Review: The Book of Magic

It’s been a long time since I’ve read Alice Hoffman’s final book in the Practical Magic series. The Book of Magic was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and I read it in the fall (you know, ~*spooky szn*~) and adored it. I didn’t want the magical story to end.

Here’s the book’s description:

The Owens family has been cursed in matters of love for over three-hundred years but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured, when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. Jet is not the only one in danger—the curse is already at work.
A frantic attempt to save a young man’s life spurs three generations of the Owens women, and one long-lost brother, to use their unusual gifts to break the curse as they travel from Paris to London to the English countryside where their ancestor Maria Owens first practiced the Unnamed Art. The younger generation discovers secrets that have been hidden from them in matters of both magic and love by Sally, their fiercely protective mother. As Kylie Owens uncovers the truth about who she is and what her own dark powers are, her aunt Franny comes to understand that she is ready to sacrifice everything for her family, and Sally Owens realizes that she is willing to give up everything for love.

This last book in the series is technically the second book but, after writing Practical Magic in 1995, Hoffman returned to the world of the Owens family in 2017 with The Rules of Magic, the first prequel novel. Then, in 2020, she released Magic Lessons which explained how the curse began. The Book of Magic brings all the (still alive) characters from the books and the most important locations together in a conclusion that was really satisfying (but of course left me wanting more). For those who may not have read this series yet, I would recommend reading in the story’s chronological order: Magic Lessons, The Rules of Magic, Practical Magic, and finally The Book of Magic.

A new generation is introduced in this book with Sally’s (Nicole Kidman in the movie Practical Magic) daughters playing an important role right alongside their mom, aunt, and great aunt. Each woman has secrets that are finally coming to light and it really seems like the curse could ruin the family for good in this book. There are elements to the curse that I couldn’t have predicted and I wondered how the family’s magic was going to survive.

The magic in this book is not over the top. There’s no wand waving. The most overt shows of magic by one character in particular eventually lead to his downfall. The magic is subtle and sometimes seems like it could absolutely exist in the real world. I like that Hoffman doesn’t have overt magic and also that she explores all types of magic. There are some who are gifted with herbs and others that are finders. It’s so interesting.

I also loved that Hoffman pays homage to books, reading, and libraries. It was quite fitting that I started reading this not long after starting school for my library technician’s diploma and a new job at a local public library. The novel started off in such a way that gave me goosebumps and I have to share the first line with you (courtesy of Goodreads):

Some stories begin at the beginning and others begin at the end, but all the best stories begin in a library.

Swoon.

I think The Book of Magic is best enjoyed by those who have loved the Owens family from the start. Read the rest of the books in the series before diving into Alice Hoffman’s latest. You’ll get so much more out of it and will be far more satisfied if you do.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*