4.0
Magic Lessons
ByPublisher Description
In this “ bewitching” (The New York Times Book Review) 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 “heartbreaking and heart-healing” (BookPage) celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling.
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 “heartbreaking and heart-healing” (BookPage) celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesMagic Lessons Reviews
4.0
Autumn Lininger
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Amanda Creedon
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Crystal Wigley
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Robyn Louise
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“"A woman who spent her time reading was no better than a witch"
A magnificent read by Hoffman, the character development within this prequel was epic to say the least. My only critique really was chapter length, however the little page breaks did help when I needed to finish reading before the chapter had quite ended. I will be reading the rest of this series, apparently it's okay for them to be read chronologically rather than in order of writing. I liked the narrative here of women supporting each other rather than fighting each other after they had been wronged by the same man.
That deathwatch beetle did start to get on my nerves though!
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Some of my favourite quotes include:
"The beauty of the meadow reminded Hannah of the reasons to live in the world, and the reasons to mistrust those who saw wickedness in others, but never in themselves"
"She would never again watch another woman burn"
"The violence she'd viewed had changed and embittered her. She had seen something no girl her age should see, the murder of someone she loved"
"A witches love is not so easily erased"
"First they burned the books, then the people who wrote them and then those who read them"
"What men could not understand, they wished to burn"
"As far as Martha was concerned, one learned to read only to have access to the scriptures; all other reading was the devil's work, inflaming men's imaginations with stories that weren't true and ideas that could lead a reader to a path of rebellion. A streak of independence and a curious mind meant trouble. In Martha's opinion, a woman who spent her time reading was no better than a witch"
"Read as many books as you can. Always choose courage. Never watch another woman burn. Know that love is the only answer"”
BelievableChange and growMemorableMinor characters stand outMorally ambiguousMultilayeredStrong relationshipsUnforgettable protagonistSatisfying conclusionWell-structuredBleakDarkEerieHistoricalRealisticRusticVivid descriptionsBeautifully-writtenOriginalAbuseAnimal abuseBigotryDeathMisogynyMurderReligious intolerance
Rachel W
Created 3 days agoShare
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“I love how this connected well to Practical Magic & tied in various parts of the storyline that comes later. I enjoyed hearing Maria’s story & I loved all the spell recipes & herbal remedies written as many of the herbal & plant remedies are accurate for helping various ailments like a headache or to relax etc. I even jotted down a few new plants to add to my tea garden next year! Overall this was done well & I loved being back in this world!”
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