The Rules of Magic: A Practical Magic Prequel by 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 “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.
from Author's Website
Named one of the 20 Indie Next Great Reads
Reached #4 on Oklahoma's Bestseller List reported on October 25, 2020
Named as a Must-Read Book in Fall 2020 by: Alma, Bustle, CBS Chicago, CNN Underscore, Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, Good Morning America, Lancaster Post,Loan Stars, The Nerd Daily, New York Post, Off the Shelf, Parade, Popsugar, San Antonio Express News, St. Louis Post Dispatch, The Week, Yahoo
Picked as a Book of Month pick for October 2020
Listen to Alice discuss Magic Lessons on the Zibby Owens podcast Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books.
Finalist for the 2020 Julia Ward Howe Prize
1. Magic Lessons continues the story of the beloved Owens family, taking us to the origins of the family curse. What inspired you to return to the Owens family after so many years? AH: My readers asked me for more of the Owens family, and I was intrigued by what their history might be. The character of Maria, who appears in the first book [Practical Magic], always seemed as if she might have a great deal more to say.
2. You have said that you always start a novel with a question. What was the question that you asked before writing this book and did you find your answer? AH: The question in Magic Lessons is how can those who are cursed in love manage to live a life that includes love. How can people who are hurt and vulnerable and betrayed open their hearts again?
3. The story is rich with historical details, especially when Maria enters new cities throughout the world. What was the process behind your research? AH: I have been researching the Owens family for twenty-five years! I read a great deal of history, went to Salem, and read extensively about the witch trials. But I’m also interested in everyday details: recipes, how houses were built, clothing—that to me is the beginning of building a world. I also do magic research, and have a magic library which I have been collecting for years. For me, that is the fun part of my research.
4. A value that Hannah Owens imparts on Maria is kindness. It is a trait that Maria’s biological mother, Rebecca, does not possess but Hannah teaches Maria to value. What inspired you to emphasize this trait? AH: In a cruel world it can be difficult to see that kindness is the way through the maze of uncertainty. But then and now, kindness is always a trait to value.
5. You explore the relationships between humans and animals through Maria and her crow, Cadin, and Faith and her wolf, Keeper. Can you tell us about an animal that has been special in your life? AH: Witches are said to have familiars, animals or birds who are soul mates. My soul mate was a German shepherd named Houdini, my dearest companion for sixteen years.
6. There are different types of love in the novel. There is romantic love, demonstrated in the relationship between Maria and Samuel Dias. There is also familial love between Maria and Faith. What did you want readers to learn from these different relationships? AH: The book is about love in its many forms. I think most readers take away what the story means to them, and what love means in their own lives.
7. Faith’s journey is a realistically dark one. She is taken from her mother and held captive for years, and subsequently turns to the Dark Arts for revenge. Did you plan her story beforehand? Or did her character evolve in the process of writing the novel? AH: I didn’t plan Faith’s story. She was such a strong character, she took charge of her own life and I just sat by and watched. She’s so complicated and hurt and brave. I grew to love her, despite her turn to the Dark Arts.
8. This book thematically resonates with Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic in that powerful women are at the forefront of the story. What women have inspired you in your life? AH: My mother and grandmother always inspire me. My mother was a single mother in the early sixties, a social worker, a rebel, and a wonderful friend. My grandmother was a Russian immigrant who supported her family and who loved me unconditionally. My first story was about her, and I would likely not have been a writer without her support.
9. Your interest in fairy tales, myth, and fantasy comes through in many of your novels. Did you read any works which inspired you while writing Magic Lessons? How did this interest influence the writing of Magic Lessons? AH: I don’t read while I’m writing fiction—I don’t want to be influenced by other stories or ideas. But the stories I read as a child and the books that I love are with me always. The Grimms’ fairy tales, the myths and legends, and the stories my Russian grandmother told me are always a part of what I write. In this case, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel The Scarlet Letter was hugely influential.
10. Can you tell us what you’re working on now? AH: I’m working on the fourth book in the Practical Magic series, called The Book of Magic. It’s likely the last of the series as well, and takes place in modern times, so that readers find out what happened to Sally’s daughters, Kylie and Antonia, and they also discover what happened to Vincent Owens. For me, it’s been a pleasure to spend more time with the Owens family.
