The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman

The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman is truly a page turner that pulled me in from the first sentence and did not let me go until the very last word. Alice Hoffman is a brilliant story teller and has created a true gem of a story with the Owens' family. I am a huge fan of The Mayfair Witches as told by Anne Rice and have now been won over by The Owens' Witches that Alice Hoffman has so brilliantly created. I learned after reading the summary that this book was part of a series and was a little apprehensive to begin since I had not read the previous novels, but I can confirm that The Book of Magic can be read as a standalone novel. I never once felt lost in the story, as Hoffman's story telling submerses the reader in any substantial background information the previous stories may have had. 

Part one of The Book of Magic begins with the perfectly named title The Book of Shadows. A book of shadows to a witch is his or her own personal book of self growth where she documents her journey on her life path, the curves and twist, ups and downs that attribute to an individual's personal journey. Appropriately named is part one because it gives the reader a glimpse into the lives of the oldest still living Owens sisters, Jet and Franny. These two share a sisterly bond that most sisters can relate to, a bond that helps them know what the other is thinking without words. Because of this special bond Franny, the oldest of the sisters, knew that the clicking sound she had heard was the tick of her sister Jet's time running out, the click of "The Deathwatch Beetle". Jet is fortunate in a sense to know the day that she will leave this Earthly plain so she is able to set all of her affairs in order and say her final goodbyes to her family. She is also able to lend a hand in absolving a three hundred year old curse that has plagued her family by leaving a magical text she discovered on her last day of life. 

Alice Hoffman's character development is superb. She made me feel like each character in her novel was a character I had met before on my own life's path. I found myself relating most to Franny, the oldest sister and matriarch of the family. Franny always seemed stoic and icy but once her heart "melted" for someone her defenses came crashing down and the truly selfless, loving individual she was came rising to the top. The strongest individuals, in my experience, present that icy exterior because when they love they love so deeply that they will move Heaven and Earth to protect those individuals they love. Their love is deep and unbreakable so they are apprehensive at first to let their guards down and show the world their hearts. I loved that Hoffman noted that every generation of the family held two sisters with an incredibly close bond, with each generation having the frigid no-nonsense Franny and the peace and love Jet.  Each generation had a traumatic circumstance that brought them to the home on Magnolia Street and forced them to rely on family for shelter and comfort, creating a family that shared a magically close connection.  

"Everything worthwhile was dangerous, her aunts had told her and they were usually right."

 Ultimately I found that although this novel was named The Book of Magic it was ultimately about love and how dangerous and rewarding it could be to let your heart lead you. True, Alice Hoffman sprinkled in large amounts of references to magic but all in all The Book of Magic was about the bonds we form with our families, friends and life mates. Love within families is easy, we are supposed to be able to trust and love our kin. Friendship love is a little harder as we are weary to put our love and trust in to someone we are not as familiar as family with. Life mate love is the hardest and most "dangerous", in my opinion. Life mate love requires an individual to give their heart over completely to another in perfect love and perfect trust that they will return it back three fold. It's a "dangerous" endeavor but the rewards when you find the one for which your heart sings and their heart replies back is priceless. 

The Book of Magic was a beautifully well written novel that I greatly enjoyed and I am now in pursuit of Alice Hoffman's other novels. Her writing is beautiful, the characters are so well illustrated, and the stories so captivating that I find myself wanting to read more. Ms. Hoffman, you now have a fan for life. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy for an honest review. 

For purchase: The Book of Magic