Isabelle gives them the freedom they never had at home, and little by little they begin to learn more about their family history, especially the dire warning that falling in love will only bring heartache. In Isabelle’s old house on Magnolia Street, the siblings’ talents blossom. Their sheltered lives change forever in 1960, when their Aunt Isabelle, an aunt they didn’t even know about, invites them to Boston for the summer. And Vincent, the baby of the family, a dark-haired and charismatic boy with a natural talent for music, can see the future. Bridget, or “Jet” as she’s called, knows exactly what people are thinking. Franny, the eldest, can communicate with birds, and they flock to her whenever she’s outside. The Owens’ are cursed, and it’s said that anyone who falls in love with them will eventually meet a tragic end.īut despite Susanna’s efforts, all three children exhibit magical abilities. Their mother Susanna is determined to keep her children safely away from their magical heritage, and so she imposes her rules on them right from the start: don’t walk in the moonlight, don’t light candles, don’t wear red shoes or black clothing, and most of all, NEVER fall in love.

The Rules of Magic starts in the late 1950s and tells the coming-of-age story of Frances, Bridget and Vincent Owens, three siblings who are descended from a long line of witches. Her dreamy style may not be for everyone, but it’s hard for me to imagine any reader who won’t shed at least a couple of tears after reading this story. She draws the reader in with quirky characters and before you know it, you’re so deeply involved with her story, that you don’t see the bad stuff coming until it hits you in the face like a baseball bat.

Anyone who’s read and loved an Alice Hoffman story knows exactly what I’m talking about. And her latest is no different, although this time she’s made me even more of an emotional mess, because The Rules of Magic is a prequel to one of my favorite Hoffman novels, Practical Magic. There was no choice but to walk through the gate of time.Īlice Hoffman has always been able to captivate me with her magical novels, ever since I read Turtle Moon way back in the 90s. October began as a golden hour and ended with Samhain, the day when the worlds of the living and the dead opened to each other. It was an ending and a beginning, for the month itself was like a gate. Today everything smelled earthy, the rich scent of mulch and decaying leaves and roots. The nitty-gritty: Luminous and magical, The Rules of Magic is Alice Hoffman at her best. Published by Simon & Schuster on October 10 2017 This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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