Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
FIVE STARS!
As a fan of the movie Practical Magic, I have no idea why I’ve waited so long in discovering the books of Alice Hoffman. Knowing the “magical realism” genre well, I noticed her latest novel in the Owen’s sister series and eagerly jumped on the bandwagon. After consulting her website and learning her newest publication was the final installment I wanted to read the four books in chronological order beginning with Magic Lessons.
I may never look upon a bird or a plant the same way. All of nature in every form is the bedrock of life’s lessons and mysteries woven within the chapters of Maria’s dramatic life. The modest cottage in the forest is a paradise of flowers and herbs that become miracles for the broken spirits drawn to her door. The narrow minded people of 1600’s Salem MA fear her power and daily life becomes dangerous for the outcast and her child. With strength of her convictions and a man who owes her his life, Maria learns lessons about love that will affect all the Owen’s women who follow. I hated for this story to end, and gratefully it won’t, because the next in the series is waiting on my table. I am a fan of Alice Hoffman, thank you for such an incredible reading experience!
-Kim Luke
Book Blurb
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.
