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The Rules of Magic: A Novel (2) (The Practical Magic Series) Paperback – June 26, 2018

by Alice Hoffman (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 18,104 ratings
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An instant New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick from beloved author Alice Hoffman—the spellbinding prequel to Practical Magic.

Find your magic.

For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Yet, the children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the memorable aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.

Alice Hoffman delivers “fairy-tale promise with real-life struggle” (The New York Times Book Review) in a story how the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself. Thrilling and exquisite, real and fantastical, The Rules of Magic is “irresistible…the kind of book you race through, then pause at the last forty pages, savoring your final moments with the characters” (USA TODAY, 4/4 stars).
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Previous page
  1. Part of series
    Practical Magic
  2. Print length
    400 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 26, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 1.1 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1501137484
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1501137488
  8. See all details
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  1. Other people’s judgments were meaningless unless you allowed them to mean something.
    Highlighted by 2,777 Kindle readers
  2. Writing itself was a magical act in which imagination altered reality and gave form to power.
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  3. Do as you will, but harm no one. What you give will be returned to you threefold. Fall in love whenever you can.
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From the Publisher

Practical Magic

Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR THE RULES OF MAGIC BY ALICE HOFFMAN

**INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**
**OFFICIAL REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK**
BEST FALL BOOKS SELECTION BY * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY * NEW YORK POST * POPSUGAR *

“Hoffman has conjured up another irresistible novel in The Rules of Magic. This is the kind of book you race through, then pause at the last 40 pages, savoring your final moments with the characters.”—USA Today (4/4 Stars)

“[T]his is a novel that begins with the words, ‘Once upon a time,’ and its strength is a Hoffman hallmark: the commingling of fairy-tale promise with real-life struggle. The Owens children can’t escape who they are. Like the rest of us, they have to figure out the best way to put their powers to use.”—New York Times Book Review

“In this prequel to Practical Magic, Hoffman, a master of magical realism, draws us back into the spellbinding universe of the Owens family with gorgeous prose set against a backdrop of vivid imagery.”—Marie Claire

“The story unfolds in romantic and magical ways against the backdrop of 1960s, with the Stonewall riot, LSD in Central Park, Bob Dylan and Vietnam all making appearances. Hoffman will keep you guessing until the very end of the book how the Practical Magic generation fits in, a clever, heartbreaking finale.” —Newsday

"Hoffman delights in this prequel to Practical Magic as three siblings discover both the power and curse of their magic. Hoffman’s novel is a coming-of-age tale replete with magic and historical reference to the early witch trials. The spellbinding story, focusing on the strength of family bonds through joy and sorrow, will appeal to a broad range of readers. Fans of Practical Magic will be bewitched.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Hoffman weaves a spell….Readers who enjoy a little magic mixed in with their love stories…will relish this book.” —Library Journal

"It’s clear why Hoffman is a favorite for fantasy readers: She creates interesting mythologies; she’s able to weave magic into the modern world; and she alludes to the magical properties of herbs and everyday items without overexplaining them and overcomplicating her narratives."—Bookpage

"Reading [The Rules of Magic] was like being caught in a current, floating along with a river's twists and turns, glimpsing familiarity and difference in varied measure before tumbling into something like the sea. I kept reading, not because I wanted to reach the end, but because I wanted to dwell in the honey-light of Hoffman's words. I wanted to hold these characters' hands... Hoffman's prose is as tender, dreamy and sweet as ever, laced with the sting of vinegar and broken glass."—NPR Books

“Just in time for Halloween, Alice Hoffman brings us back to the world of the Owens family, whom we first met in Practical Magic. It's a world where magic exists and love is a curse. The Rules of Magic will transport you. An utter delight.”—Popsugar (Best 2017 Fall Books)

"[The Rules of Magic is] a novel readers didn’t know they were waiting for until it arrived." —Bustle

"Reading an Alice Hoffman book is like falling into a deep dream where senses are heightened and love reigns supreme. The Rules of Magic is no exception—as I tumbled into the story of three siblings desperate for and cursed by love, I never wanted to awaken."—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things

