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Synopses & Reviews
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 on a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the "Unnamed 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 is 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.
Review
"Hoffman adeptly highlights that how one
uses a talent, selflessly or selfishly, has a sweeping impact on many
lives, meaning that one should always choose courage, and that love is
the only answer."
Booklist
Review
"Hoffman
offers an eye-opening account of how single women were treated in the
17th century, particularly when their knowledge or intelligence was
deemed threatening. [This] page-turning adventure is thoroughly
enjoyable."
Publisher's Weekly
About the Author
Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including The World That We Knew, Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic, 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.