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irisenka 's review for:
The Rules of Magic
by Alice Hoffman
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"We make our own fate," Jet said, and then all at once she realised that they did. They could not control it, but they could choose how to respond to what happened.
Franny went to embrace her sister. "The world will do enough to us, we don't have to do it to ourselves," she said.
The characters in this book charmed me, making me want to know how they develop. How they will deal with the troubles life throws at them. Aside from our main characters, Aunt Isabelle and Haylin stood out to me. In The Rules of Magic, Hoffman writes about Franny, Jet, and Vincent. The siblings each have their distinct personalities and magical skills. They go their own journeys to find out who they are and how to accept themselves. This is one of my favourite aspects of this story. I felt all sorts of emotions.
I resonated most with Jet. How she loses (part of) herself. How she tries to find her strength again.
She had lost so much that she had lost herself as well. She had a secret that she carried with her, and it hurt, as if she stored a stone beside her heart. It was her hatred of herself that was her burden, and it grew each day. At first it was tiny, a mere pebble, then it was as big as her heart, and then it was the largest thing inside her. She had decided it wasn't the curse that was at fault. It was her.
I had a good time reading this book, but something was missing. The plot didn't feel as fleshed out as it did in Magic Lessons. I wasn't as invested. Though, because I read Magic Lessons first, I already knew about the family's history. So those pieces of information weren't new to me when they were revealed. Would I have enjoyed this book more had I read it first? I might find out if I reread this series. Overall, I would definitely recommend The Rules of Magic. It just doesn't quite compare to Magic Lessons.
Isn't that what love makes you do? Go on trying, even when you're through. Go on even when you're made of ash, when there's nothing inside you but the past.