"No one's more confident or entertaining than Hoffman at putting across characters willing to tempt fate for true love. Real events like the Vietnam draft and Stonewall uprising enter the characters' family history as well as a stunning plot twist—delivering everything fans of a much-loved book could hope for in a prequel."—Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including The Book of Magic, Magic Lessons, The World That We Knew, Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic (a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick), the Oprah’s Book Club Selection Here on Earth, The Red Garden, The Dovekeepers, The Museum of Extraordinary Things, The Marriage of Opposites, and Faithful. She lives near Boston.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books; Reprint edition (June 26, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1501137484
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501137488
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1.1 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 18,104 ratings

About the author

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Alice Hoffman

Alice Hoffman

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Alice Hoffman is the author of thirty works of fiction, including Practical Magic, The Dovekeepers, Magic Lessons, and, most recently, The Book of Magic. She lives in Boston. Her new novel, The Invisible Hour, is forthcoming in August 2023. Visit her website: www.alicehoffman.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
18,104 global ratings
Beautiful and mesmerizing.
5 Stars
Beautiful and mesmerizing.
Every human needs to read this amazing book. There is something for every human soul in this book. Once in a great while a book comes along that is mesmerizing, 'The Rules of Magic' is mesmerizing on so many levels.The storyline of the witches is simply a platform for the true message that Alice Hoffman is trying to communicate. This is a book about love, courage, strength, dealing with loss, never being afraid if who you really are and so much more. She perfectly blended real life with a story of magic.Truly one of my top three favorite books of all time. As soon as I finished the last page, I already wanted to read it again and again.Words do not exist to describe the true beauty of this book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Mary A. McCarthy
5.0 out of 5 stars Page turner
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
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I'm a fan of Alice Hoffman. Her novels are a little strange, but she's an excellent writer. As usual, this book holds your attention.
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Corey Beth
4.0 out of 5 stars Bittersweet & Lovely Prequel to Practical Magic
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2022
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4½ stars. It has been quite a few years (a decade or two) since I first stumbled across Practical Magic in my teens. It is a singular novel full of beauty & sorrow, much like life, & I've often reread it, though the last time was more than a few years ago. But it always stuck with me (the movie was good, too, despite being vastly different from the book), so I was of course interested when I learned that The Rules of Magic, telling the story of Aunt Francis & Aunt Jet, was coming out. And I have to say that upon finishing this prequel, I feel very much similar to how I felt that first time reading Practical Magic.

The Rules of Magic begins with Francis-- Franny-- & Bridget-- Jet-- as children in New York, & continues throughout the course of their lives, ending in the moments Practical Magic began, with a call from a serious little girl named Sally Owens who had just lost her parents. Like it's predecessor, it is filled with instances of magical realism & anecdotes about the dangers inherent in magic, love, & life. Franny & Jet also had a brother, Vincent, whose story is (in my opinion) the most tragic yet beautiful one of all of the siblings.

I'm not sure if it's because I am older, but this book seemed to me to have a more serious side to it than Practical Magic did. Of course, when I first read that book I was a teenager, & thus related to the characters close to my age, whereas now some of the joys & sorrows that Jet & Franny experienced as they aged spoke to me more. Either way, I found it an easy to read book that on more than one occasion moved me to tears. The writing is both lyrical & fast paced, painting a picture but not bogged down in the details. Much of the advice & anecdotes shared will, I believe, speak to anyone who has fallen in love, lost someone they loved, lost themselves, or experienced any of the many perils that are the cost of living.

I would definitely recommend The Rules of Magic first & foremost to fans of Practical Magic, but you do not have to have any familiarity with that book, as they both stand perfectly well on their own. I think it would be interesting to read them back to back, yo see what carries over from one to the other & to take new meaning from Practical Magic due to what I've learned reading The Rules of Magic. In fact, as soon as I finish writing this review I intend to find my old battered copy of the original & reread it with this prequel in mind. Obviously it will also appeal to fans of Alice Hoffman in general, & probably to anyone who enjoys any type of magical realism or books about witches (Paula Brackston comes to mind, among others, as an author with similar style & subject matter).

