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  • The Rules of Magic

  • Written by: Alice Hoffman
  • Narrated by: Marin Ireland
  • Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (279 ratings)

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The Rules of Magic

Written by: Alice Hoffman
Narrated by: Marin Ireland
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Publisher's Summary

From beloved author Alice Hoffman comes the spellbinding prequel to her best seller 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 '60s, 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.

©2017 Alice Hoffman (P)2017 Simon & Schuster

What the critics say

"This audiobook, narrated by Marin Ireland, is an enchanting performance of a charming story.... 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." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Rules of Magic

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Wow. That’s it, wow!

You know, I was a big fan of the movie Practical Magic. I’ve hesitated reading a prequel because everyone knows they are rarely good. I was recently in our local bookstore looking for inspiration on something new to listen to. The staff members pick their favourites reads and The Rules of Magic was presented as a staff recommendation.

What a good choice. I was hooked from the first five minutes. The story of the three Owens siblings had me entranced. Their relationships with each other and their struggles with being different their entire life touched something inside. I was completely part of their story and part of their world.

Take a chance, you will enjoy The Rules of Magic. Happy anniversary Audible.ca #Audible1

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Sweet

Light summer read with interesting (albeit predictable) plot twists. If you like Alice Hoffman books you will enjoy this one.

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Boring!

I know many people really liked this book and I can only say that it must be an acquired taste. I find the story boring. After 3 hours of listening it doesn’t have any appeal. Nothing has happened. I could take it or leave it. I’m actually going to leave it. Not enjoyable for me and I am a big Audible fan. I’m going cut my losses (in time) and move on.

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1 person found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Cheesy

Enjoyed listening to the narrator but the story was simplistic, predictable and cheesy. Seemed interesting at first but difficult to finish. Good book to listen to at bedtime.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Good grief. Love the narrator though.

This book reads like a fan fiction of the movie. I loved the movie but thought the Practical Magic book was a bit of a harlequin mess. This prequel is worst. I have never rolled my eyes so hard at some parts. The only things that got me through it was the narrator. She is absolutely incredible. loved her voice, hated the words she was reading.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Growing up, Magic & Cursed in Love?

I enjoyed this story of 3 siblings & the story of how they grew up during the 1950s to the 1970s with some magical twists. This is a prequel to the book "Practical Magic" and it tells the stories of the aunts & their brother as they grew up.

The story asks if the Owens are really cursed when it comes to love & explores the theme of love, familial & romantic. I thought the narrator did a good job.

Although I found some of the characters decisions frustrating at times, I really enjoyed this story about the bonds of family, magic & love.

#Audible1

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Incredible

I was always a fan of the movie Practical Magic, and had no idea it was based on a book series. This book, the background story of the two aunts, was so captivating. It made my morning commutes bearable. In fact - some days, I WISHED for more traffic so I could listen longer ;) #Audible1

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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For Teens?

There were a lot of good reviews but I could barely finish it. I forced myself since I got through most of it before finally admitting it’s not going any deeper.

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  • Overall
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Rules of magic

I loved it. It gave me so much on-site to different things that happen in practical magic (one of my favourite movies). I can’t wait to listen to the others in this series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great book

great book series. on to the third book right away. love it. hope you enjoy it as well.

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