Magic Lessons

A Prequel to Practical Magic

By: Alice Hoffman

Narrated by: Sutton Foster

The extraordinary novel tracing a centuries-old curse back to its beginning from the author of PRACTICAL MAGIC and THE DOVEKEEPERS

We first met the Owens in the glorious novel Practical Magic. We discovered the tragedy of the Owens siblings in Rules of Magic. Now we learn how it all began... with a baby abandoned in a snowy English field in the 1600s. Under the care of gentle Hannah Owens, little Maria learns about the 'Unnamed Arts'. Maria has a gift for them - a gift that may well prove her undoing.

When Maria is abandoned by the man she loves, she invokes the curse that will haunt her family for centuries. Because magic has rules, and they must be followed. This is the lesson that Maria will carry with her for the rest of her life, and pass on to her children and her children's children.

©2020 Alice Hoffman (P)2020 Simon & Schuster UK

Critic reviews

'Enticing... conjures up spells, herbal lore and romance in harsh, historical times' Daily Mail

'We first met the Owens in the brilliant novel Practical Magic, then we discovered the tragedy of the siblings in Rules of Magic. Now, we learn how it all began…' Bella

'A vivid and evocative tale – prepare to be spellbound’ Woman

'Storytelling is in Hoffman’s bones, and the skill with which she dispenses information and compresses time, so that a year passes in a sentence, so that a tragedy witnessed becomes the propeller for a hundred-page subplot, is (forgive me) bewitching' New York Times Book Review

'Vivid and enchanting, with a can’t-miss-it foray into the Salem Witch Trials, Magic Lessons is another sublime entry in an arresting series' Esquire

'Hoffman writes deftly, and often beautifully, about nature, and she can plot like, well, a witch, casting a spell on her reader' Boston Globe

'A gorgeous new novel you won't want to miss' Bustle

'In Hoffman’s luminous prose, all characters, even the villains, are not only vividly, but also compassionately, rendered... Hoffman adeptly highlights that how one uses a talent, selflessly or selfishly, has a sweeping impact on many lives' Booklist

Beautiful story of love!

This book was beautifully written! I could not stop listening once I started! The narrator has a beautiful voice that captivated me just as much as the story!
Honestly I thought I would not enjoy this story as it is not my usual genre but I stand corrected!
Amazing read!

A Good listen

The story of Maria Owens - which until now was only hinted at in the previous books - is an interesting one with some expected elements, but many that came as a surprise. England and America of late 1600's were places where superstition and fear are rife, going hand in hand with religious fundamentalism; this is evident in the book, but also apt in the context of the series where 20th century reflect centuries old mindset exactly- bar the hangings. This is a book of revelations, but even so I didn't come away from it entirely wowed and I preferred The Rules of Magic as the initially punished prequel that it is. The narrator did a commendable job with the book and characters. A good listen overall.

Wow

I always loved the movie Practical Magic, I never knew until a few days a that it was an adaptation of a book which was part of a book series. I have decided to listen to the books in the order of their sequence based on the story line not on date of publication. So this is the story of Maria who is the ancestor of the Owens sisters that we meet in Practical Magic. Wow this book was good with various twists and turned. I can't wait to get started on the next book.