Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: October 6, 2020
Source: Library
Summary:
In an unforgettable novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Nameless Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.
When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it’s here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters.
Magic Lessons is a celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling.
My thoughts:
Once again, I find myself coming late to the party when it comes to a beloved series. The online book club I co-host selected The Book of Magic as one of our picks this month and as this is the conclusion to the series, I only felt it proper that I read the entire series – not that you needed to, but I knew I would want to and I’m so glad I did…I absolutely loved them!
Now before I get into this review, I have to say coming into this series late, there is now some debate as to what order you should read the series as there really are two options – the order of publication or chronologically. According to the author, you can read either way, so I decided to go chronologically and I’m glad I did…to me the flow made sense.
This book grabbed me from the get-go and I have to say I immediately fell in love with the story. It explores the origination of the Owens women, going all the way back to the 1600s and has us traveling from England to Curacao to Salem and NY. The way that Alice Hoffman was able to build this world that her characters inhabited was just fascinating – I found myself completely captivated and already being a fan of the Salem Witch Trials, I of course loved the way that was tied in.
“These are the lessons to be learned. Drink camomile tea to calm the spirit. Feed a cold and starve a fever. Read as many books as you can. Always choose courage.”
I can already tell this is going to be a series I enjoy…and I’m kicking myself for not picking it up sooner!
Audio thoughts:
Because I was crunched for time, I knew I would get through the books faster if I listened to them and what a fantastic choice that turned out to be. This book is narrated by Sutton Foster and she did an amazing job bringing this story to life. I enjoyed listening to this one and really had a hard time putting it down.
Books in this series:
Chronological Order –
- Magic Lessons
- The Rules of Magic
- Practical Magic
- The Book of Magic
Publication Date –
- Practical Magic
- The Rules of Magic
- Magic Lessons
- The Book of Magic
