Play Book Tag discussion

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman - 2* - My Review

Set in New York in the 1960s, this book tells the story of teenage siblings Franny, Bridget (Jet) and Vincent Owens. They possess magical abilities inherited from their mother. She is trying to live a “normal” life and avoid a family curse, which originated during the era of the Salem Witch trials. In an attempt to protect her children, she has established rules that they must observe.

I am not a fan of the premise of the story. Any man who falls in love with one of the daughters will die, but the son is free to do whatever he wants. This is the classic double standard, and I’m not sure it needs any help from some “curse.” At any rate, if you have difficulty with the premise, as I did, you will probably not care for how the plot unfolds.

I am not generally a fan of books that contain supernatural elements. I read this because I recently read and enjoyed Hoffman’s historical fictions, which are excellent, in my opinion. I need to stay away from her books of witches and magic.