The Rules of Magic

Our Review

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman has slotted itself easily into my list of my favourite books. It’s a beautiful story about witches and magic but also about family bonds and love.

I am a massive fan of the Practical Magic film, but I never realised it was a book until I saw this book advertised. I haven’t read the book yet, but it is now very high on my list of books I want to buy.

The Rules of Magic captured me right from the start and stayed with me long after I finished reading it.

I thought this book had the perfect beginning. As soon as I read the first sentence I had a feeling it was going to be my kind of book.

“Once upon a time, it was possible to run away from home, disguise who you were, and fit into polite society. The Children’s mother had done exactly that.”

One of my favourite things about Alice Hoffman’s writing is her ability to make you feel like you know her characters and care what happens to them. The Rules of Magic is about three siblings with some unusual magical abilities which their mother has done everything she can to try and supress in the hope they can have a normal life.

The children’s mother Susanna belonged to a prominent family in Boston by the name of Owens. Her ancestor Maria Owens arrived in America in 1680. When Maria had her son, no one knew who the father was, and her ancestors had equally dubious lineage. Husbands disappeared without a trace. Daughters begat daughters. Children ran off and were never seen again.

Susanna deliberately kept knowledge of the children’s special abilities from them and tried to bring them up as normally as possible in their New York home. She set down some rules for the children to follow.

“No walking in the moonlight no Ouija boards, no candles, no red shoes, no wearing black, no going shoeless, no amulets, no night-blooming flowers, no reading novels about magic, no cats, no crows, and no venturing below fourteenth street.”

 Despite her best efforts though the children made it clear they were not like other children and refused to conform to her rules.

Franny was my favourite character. I think I identified with her the most as the oldest child especially because she felt quite protective over her siblings. Franny is the most sceptical over their abilities, she approaches it in a scientific way believing that their must be a logical explanation.

Jet, the middle child, appears to be quite innocent. She is kind-hearted and sensitive and loves stray cats.

Vincent is the youngest and most enigmatic member of the Owens family. From infancy he charmed everyone he met and in later life this charm meant that he was irresistible to women. In fact, Franny was the only one able to resist his charm and know what he was really up to.

Each of the siblings have their own unique talents. Vincent can see shadows of the future, Jet can see other people’s thoughts and Franny is the most talented of them all.

During the summer after her 17th birthday Franny is invited to visit her mother’s Aunt Isabelle and her siblings decide to join her. Aunt Isabelle’s is a house unlike any other they have known, a house without rules.

“Much to their delight it turned out she couldn’t care less about bad behaviour. Diet and sleeping habits meant nothing to her. Candy for breakfast if that’s what they desired. Soda pop all through the day. They could stay up until dawn if they wished and sleep until noon. They weren’t forced to tidy their rooms or pick up after themselves.

‘Do as you please,’ she told the siblings. ‘As long as you harm no one.’

Whilst at Aunt Isabelle’s the children learn about their talents and the legacy of Maria’s which means anyone who falls in love with them faces ruination.

I loved this book and couldn’t put it down.

 

Our Final Rating...

Sat, 25th November 2017