Anyone who has read Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic could easily imagine that the Aunts Frances and Jet had lived in their Magnolia Street home since the beginning of time. We now know that’s not the case. In Hoffman’s newest novel, The Rules of Magic, we are treated to the origin story of Frances and Jet, which opens in New York City in the 1960s. A prequel, not a sequel.
The Rules of Magic casts an enchanting spell, yet it’s not all a happy fairy tale. There is tragedy, sacrifice, and the ever-looming threat of the Owens family curse. This is a book about love, loss, and living, set against a backdrop of magical realism.
The three siblings, Frances, Bridget, and Vincent (yes, there’s a brother in there!) spend one summer with the current Aunt-in-Residence on Magnolia Street, Aunt Isabelle. Their stories move forward in time and explore the way one’s life can be touched by love and the loss of love. We see the steps that Franny and Jet take, complete with familiars and a healthy dose of herbal lore, as they become the Aunts of Practical Magic fame.
I loved following the chronicles of these siblings as they navigated their lives set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s. There’s heartache and hope, disappointment and fulfillment, and a lovely plot twist. Ultimately this book is about the power of love. The last sentence of the novel is, “Know that the only remedy for love is to love more.” I think that says it all.