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The Book of Magic

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The Book of Magic

By: Alice Hoffman
Narrated by: Jennifer Ehle
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About this listen

 ‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’ —Matt Haig

THE STUNNING, UNFORGETTABLE CONCLUSION TO THE BELOVED PRACTICAL MAGIC SERIES

For centuries, the Owens family has been cursed in matters of love. When beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the sound of the deathwatch beetle, she knows that it is a signal. She has finally discovered the secret to breaking the curse, but time is running out. She has only seven days to live.

Unaware of the family’s witchcraft lineage and all it entails, one of the young sisters of the new Owens generation has fallen in love. As the curse strikes once again, her love’s fate hangs in the balance, spurring three generations of Owens to venture back to where it all began and use their gifts to break the spell that has marked all their lives.

But doing so threatens to destroy everything the family has fought so hard to protect. How much will they give up for the greatest gift of all?

'This page-turning Atlantic-crossing caper is, above all, a paean to family love... These fast fairytales for grown-ups are full of enchanting comfort – more escapist than curse' —Sunday Times

'A satisfying tale springs from a slow beginning, packing in escapist fable, real-world savvy and incidents galore' —Mail on Sunday

'Delightfully witchy... Alluring on its own, it's also a satisfying end to a timeless saga' —New York Times Book Review

PRAISE for ALICE HOFFMAN

‘Beautiful, harrowing, a major contribution to twenty-first century literature’
Toni Morrison

‘I am still reeling from The Dovekeepers – from the history Alice Hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader.’
Jodi Picoult

‘In her remarkable new novel, Alice Hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, women’s solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic that’s quietly present in our day-to-day living. Put The Dovekeepers at the pinnacle of Hoffman’s extraordinary body of work. I was blown away.’
Wally Lamb

‘Alice Hoffman takes seemingly ordinary lives and lets us see and feel extraordinary things.’
Amy Tan

‘Miss Hoffman heals wounds with the gentle touch of an angel’
Joseph Heller

'Oh, what a book this is! Hoffman’s exploration of the world of good and evil, and the constant contest between them, is unflinching; and the humanity she brings to us – it is a glorious experience.'
Elizabeth Strout
 Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Magic Magical Realism Paranormal Paranormal Romance Renaissance Romance Witchcraft

Critic Reviews

Praise for the Practical Magic series

‘Her books are a real pleasure – practical magic’ Kate Atkinson

‘[A] delicious fantasy of witchcraft and love in a world where gardens smell of lemon verbena and happy endings are possible’ Cosmopolitan

‘Dripping with pathos and otherworldly possibility’ Vogue

‘Dark comedy and a light touch carry the story along to a truly Gothic climax, complete with heaving skies and witchery on the lawn’ New York Times

‘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

‘A delightful confection – witty, imaginative, unexpectedly touching’ The Times

‘Reading an Alice Hoffman book is like falling into a deep dream where senses are heightened and love reigns supreme… I never wanted to awaken’ Jodi Picoult

‘Hoffman’s classy prose imbues this modern fairy tale with bite as well as beauty’ Mail on Sunday

‘Storytelling is in Hoffman’s bones’ New York Times Book Review

‘Vivid and enchanting… another sublime entry in an arresting series’ Esquire

‘I got so swept up in this enchanting story’ Reese Witherspoon

‘A vivid and evocative tale – prepare to be spellbound’ Woman

‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’ Matt Haig
All stars
Most relevant
so often people who write about magic 1) don’t understand it – or 2) don’t understand human beings
it was lovely to see this story woven in a way that didn't stretched reality and distorted the truth but in a way it was gentle, believable and restored your faith in humanity and magic- well done!

Technical knowledge of the craft blended with human understanding

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This is amazingly well written and thought out, i started reading because of the movie, now I like the book way better!

Amazing

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I enjoyed the story but found these things annoying: too much detail about too many characters, and a frustrating style of writing.

The story world be moving along and then there’d be a glob of uncompelling detail about a recipe or a tree or a piece of history. Normally I love these details, but somehow they seemed like blocks of concrete that interrupted the flow.

It also needed to be cut by maybe a quarter.

A good story, but…

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A nice conclusion to the Owens family tale. I think the book about Maria Owens ('Magic Lessons') set the bar higher and I was expecting this to be of similar calibre. In the end this final instalment had a rambling storyline, a little messy and with a few too many characters. If you're a fan of the Owens family book series this is naturally a must read/listen.

3.5 stars

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