The Book of Magic

Author: Alice Hoffman
Publisher: Scribner
​Reviewer: Beryl Eichenberger
I seem to have been immersed in magic recently – in books not in reality but for anyone who loves magical reality, witches and a darn good story then ‘THE BOOK OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman is an absolute must.  This conclusion to her PRACTICAL MAGIC series is, as always a good read, grasping you and drawing you into a world that hovers just beyond our reach.  And if you don’t believe in magic and witches – read this with an open mind, perhaps your perception will change. . .
We are of course talking about mostly good 

​magic but there are those practitioners of bad magic who cast their spells to change the course of innocent lives, wickedly adding spice and drama to the story. But let’s go back a bit to set the scene of this story.
The Owens family have been cursed – way back in the 1600s when Maria Owens was thwarted in love. “Beware of love” – a curse invoked that, over the centuries has ensured that the Owens family have had to hide their loves, escape into new identities and take drastic steps to  thwart the curse. But it is the 21st Century and the new Owens generation is unaware of their witchcraft lineage and all that it entails. Beloved matriarch Aunt Jet hears the death watch beetle – a sign that her time is near - the answer to breaking the curse is within her grasp but the path has to be laid.  Her great niece Kylie has fallen in love and history is busy repeating itself as Gideon, her boyfriend is run over. With his life in the balance only breaking the curse will save him and Kylie is discovering that she isn’t exactly who she thought she was; neither is her mother Sally or her sister Antonia.  Hidden powers are acknowledged and, with the remaining elderly Aunt Franny, the whole family is galvanised into action to save their future.  
This is a racy adventure story taking in the Massachusetts of the present, trailing into the Salem of the past, bringing us to the dark underbelly of London’s black magic circles, a secret library, books that burn you when touched, the Book of the Raven- holding secrets that men will die for, the reappearance of brother Vincent and simply an enchanting story that will have you under its spell from beginning to end. Across the continents we follow the imaginative characters to the final conclusion and come full circle to a wonderful finale to this quartet of novels.
What I love most about these books is the research that Hoffman has put into them. She brings healing potions of herbs that we all know, introduces us to Grimoires (magic books) and the good spells (which frankly, I wanted to try!)
Magic has for centuries influenced the cultures of the world, having a role in religion, literacy and tradition. But above all the message is very clear.  Good magic outweighs the evil and the values of healing, help and love are those that we should aspire to. Poetic, imaginative beyond the norm , sensual and totally absorbing this is a book that allows you to believe the unbelievable.
(The series: Magic Lessons, The Rules of Magic, , Practical Magic, and The Book of Magic - published by Scribner)