“Do as you will, but harm no one.
What you give will be returned to you threefold.”

Colour me bewitched! I say this with the utmost respect: with each Alice Hoffman book I read, I become more convinced that she is proficient in the Nameless Art.

If you’ve ever wondered how the Owens curse came to be, wonder no more. The answer lies in this book. The story of Maria Owens and her daughter, Faith, is one of love, revenge and the fear of powerful women.

Any story involving witchcraft in the 1600’s, especially one partially set in Salem, is bound to include all manner of horrors perpetrated against women. I prepared myself for the likelihood of witnessing immolations and drownings but I was still surprised at times by the darkness of some of the events that unfolded. I probably needed to brew myself a cup of Courage Tea before settling in.

“It was a dangerous world for women, and more dangerous for a woman whose very bloodline would have her do not as she was ordered, but as she pleased.”

There was so much to love about this book: the bond between mothers and daughters, the importance of keeping the door open to those in need, the power of words and finding the courage to be who you are. While I really liked Maria, it was Faith’s journey that really sucked me in.

A few times in the first quarter of the book I caught myself thinking that if something could be said in two sentences it was said in five, but over time I got used to the descriptions and backstories. I was left with a few outstanding questions.

Reading this Owens origin story made me want to reread ‘Practical Magic’ and finally read ‘The Rules of Magic’. ‘Practical Magic’ and I have a long history. I fell in love with Alice Hoffman’s early books in the 90’s, so of course I found ‘Practical Magic’ then. I also managed to wear out the movie on VHS before the DVD made its way into my life. I would still have that DVD, if not for a friend who ‘borrowed’ it and failed to return it. Never fear; I found the perfect incantation in my Grimoire so they aren’t likely to do it again.

““You never told me what happens if someone falls in love with us.”
“We ruin their lives,” Maria told her daughter.”

Content warnings are included on my blog.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars.