Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

I have been a fan of Alice Hoffman ever since I read Practical Magic and Magic Lessons did not break my love for her.

In Magic Lessons, we learn about how the curse that has plagued the Owens women for centuries came to be and the journey the women in the family have been through. The main heroine of the story is Maria Owens, a women who was abandoned by her mother and raised by Hannah Owens, a kind, gentle women who spends her time helping those in need.

As you read through the story, you can feel the growth of the characters and how they mature to fit their new roles compared to each other. The way the characters are sculptured really capture the attitudes towards women in 1800s and how they rebel against them to find their own path.

Something I really loved about Magic Lessons was how each chapter was told from multiple view points. It really helped give flesh to the complex relationships between characters and how these informed their decisions. Every page was rammed with pure emotion and passion which had me devouring each chapter (much to the dislike of my sleep pattern).

Magic Lessons is one of those books that you read and it stays with you. I have found myself constantly thinking about passages in the books about the herbs and plants that are mentioned and wanting to plant them. Also, the moral of the story is really ingrained in three rules of magic: 1. What ever you put out in the world will come back to you three fold. 2. Do no harm. 3. Fall in love whenever you can. The Practical Magic books will always occupy a very special place in my heart and my soul.