would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this brilliant book

witches, salem, familiars, magic,black magic, betrayals

its all here in this book and i was held captive by it.

my first book by this author and it wont be the last, i have lost sleep over this and i cant wait to catch up on everything this author has written....

‘Magic Lessons’ is the third book about the history of the Owens family by Alice Hoffman, but chronologically, this beautifully written tale in the first book in the series; followed by ‘Rules of Magic’ and then ‘Practical Magic’. We learn of how Maria was abandoned as a baby and raised by a local ‘wise woman’ named Hannah Owens. Loosing Hannah at the tender age of 8 and meeting her birth mother are profound events in Maria’s life and the impact will reverberate throughout her life, twisting her views of love and revenge. We learn of her time as an indentured servant in Dutch Curaçao, eventually the final move to the US to Salem (Massachusetts) and New York city. Along the way, Maria falls in love, is cruelly betrayed, faces death and creates the curse that will torment the Owens family for generations to come. Despite this, even after encountering more hurt and betrayal, there remains a sense of hope for Maria as she comes to realise that love, the greatest gift of all, can prevail.


Although of a darker tone than the previous books, Hoffman’s writing is full of striking and discerning descriptions and passages. Perhaps the lack of humour this time is due to the subject matter, as Hoffman uses the setting of Salem and the infamous witch trials for significant portions of Maria’s life. Adding in real-life figures such as Matthew Hopkins, Cotton Mather, Increase Mather etc, which adds a dimension of realism to the storyline and also increases the level of fear that the reader feels for both Maria and Faith in such a dangerous time.
Reading this book was a delight and I fully recommend. While it is not necessary to read the series in order, or even to have read either of the other books, ‘Magic Lessons’ is the perfect introduction to the world of the Owens family and leaves the reader excited for the next chapter.

A lesson to all:
"Do as you will, but harm no one.
What you will give will be returned to you threefold."

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the ARC of 'Magic Lessons' in return for an honest review.

Magic pours from the pen of the phenomenally gifted Alice Hoffman in this 17th century set historical fiction located in England, Dutch Curacao, Salem in Massachusetts, and New York City, to follow the life of Maria Owens. As an abandoned babe in the snow, Maria acquires Cadin, the black crow and familiar before being rescued and taken in by the kindest of witches, Hannah Owens. Maria is raised and trained in the school of green magic, blending the soul of the witch with that of the soul of the earth, rooted in helping and healing those in need, to do no harm, as what is done comes back threefold. In a time of plague and fire, the huge numbers of deaths, women healers are viewed as witches that must be put to death. A grieving Maria sets sail for Dutch Curacao, sold as an indentured servant for 5 years by her blood father.

It is there that Maria forgets the warnings of love learned when she falls for untrustworthy Salem man, John Hathorne, who runs out on her. A pregnant Maria gives birth to her daughter Faith, taking her to Boston and Salem in her search for Hathorne, on route meeting and healing Samuel Dias, navigator and robber, a true love that Maria is too blind to see. Salem brings further betrayal and pain, culminating in the origins of the family curse made by Maria, and her imprisonment as a witch. Dark forces and fate wreaks further grief and a move to New York and Samuel's home. It may take years to learn the hard and costly lesson, but the bloodline of a witch can't be cured, charmed, changed or forced to obey. This is a narrative of the wonders of magic and the natural world, heartache, tragedies, sorrows, grief, loss, love, bitterness, mental and emotional damage, revenge and the true power of witchcraft.

Magic recipes and spells drip throughout this beguiling and spellbinding storytelling, of black soap, black mirrors, blue thread, courage tea and so much more, including forays into the darker aspects of the magical arts, such as the pursuit of revenge. However, the highest and most overriding of lesson, the greatest magic and miracle, is that everywhere, at all times of history, with its immense power to overcome curses, is that love is the answer. Hoffman is an astonishingly gifted writer, venerating women, their powers to heal, with all their flaws, facing a world that would so often see them as the enemy, sinners to be put to death and eradicated. Simply brilliant and highly recommended. Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for an ARC.

I really like Alice Hoffman books,but this one just lacked a little something for me.
Whilst it was nice to get the back story of the other books,I felt the story dragged in a few places,and I found myself skimming over the spells and charms.

Glad I read it non the less,to fill out the story of the Owens women and their curse

Full disclosure - The only book in the series I’ve read apart from this one is practical magic.

This is a prequel which spans decades of a woman called Marie’s life. It’s a character driven novel. I liked it but it wasn’t anything special for me.

Another wonderful book from Alice Hoffman. I love her magical books, especially Practical Magic and its other prequel. It was wonderful to read about the origins of the Owens curse, highly recommend.

An incredibly beautifully written novel about magic and love. Alice Hoffman has done it again. I just didn't want this to end. It is fantastic. I cant find words enough to say except READ IT.