGIC is here! If you’ve ever wondered who the aunts were and how they came to live in the house where our favorite little witches grow up in Practical Magic, then now all your questions will be answered.
In the 1960s, Franny and Jet Owens—and their brother Vincent, a delightful surprise—are raised by their parents in New York City without a clue about the Owens’s history. All they know for sure are the rules their mother, Susanna, sets down— no walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic and no falling in love! But one summer when the girls and their brother are in their young teens, they are called to visit their Aunt Isabelle who lives in a huge old house in a small Massachusetts town. Here, they begin to understand their strange gifts and who they really are, and a whole new world is opened up to them.
As we watch these three young people grow into adulthood, we see what shapes their lives and how they become who they are when we meet them years later in Practical Magic.
If you think the prequel cannot possibly be as good or better than Practical Magic, then you’d be mistaken. Author Alice Hoffman does not disappoint in this amazing story full of richly developed characters who charm their way into your heart. It is a wonderfully woven tale masterfully written by the queen of magical stories.
As someone who’s read several of Ms. Hoffman’s novels, many of which I’ve loved, I would have to say that this is my absolute favorite one to date (along with Practical Magic, of course). Highly, highly recommended!
All of the above. White magic with a pinch of spice. It did all the things that a good story should.
Franny, Jet and Vincent Owens have been brought up with many rules: no walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, etc. All of that changes when they visit their Aunt Isabelle in Massachusetts and learn the family secret and about Maria Owens.
This was my favorite of the 3 books in the Practical Magic trilogy. It connects to the other 2 books seamlessly and gives the reader an enlightening history of the Aunts from Practical Magic. The 3 siblings are so very different, but you can’t help but love them all and hope for the best for them all. Vincent is a rarity in the Owens family and it was interesting to see how the magic and curse worked with him. His story may shock many readers, but it also explains a lot about the Aunts. This story is extremely tragic and brought tears to my eyes many times. I highly recommend reading these books this order: Magic Lessons, The Rules of Magic and then Practical Magic. It will make for a smoother read and a continuous story.
A classic!
With her lush, earthy prose and distinctive characters, Alice Hoffman never disappoints. A wonderful prequel to Practical Magic.
“What’s done cannot be undone. What’s set into motion takes on a life of its own.”
The Rules of Magic is an exquisitely written book about three unique siblings figuring out who they are in this world and trying to beat the curse that has haunted their family for centuries. Battling their mother’s strict rules and trying to escape their own fate the siblings trudge through life. Throughout the novel, the siblings fight to be themselves to figure out who they truly are. They think that not loving at all will stop the curse. But how can one live without love? They lose ones closest to them because of this curse and fight to want to be someone different. Franny who can communicate with birds, and just wants to be able to fly and be free learns “even birds are chained to earth by their needs and desires”. Jet, the kindest and sweetest of them all has to live with a burden at such a young age that destroys her. She loses a part of herself but once she figures out her true destiny she finds herself all over again. Vincent, who always had the carefree attitude and was able to see his future in the three-sided mirror lost all hope in the world. Until he finally found the person that helped him figure out who he truly was. Through their hardships, they learn to follow the rules of magic; do as you will but harm no one. What you give will be returned to you threefold. Fall in love whenever you can. Can they really defy the curse? The curse set by their great ancestor Marie Owen who had her heart broken by someone she thought she loved.
This book was truly magical. The characters were deep and the plot mysterious that kept you wanting to read more. I loved and hated the siblings for their rebellious act not accepting who they are and giving up on their life, thinking they have no future. But you learn to love them with their character growth. It’s beautiful how Alice Hoffman brings riddles and magic to the story that helps these characters build. You get to watch these siblings grow and find out who they are what their fate has for them. I am so sad that the book has finished 🙁 But I now cannot wait to read Practical Magic I know I told myself that I would not buy any more books until I get through a lot of my TBR books but if Practical Magic is anything like The Rules of Magic it is something that I will not regret!
