Hoffman, Alice, The Rules of Magic, Informal Buddy Read, Starts 5 November 2017; revisit May 15-July 31 2018

[Kathy]

Chelsea wrote: "I'm a bit behind since I've had so much going on lately, but I just finished part 2. I'm really hoping it picks up because these kids have it so hard right now! I'm still finding Vincent's behavior..."

This was the 60s right? I was having a hard time with it when he was 14 and having a torrid affair with Aunt Isabelle's neighbor. ew. he doesn't sound like any of the 14 yos I know (my nephews who think girls are gross still....)

[Laura]

Kathy wrote: "Chelsea wrote: "I'm a bit behind since I've had so much going on lately, but I just finished part 2. I'm really hoping it picks up because these kids have it so hard right now! I'm still finding Vi..."

yup that was pretty gross!!

[Brooke]

I finished part 1 last night. I kept getting distracted by phone calls and household stuff like laundry. Ick.

(view spoiler)[I was also a bit grossed out by the neighbor and Vincent.

I find it interesting that each generation of the family mentioned in either book so far has tried really hard to give their children a "normal" life and hide their magical lineage. But then as soon as the kids are exposed to the family house and their heritage all their work goes out the window. Is it because as adults they wish they could be normal? Or is it part of the agreement for parents to keep the kids sheltered from magic so the kids can decide their own paths at 17? (hide spoiler)]

I'll at least get through part 2 tonight. I refuse to do any more cleaning or laundry until then. :-)

[Brooke]

Part 2

(view spoiler)[ Oh my goodness what a depressing section of the book! I like that the 3 kids are testing their limits and experimenting, although Vincent is a bit out of control. Poor Jet! Young love makes you blind and makes you feel invincible, so I get why she ignored all of the signs and went to meet her beau anyway.

I like Aunt Isabella's attitude in general; I think she might be my favorite character so far. The way she treated her cousin was perfect.

I'm hope part 3 is a bit more cheery or optimistic! (hide spoiler)]

My plan is to finish this book by the end of the weekend. It just depends on how much reading time I end up with tomorrow morning.

[Laura]

I plan on catching up tonight and finishing tomorrow night or on Sunday!

[Laura]

I fell asleep reading last night ( not to be blamed on the book) and I'm halfway through part 2.
(view spoiler)[
I 'm still not sure what I think of Vincent but it can't be easy seeing what is going to happen. How horrific for Jet's b/f and parents to die.

I think that April's baby is Vincent's. (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

End of Part 2
totally agree, Brooke; very depressing and dreary.

[Laura]

End of book
(view spoiler)[
I didn't like this one as much as Practical Magic. I found it depressing.
Franny was the witch to take over but she didn't do anything. Vincent disappeared to avoid conscription? Jet moped for her lost love? It really fell flat for me.

(hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

Parts 3 to the end
(view spoiler)[I am not sure how to rate this book. I thought the writing was great and maybe better than Practical Magic. But overall the story was very depressing and didn't really care for Franny as a character. At times she was mean just to be mean, I think, and I was really annoyed when she showed up at the engagement party and had the nerve to blame Hay for doing what she told him to do.

I liked how Jet morphed over the course of the book. She was really mopey for a while - a bit too long - but I love that she and the Reverend became friends in the end.

Also, the whole idea of a curse made by Maria Owens centuries ago affecting her entire family forever? I'm not buying it. The characters were miserable regardless if they were in love or not. And Franny & Hay were in love for decades even if they didn't say the words, so that was ridiculous.

And Laura, I agree about Vincent's disappearance. Just silly. If he had a new name, etc in Paris, there should be no reason why Franny couldn't accidentally run into someone or meet a stranger at a café. (hide spoiler)]

Overall I would give this 2.5 or 3 stars. I think I would rather have read a sequel about the children from Practical Magic or a prequel about Regina.

[Laura]

Yup for all those reasons I gave it a 2. If we could give half stars then a 2.5.
All those 4 star plus ratings I was wondering what you would rate it. A bit of a disappointing read.

[Kathy]

Laura wrote: "Yup for all those reasons I gave it a 2. If we could give half stars then a 2.5.
All those 4 star plus ratings I was wondering what you would rate it. A bit of a disappointing read." I gave it a 3. I thought the character development was pretty terrific - which each person having their own voice (however unbelievable - ahem Vincent), but there was no plot. This was like a long Wikipedia on characters to help set up the next book - which I sort of want to read, because her writing style is lovely.

[Laura]

Kathy wrote: "Laura wrote: "Yup for all those reasons I gave it a 2. If we could give half stars then a 2.5.
All those 4 star plus ratings I was wondering what you would rate it. A bit of a disappointing read." ..."

Her writing style is absolutely amazing! Practical Magic was better! ( imo!)

[Brooke]

I completely agree about her writing style. I own a couple of her other books and will end up reading them at some point this year.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

We're revisiting this BOM thread as a buddy read for Tower Teams VI.
Join us anytime from May 12th to July 31st.
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[Jammin Jenny]

I'm in for this (inasmuch as I requested it)...

[Laura]

Jammin Jenny wrote: "I'm in for this (inasmuch as I requested it)..."

