Synopsis from the Publisher:
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 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. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.
The Owens 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 revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy. Thrilling and exquisite, real and fantastical, The Rules of Magic is a story about the power of love reminding us that the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself.
Review:
I was a big fan of Practical Magic when I read it, so I was incredibly excited when I heard Hoffman would be releasing a prequel. I have to say, it lived up to my expectations and more. Where Practical Magic was very plot driven, I feel as though Hoffman made the right choice in focusing more on the personal growth and development of Franny, Jet, and Vincent.
The novel spans many years, dealing with everything from teenage hormones, self-discovery, college, new and broken relationships, and loss. Oh, and of course, *magic*. The world Hoffman created is so rich and descriptive, I felt like I was right there with them in this journey, and isn't that what a marvelously written book is supposed to do? Transport you to another world?
I wasn't always thrilled with the decisions made, but never did I feel like those choices didn't make any sense. So often there are choices made that ring false to me, like the author is simply trying to create drama and conflict, so I was relieved to find that the Owens family always had a reason for going down a certain path, or pushing someone else away. It made them more real to me.
I was incredibly attached to all of these characters by the time I reached the end (I couldn't put it down, to tell you the truth), and I'm not ashamed to admit that I did cry. The conclusion was bittersweet, having to say goodbye to these characters, despite knowing I could always visit them again in Practical Magic.
A beautifully written saga and a novel I know I will revisit again in the future.
Rating: 5/5
The Moodboard:
No comments:
Post a Comment