The Rules of Magic

The Owens family, led by Susanna Owens , lives in New York City, far from their ancestral home in Massachusetts. Susanna, a descendant of the enigmatic Maria Owens, is determined to shield her children— Franny , Jet , and Vincent —from their magical heritage. She enforces strict rules to prevent them from engaging with magic, hoping to protect them from the dangers she believes it brings. Despite her efforts, the children's innate abilities begin to surface, hinting at the powerful magic coursing through their veins. The family's past remains a mystery, with the children unaware of the full ex

Theme 1: Owens Family's Hidden Legacy

Family and belonging sit at the heart of The Rules of Magic. Alice Hoffman examines how the bonds we're born into — and the ones we choose — define us in ways we often don't recognize until they're tested.

Theme 2: Rebellious Children Defy Mother's Rules

This thread running through The Rules of Magic gives the story its emotional weight. Alice Hoffman weaves it into the narrative with skill, ensuring that the reader feels the stakes as deeply as the characters do.

Theme 3: Summer Invitation Changes Everything

One of the most compelling threads in The Rules of Magic is the question of identity — who we are versus who we are forced to become. Alice Hoffman uses character and circumstance to explore how people evolve under pressure, often surprising themselves in the process.

What Readers Say About The Rules of Magic

The Rules of Magic has resonated with readers for its emotional honesty and vivid storytelling. Many describe finishing it in a single sitting — drawn forward by Alice Hoffman's prose and an almost desperate need to know how it ends.

A Passage Worth Sitting With

"Owens Family's Hidden Legacy" — Alice Hoffman, The Rules of Magic

About the Author

Alice Hoffman is the author of The Rules of Magic. Known for emotionally resonant storytelling, their work has found devoted readers across the globe.