Hi Jenny! hehe, I didn't give you a start date. Read it before the end of towers:-) As fast as you read during Cutthroat you will fly through this!

Did you read Practical Magic? Is this your first Hoffman book?

[Jammin Jenny]

This is my first Hoffman book. I saw the movie Practical Magic but never read the book.

[Mary X]

I'll join you from team Minerva McGonagall. Shouldn't take too long to get it from the library as they have a ton of copies. I loved the move Practical Magic but never read the book.

[Jammin Jenny]

Cool. Let me know when you are ready.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I'm going to try and locate a copy tonight digitally when I get home and may join in. Sounds very good. I like Hoffman's memoir but have not read fiction works by her.

[Mary X]

The ebook and audio both have wait lines at my library but I requested a print copy to start while I wait in line for digital.

[Mary X]

I'm picking a copy up from the library after work.

[Mary X]

Will anyone be starting this soon?

[Jammin Jenny]

I hope to be starting it on 4 June.

[Mary X]

Ok, then I can hold off a few days. I think I went overboard with my buddy reads.

[Mary X]

Has anyone started this? I started it this morning and didn't get far yet. But I'm already confused. But that may because I didn't read Practical Magic but saw the movie and I don't know what was changed for the movie. Like the parents of the Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman characters.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I started today as well Mary. I am 13% in. I guess we all are late starting due to so many planned books and buddy reads!

So far it's relatively interesting but the three main characters aren't what I'd call likable sorts.

[Mary X]

I'm about 3/4 through the book and I'm enjoying it although the narrator can be a little flat sometimes. (I have the audio)

The whole timeline of the book seems off to me. The aunts are described as elderly in the description of Practical Magic which was written in 1995. But they're only in their teens and early 20's in the mid to late 60's which would make them only their 50's in 1995. How is that elderly?


Vincent: (view spoiler)[Vincent discovering he's gay didn't really surprise me. It makes perfect sense that if one of his powers, well really a curse, is that most females become instantly enamored of him, it seems logical that it would be a man that he'd fall in love with. Someone he'd know really loved him and was not just under some spell (hide spoiler)]

April (view spoiler)[I was confused at first because in the movie Practical Magic, Sally and Gillian descend from an Owens woman. So I was thinking maybe the movie changed something from the book and they were really descended from Vincent. But I guess they're the daughters of Regina, April's baby? The timing doesn't seem right with Sally being an adult with elementary school children in Practical Magic written in 1995) (hide spoiler)]

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

It is kind of slow going for me. I am still pretty early in. I'm going to try to read some more today but other books keep distracting me.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I am STILL early in and hope to get more of it done this weekend. It's just not catching my attention. Will try a bit more to see if I should keep trying or DNF later.

Jenny, did you ever start or read this one?

[JanEyre9]

Joining in! I just finished reading this last night and can't stop thinking about it! It wasn't my first Hoffman, I've read Faithful, The Third Angel, and Nightbird, but this is the first book by her that made me a fan.

This has a slow start but once she gets into the stories of the main 3 characters it's really gripping.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

JanEyre9 wrote: "Joining in! I just finished reading this last night and can't stop thinking about it! It wasn't my first Hoffman, I've read Faithful, The Third Angel, and [book:Night..."

The ratings are super high so that's what I'm hoping. You have given me hope, Jan :)

I did read a book by her before but it was nonfiction

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I'm 25% in and it has gotten better now. Hope to finish it within the next few days.

[JanEyre9]

Erin ☕ *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "JanEyre9 wrote: "Joining in! I just finished reading this last night and can't stop thinking about it! It wasn't my first Hoffman, I've read Faithful, The Third Angel..."

Ooh which book was that?

[JanEyre9]

I really love the main 3 characters. Franny, Jet, and Vincent are so obviously beyond normal and yet feel accessible with their vulnerabilities and concerns.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

JanEyre9 wrote: "Ooh which book was that?
."

Nevermind, I feel kind of dumb now - went to check her books and it seems I may have confused her with someone else when referencing the non-fiction book. Confused her with Anna Quindlen

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

JanEyre9 wrote: "I really love the main 3 characters. Franny, Jet, and Vincent are so obviously beyond normal and yet feel accessible with their vulnerabilities and concerns."

I don't sense much vulnerability from Vincent yet - I didn't from Franny at first either but she seems to have mellowed.

[JanEyre9]

Erin ☕ *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "JanEyre9 wrote: "Ooh which book was that?
."

Nevermind, I feel kind of dumb now - went to check her books and it seems I may have confused her with someone else when referencing the non-fiction b..."

Oh please, I confuse books and authors all the time. I've never read anything by Quindlen, did you like her?

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I'd only read the nonfiction by her, How Reading Changed My Life - she writes very pretty and it's a short one, so you should give it a try if you get a chance. She talks a lot about academic snobbery with books, which I find interesting.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Okay, finally finished. To me the pacing was off kilter and the book overall was highly depressing. It did get better, but ultimately I am slapping on a two star rating since I found reading it to be a chore for the most part. A shame since I did want to like it more than I did and had higher hopes. Hope others enjoyed it more.