The Book of Magic: A Novelvolume 4 (Practical Magic, #2)

by Alice Hoffman

Master storyteller Alice Hoffman brings us the conclusion of the Practical Magic series in a spellbinding and enchanting final Owens novel brimming with lyric beauty and vivid characters.

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.

The Book of Magic is a breathtaking conclusion that celebrates mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers, and anyone who has ever been in love.

• ISBN10: 198215148X
• ISBN13: 9781982151485
• Publish Date: 12 October 2021
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

It's here! It's finally here! Wait, am I ready for this? The Book of Magic, written by Alice Hoffman, is the final novel in the Practical Magic series. It's time to see how the Owens witches remove the curse that has plagued their family for generations (no, the movie ending isn't canon – though it is still delightful).

Jet Owens has lived a long and good life. So she is not surprised on the morning she hears the deathwatch beetle. She knows it means her time is nearly here – and that she must get her affairs in order.

Yet Jet is not the only one getting the warning signs. A young man – the newest victim of the curse – is at grave risk as well. It will take three generations of Owens witches to work together in order to save him and finally put this curse to rest.

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

The Book of Magic is a novel that had me so conflicted. On the one hand, it's the book that I've been waiting years for. On the other hand, it's also the end of an era. I wasn't sure that I was ready to say goodbye. Not to any of these delightful characters. But time goes on, and so must I.

I'll be honest: I didn't know what to expect from The Book of Magic. I knew that it wasn't going to end the way the movie did (duh), but beyond that, I couldn't even begin to guess how it would all finally come together.

What I got? Was amazing. Bittersweat in every sense of the word. It was a perfect ending for the series, the characters, and the fans. Again, I'm sad to see the series go, but I am so happy that Alice Hoffman found a way to do justice to it all.

I should probably mention: to those that have only ever read Practical Magic; I would strongly advise picking up the prequels before finishing the series. Magic Lessons and The Rules of Magic are both fantastic reads. More than that, plots and characters in those books will be essential for The Book of Magic. It may not make as much sense without their words.

Thanks to Simon Schuster and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks