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The rules of magic  Cover Image E-audiobook E-audiobook

The rules of magic

Hoffman, Alice. (Author). Ireland, Marin, (narrator.). OverDrive Media. (Added Author).

Summary: From beloved author Alice Hoffman comes the spellbinding prequel to her bestseller, Practical Magic. Find your magic. For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man. Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people's thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk. From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse. The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy. Thrilling and exquisite, real and fantastical, The Rules of Magic is a story about the power of love reminding us that the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781508238294
  • ISBN: 1508238294
  • ISBN: 9781508238287
  • ISBN: 1508238286
  • Physical Description: remote
    1 online resource
  • Edition: Unabridged.
  • Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster Audio, 2017.

Content descriptions

General Note:
Unabridged.
Participant or Performer Note: Read by Marin Ireland.
Subject: Magic -- Fiction
Brothers and sisters -- Fiction
Blessing and cursing -- Fiction
e-Audiobooks
Downloadable audiobooks
FICTION -- Historical
Genre: Downloadable audio books.
Audiobooks.

Electronic resources


  • AudioFile Reviews : AudioFile Reviews 2017 November
    A prequel to PRACTICAL MAGIC, this audiobook, narrated by Marin Ireland, is an enchanting performance of a charming story. The Owens siblings grow up with odd and inexplicable restrictions from their mother. They cannot wear red shoes, walk in the moonlight, or fall in love (else their love will be cursed). When older, the three siblings journey to New York City to break the spell. Unlike some performers, Ireland doesn't focus on creating extremely distinct voices for each character; instead, she provides a perfect match for author Hoffman's creative style, which is warm and lyrical. Ireland speaks clearly, enunciating every word, and reads at a smooth pace. G.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
  • Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews - Audio And Video Online Reviews 1991-2018
    In this prequel to 1995's Practical Magic, Hoffman revisits the magical Owens family. Siblings Franny, Jet, and Vincent grow up in the 1960s with a set of rules intended to protect them from the pain that love is said to hold for them. Sometimes resisting, sometimes retreating into the rules, the three wrestle with love, loss, and their enchanted heritage. Tony-nominated actress and frequent audiobook narrator Ireland reads this story interwoven with tragedy, suspense, and wisdom. Using pauses and varied pacing to great effect, she conveys the wonder and growing awareness that mark the siblings' maturity as well as the dread and anguish of painful events. Ireland's characterizations of the three siblings and those closest to them differ subtly, but by whispering, lowering her voice, or sharpening her tone, she shows the wide range of emotions that the characters experience. Her fluid, expressive reading makes for an enjoyable listen and is an excellent match for Hoffman's novel. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.
  • Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2018 February #1

    Hoffman's latest is a prequel to Practical Magic (1995), in which listeners learn the story of Franny, Jet, and Vincent Owens. They've always known theirs was a different life, full of unusual rules, odd happenings, and more than their share of tragedy. Destined to be cursed when they love, the siblings each tackle the curse in their own way. The book is engaging from the first sentence, and listeners are drawn into a brilliant world with exquisite writing and major emotions. Marin Ireland presents a powerful narration, with subtle but effective differences among the characters. VERDICT With Hoffman's perennial popularity and all those readers who fondly remember the aunts from the original book, this is going to be in high demand. ["Admirers of Practical Magic and readers who…prefer to be kept at something of a remove from the grittiness of life's tragedies will relish this book": LJ 9/1/17 starred review of the S. & S. hc.]—Donna Bachowski, Orange Cty. Lib. Syst., Orlando, FL

    Copyright 2018 Library Journal.
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