Bottom line: if you're looking for a sweet & touching book that will stick with you long after you've finished it, filled with a multitude of highlightable lines & memorable bits of advice (magical & otherwise), then The Rules of Magic might just be the book for you.
26 people found this helpful
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P. Blevins
5.0 out of 5 stars fun to read
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2018
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The Rules of Magic: A Novel: The Practical Magic Series Book 1 is by Alice Hoffman. This book is about love, happiness, sadness, peace and war, witchcraft, and finding oneself. It is the prelude to Practical Magic which was made into a movie. It explains the rules the witches have to live by and the curse of love which falls on the Owens family. It also shows why the family is so close even when they live apart. They have to be as they are not “normal” and live outside the rules of normality. It does show that being different is just fine and you don’t have to be ashamed of it.
The book revolves around the lives of three children, Franny, Jet, and Vincent. Franny, the oldest, was tall and had bright red hair. She was a take charge person, even as a small child. Jet, called that for her long black hair, was beautiful inside as well as out. She was the compassionate one. Vincent, the only boy and gorgeous even as a baby, was self-confident and talented. He was somewhat reckless as well. Being the youngest, the girls always looked after him. The three spent their time doing things their parents did not want them to do, explore their abilities for one. They covered for each other too as they broke those rules.
The three spent a summer with their aunts in Massachusetts where they learned more about their abilities as witches and began to accept themselves. They learned about the curse on love. If they loved anyone, that person would die. They would spend a lot of their time trying to figure out how to break that curse. The others they met at home and here that would affect their lives greatly were: April, their cousin who was also a witch and older than they were; Haylin, a boy in Franny’s grade at school who became a very good friend of hers and they became very close; Levi, a young boy who fell in love with Jet but whose Father was a Reverend who hated the Owens family; and William, a friend of Vincent’s when they were in New York later.

The book is fun to read with the kids getting into trouble even when they don’t intend to . The spells they talk about are interesting as well. Their magic is mainly science rather than actual magic.
3 people found this helpful
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Alan Roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars N/A
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024
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Susan
5.0 out of 5 stars Tragic, Yet Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2023
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I loved The Rules of Magic. I think this particular chapter in the history of Owen’s family was much more interesting than the first Owen’s story, although that should be read to truly understand the curse. Alice Hoffman wove this story beautifully and set it up perfectly for Practical Magic. The Rules of Magic is Jet and Franny’s life story. I wasn’t aware that there had been a brother, so that was quite a surprise. The events of their lives were tragic, yes, but also fuller than I had imagined. Alice did a great job of describing life, in all of its complexity, which is the same for all of us, witch or not.
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GeorgiaPeach
3.0 out of 5 stars Is anyone else bothered by the timeline?
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2024
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I liked the story, but couldn't get my head around the inconsistencies in the timeline. I LOVED Practical Magic, which seems obvioulsy to be set in the current time when it was written (let's pin it at the publication date of 1995). In the book, Sally and Gillian are 36 and 37, which would have them born in 1957-58. But The Rules of Magic describes the grandparents (Jet, Frannie and Vincent) who "grew up quickly in the last years of the 1950s." It also says that 30 years after Vincent's disappearance in 1970 (so in 2000), his granddaughters, Gillian and Sally, are 3 and 4, which would put their birthdays in 1996-1997. This would push the setting for Practical Magic to 2033 and the events in The Book of Magic to even later. So fundamentally, the story just doesn't work for me.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Samuel E. Wagar
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Magic Realism
Reviewed in Canada on May 2, 2024
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What a fantastic magic realist novel, with characters I quickly came to care for, complex inner lives and relationships. Even better than the first novel, with neo-Pagan touches added in, potion recipes, a lovely portrait of a family.
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Alejandro
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy buen libro
Reviewed in Mexico on February 22, 2023
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Muy buen libro
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A. J. Travers
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2024
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As always Alice Hoffman never fails
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A
5.0 out of 5 stars un must-read pour les fans de Practical Magic
Reviewed in France on May 23, 2019
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un plongeon dans le passé et la jeunesse de la fratrie Owens qui donne envie de revoir le film, et d'en savoir plus ! des personnages aussi attaquants qu'agaçants, qui mériterait chacun leur propre livre
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Inés
3.0 out of 5 stars Fine
Reviewed in Spain on February 24, 2019
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Some parts I enjoyed far much than others. Bits of the story were a little bit repetitive, but others I really loved. Even though the characters seemed int resting at the beginning, they weren’t so much towards the end.
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