Bookseller synopsis:
For centuries, the Owens family has been cursed in matters of love. When beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the sound of the deathwatch beetle, she knows that it is a signal. She has finally discovered the secret to breaking the curse, but time is running out. She has only seven days to live.
Unaware of the family’s witchcraft lineage and all it entails, one of the young sisters of the new Owens generation has fallen in love. As the curse strikes once again, her love’s fate hangs in the balance, spurring three generations of Owens to venture back to where it all began and use their gifts to break the spell that has marked all their lives.
But doing so threatens to destroy everything the family has fought so hard to protect. How much will they give up for the greatest gift of all?
My reading experience:
This is the fourth and final volume in the Practical Magic series.
This was a memorable and enjoyable book of 400 pages that did not disappoint, in fact if anything, the story and prose have exceeded all of my expectations and I found it compelling, inspiring, absorbing and transportive.
There were times when each familiar character was not necessarily likeable, and this natural building of character was like forming friendships and connections – usually bumpy, never linear.
I’ve thought about what this book was for me and overwhelmingly this is a book about books, the perfect meander for bookish folk and librarians. Of course it has other layers – relationships, family, baking, travel, history, friendships, magic and love.
Beware being left with a hankering for chocolate cake.
I wholeheartedly recommend not just The Book of Magic but the entire series by Alice Hoffman.
Appletree Books 