Magic is a concept that has fascinated humans for centuries. The idea of manipulating the natural world through supernatural means has been deeply ingrained in many cultures and belief systems. However, the rule of magic is not something that can be easily defined or understood. One of the fundamental aspects of the rule of magic is the belief that it exists. This belief can vary greatly from person to person, with some dismissing it as mere superstition, while others devote their lives to its study and practice. Regardless of personal beliefs, the belief in magic is often deeply ingrained in cultural and societal systems, shaping the ways in which people interact with and perceive the world.
For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1680, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.
But some parts especially perceptions of the siblings respective flavors of witchiness made me frown and reach for Practical Magic as an authority on the subject. I was over the moon, then, to learn that The Rules of Magic is a prequel starring the aunts and their brother Vincent, set mostly during their youth in New York City during the 1960s.
Regardless of personal beliefs, the belief in magic is often deeply ingrained in cultural and societal systems, shaping the ways in which people interact with and perceive the world. Another aspect of the rule of magic is the idea that it follows certain laws or principles. These laws are often considered to be universal and immutable, governing the ways in which magic can be practiced and its effects on the natural world.
'Rules Of Magic' Blends The Charm Of The Familiar With New Enchantments
I saw Practical Magic the film when I was 14, a little while before I read Practical Magic the book. I loved both, talked passionately about how very different they were from each other, how glad I was that I'd seen the film first so as to appreciate it on its own terms. The film gave me women loving and fighting with and for each other, in a house and garden (and kitchen) to spend the rest of my life lusting after; the book gave me poetry, the names of flowers, and generations of Owens sisters. The book focuses on Sally and Gillian as adult sisters, and on Antonia and Kylie, Sally's teenage daughters – but I always loved best the elderly aunts, Francis and Jet. I loved their comfort with each other, their confidence with magic, their authority, their power. I wanted to be them, and I wanted their stories.
I was over the moon, then, to learn that The Rules of Magic is a prequel starring the aunts and their brother Vincent, set mostly during their youth in New York City during the 1960s.
The Owens women have always had grey eyes, a spark of magic, and bad luck in love. Legend has it that their ancestor, Maria Owens, abandoned by her lover and accused of witchcraft during the Salem trials, cursed her bloodline to prevent her daughters suffering as she did. But Maria's journal also urges her descendants to "fall in love whenever you can," and the contradiction between curse and command is at the heart of Francis, Jet, and Vincent's lives. Coming of age on the Upper East Side with fashionable parents suspicious of the extraordinary, they explore and develop their powers together in secret — all the while resisting, and failing to resist, falling in love, with catastrophic consequences.
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I started reading The Rules of Magic in the afternoon and didn't stop until 2:00 AM. It's not a thriller by any means, not what I'd call a page-turner — there was no urgency to my reading, no skipping along sentences in order to find out what happens. Instead, reading it was like being caught in a current, floating along with a river's twists and turns, glimpsing familiarity and difference in varied measure before tumbling into something like the sea. I kept reading, not because I wanted to reach the end, but because I wanted to dwell in the honey-light of Hoffman's words. I wanted to hold these characters' hands.
Sometimes the degree to which I know Practical Magic by heart worked against my enjoyment, as Rules of Magic contradicts or rewrites elements of the former in order to fully develop the aunts' lives. Mostly this was welcome; Practical Magic suggests that the only romance the aunts ever experienced ended when lightning struck their teenage lovers, while The Rules of Magic quietly acknowledges and then brushes past that incident early on. But some parts — especially perceptions of the siblings' respective flavors of witchiness — made me frown and reach for Practical Magic as an authority on the subject. Which of course it needn't be; final process can certainly trump first thoughts. But reconciling the differences was sometimes distracting.
Hoffman's prose is as tender, dreamy and sweet as ever, laced with the sting of vinegar and broken glass.
For a book titled as it is, there seem to be no more rules to magic than to poetry. Magic here is old family recipes that yield surprising results in new ovens. Given this, I was sometimes confused by how often do no harm came up as an exhortation or a plot point, when by any conceivable metric the Owens siblings do harm people — and themselves — with magic all the time. Trying to puzzle a consistency out of the magic use was a bit like trying to bottle up the river with a sieve, so for the most part I shrugged it off and just lay back into the current.
But overall, the tug of the familiar and the enchantment of the new are the rule to which the above were exceptions. Hoffman's prose is as tender, dreamy and sweet as ever, laced with the sting of vinegar and broken glass. It's startling to take stock of how of a piece this book feels with its predecessor, of what a complicated dance of interlocking nostalgias this book explores and provokes: I, reading a book cataloguing a time during which Hoffman was a child, feel a tug of nostalgia towards the child I was while reading the book she wrote about adults my mother's age. Circles close within circles and spiral out again, and there's a magic in that too.
The Rules of Magic shows that sometimes the work you do comes back to you threefold — and sometimes you go back to the work you've done, and unfold three times more color from it.
Amal El-Mohtar is the Hugo Award-winning author of The Honey Month and the editor of Goblin Fruit, an online poetry magazine.
I was over the moon, then, to learn that The Rules of Magic is a prequel starring the aunts and their brother Vincent, set mostly during their youth in New York City during the 1960s.
These laws can vary greatly depending on cultural and magical traditions, but common principles include the concept of energy manipulation, the use of rituals and spells, and the belief in interconnectedness and harmony with the natural world. One important principle of the rule of magic is the idea that magic comes with consequences. It is widely believed that every action or spell performed in magic has a reaction or consequence, often referred to as the principle of "what you sow, you reap." This belief emphasizes the importance of ethical considerations in magic, as practitioners are encouraged to consider the potential consequences of their actions and to act responsibly. Furthermore, the rule of magic often includes the concept of belief and intention. It is widely believed that belief and intention are vital components in the manifestation and effectiveness of magical practices. The power of belief is thought to shape and direct magical energy, while intention provides the focus and purpose behind magical workings. The rule of magic is not a static or universally agreed-upon set of principles. It is constantly evolving and adapting as new understandings and practices emerge. It is also deeply intertwined with cultural, religious, and philosophical beliefs, further adding to the complexity and diversity of magical traditions. In conclusion, the rule of magic is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses beliefs, principles, and practices related to the manipulation of the natural world through supernatural means. While the specifics of magic may differ from culture to culture and individual to individual, the underlying belief in its existence and the recognition of certain laws and principles provide a framework for understanding and exploring this age-old phenomenon..
Reviews for "The Rule of Protection: Safeguarding Yourself from Negative Magic"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Rule of Magic". I had heard so many great things about it, but I found the plot to be slow and uninteresting. The characters lacked depth and I couldn't connect with any of them. Overall, I just didn't find this book to be engaging or memorable.
2. John - 1 star - I struggled to finish "Rule of Magic" and ultimately couldn't bring myself to care about the story or the characters. The writing felt flat and uninspired, and I found myself skimming through pages just to get to the end. It's a shame because I had high hopes for this book, but it just didn't deliver for me.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I had a hard time getting into "Rule of Magic". The pacing felt off, with long stretches of nothing happening and then sudden bursts of action. The magic system was confusing and poorly explained, leaving me feeling disconnected from the story. Additionally, the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying. I wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it fell short for me.
4. Michael - 1 star - "Rule of Magic" did not live up to the hype for me. The characters were one-dimensional and the dialogue was stilted and unnatural. The plot felt forced and lacked originality. I struggled to stay engaged with the story and found myself skimming through large sections. Overall, I found this book to be a disappointment and would not recommend it.