Magic Lessons (Practical Magic, #0.1)
Alice Hoffman
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.
A little confused where to start the Practical Magic series - it says this is the prequel, but on my copy of the book it says #1 in the Practical Magic series? I've already started so I'll continue on, but is this better suited to be read after the other books in the series as a bonus book or does it work to kick off the whole series with the prequel (as seems to be intended now that its marketed as book 1)?
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Love this! It was so well written, imagery 10/10. Character development was very well done. Felt like an adult magic read without any super heavy scenes to keep me up at night. I didn’t feel I needed context from the other books, as I have not read them.
0This was my first book in the practical magic series, and I think it would be a better read for someone who has read the other books first - this is a prequel to the events of the modern day series, set in the 1600's during the Salem witch trials, and gives us the backstory on the infamous Owen women curse. There is a lot of history and scene setting here, lengthy passages dedicated to the politics, historical context, and landscape of colonial new england. The overall tone was slow and detail-heavy, but the strength of the plot kept me going. There's definitely some skilled story telling going on here, and I loved how we saw Maria and Faith's decisions play out; we saw the consequences of their actions both good and bad. No one was wholly good or evil; the characters are flawed and nuanced. I'll be continuing the series, curious if the modern day setting works better for me!
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