A review by bxnnny
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

i've already read practical magic but i honestly feel like i liked the rules of magic more, which makes me sad because the movie is truly my favorite! the movie just was much stronger overall in comparison to its book counterpart. i feel like this book, in comparison to the first, was a more compelling story with more fleshed-out and realistic characters. it was interesting seeing the aunts in their early lives before sally and gillian, and to learn more about vincent and his role. i did find frances annoying at times, especially when it came to haylin, but i overall really enjoyed the characters and their stories. i cried a couple of times throughout and there were some really touching moments.

i feel like i want to re-read practical magic now to see if my feelings have changed and to generally see how i feel about the story/characters, knowing what i know now about their ancestors. but maybe once i finish the entire series, i'll go back and read them all chronologically! for now, i'll read them in the order they were released.

in short, this book was honestly a really well-done follow-up to practical magic and i'm excited to read the next installment!
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