I throughly enjoyed this book and all 99 chapters of it. It was slow but gracious in its delivery. I can’t imagine not having all the details, all of the story. Practical Magic has been a favorite of mine for decades and this book filled in all the nagging questions I’ve had over the years. This book was such an experience of love, joy, sadness, family, truth and forgiveness. I’m very sad it’s over as the world Alice Hoffman built was so engaging and intoxicating it lingers on the mind and the soul.
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman is a prequel to Practical Magic. The Owens family has a long magical heritage, but their family was cursed in 1620. Vincent, Franny and Jet Owens are the children of Susanna and James Owens. Susanna denies her magical heritage and has many rules in place for her children. One day when Franny turns seventeen she receives an invitation from her Aunt Isabelle. They three siblings are invited to Massachusetts for the summer to learn about their heritage and their gifts. Vincent, Franny and Jet set out to escape the family curse to find happiness and love. Is there a chance for them to find the love and keep it? Find out what happens Vincent, Franny and Jet before Sally and Gillian enter their lives in Practical Magic.
The Rules of Magic can be enjoyed without having read or watched Practical Magic. I found The Rules of Magic to be boring (sad, but true). It seemed like every single thing the author had read about witches (or thought of) was stuffed into this story. The best way to describe it is too “woo-woo” (best description for it). The teens in the story go out of their way to break every rule set forth by their parents and do the opposite of what they are supposed to do. The characters kept repeating the same mistakes over and over throughout the book (even as adults). I found the main characters (Jet, Franny, and Vincent) to be unlikeable. It seemed that the author was trying too hard with The Rules of Magic. I thought the pacing was inconsistent. It would go along at a nice pace (in the beginning) and then slow down to a crawl (it plodded along to the end). I found it a chore to read The Rules of Magic. There were a couple of bright spots, but they were few and far between.
This is Hoffman’s prequel to “Practical Magic”. It takes the reader back generations of this family to the Salem Witch Trials. This is mostly the story of the two aunts who were guardians to the two children in Prac Magic. Having read the second book and seen the film, it was fascinating the see all the pieces of this family put together. The author has also used as a reference some of the historians and “witches” in Massachusetts. Yes I said witches. There is a coven or two in the Berkshire Mountains is Western Mass. If you loved Practical Magic, read this. If you haven’t yet experienced that book, start with this one. Hoffman’s writing is a treat. (As for happily ever after, that’s a relative thing. I believe Hemingway said there is no such thing because in the end one of the lovers passes away. I guess its in the eye of the beholder.
I found this book to be a good combination of both the movie version and book version of Practical Magic. For instance, in The Rules of Magic, Frannie, Jet, and Vincent go to visit their Aunt in the old house on Magnolia Street to learn all about the family history, magic, and just what it means to be an Owens. While they don’t move in with her as children like in the Practical Magic movie but not the book, I liked that Hoffman incorporated the old house and the idea of an Aunt passing on the family magic in this new book while still staying true to the original story.
Also familiar was the curse on anyone who dare to love an Owens. The curse is central in The Rules of Magic and how it affects each of the Owens siblings.
Speaking of the Owens siblings, I loved the introduction of Vincent. I had wondered while reading and watching Practical Magic if there were a third sister or a brother and what might have happened to him or her. I mean, the Aunts were the Aunts because they must have had a sibling who produced Sally and Gillian’s mom. So it was nice to have that story come full circle.
Most of all, I enjoyed reading Jet’s story. Without giving away any spoilers, I will just say that I loved the message of redemption in her story. Overall, it was a great read!
Read full review at: KaitsBookshelf.com
The Rules of Magic
The Rules of Magic is a family saga about the Owens. Siblings Franny, Jet and Vincent are the main focus, but many well-developed characters fill the story. It follows the siblings from childhood through old age. It also goes back to explain how the love curse started with their ancestors during the Salem witch trials. The reader journeys with Franny, Jet and Vincent as they study their history, learn their abilities and face hardships and tough decisions. The writing is beautiful and easily brought the emotions out. The plot is rich with historical events and in-depth multilayered characters. I feel like I actually know these people and love them. I’m a little sad that my time with them ended.