Reviews
"In Hoffman's luminous prose, all characters, even the villains, are not only vividly, but also compassionately, rendered... Hoffman adeptly highlights that how one uses a talent, selflessly or selfishly, has a sweeping impact on many lives, meaning that one should always choose courage, and that love is the only answer." -- Booklist " Hoffman offers an eye-opening account of how single women were treated in the 17th century, particularly when their knowledge or intelligence was deemed threatening. [This] page-turning adventure is thoroughly enjoyable. Hoffman's redemptive story of a fiercely independent woman adds an engrossing, worthwhile chapter to the series." -- Publisher's Weekly, "Storytelling is in Hoffman's bones, and the skill with which she dispenses information and compresses time, so that a year passes in a sentence, so that a tragedy witnessed becomes the propeller for a hundred-page subplot, is (forgive me) bewitching. My current reality feels chaotic and confusing; to have a narrator take my hand and tell me that linden root and yarrow will cure a racing heart, that witches turn silver dull with their touch, is an undiluted pleasure... Hoffman's book swept me away during a time I most needed it." -- New York Times Book Review " Hoffman writes deftly, and often beautifully, about nature, and she can plot like, well, a witch, casting a spell on her reader to flip pages, reading ahead for plot twists. .. Magic Lessons is a compelling reminder of the past, which as it turns out, is not distant enough from the present." -- Boston Globe "A gorgeous new novel you won't want to miss" -- Bustle "Vivid and enchanting, with a can't-miss-it foray into the Salem Witch Trials, Magic Lessons is another sublime entry in an arresting series." -- Esquire "In Hoffman's luminous prose, all characters, even the villains, are not only vividly, but also compassionately, rendered... Hoffman adeptly highlights that how one uses a talent, selflessly or selfishly, has a sweeping impact on many lives, meaning that one should always choose courage, and that love is the only answer." -- Booklist " Hoffman offers an eye-opening account of how single women were treated in the 17th century, particularly when their knowledge or intelligence was deemed threatening. [This] page-turning adventure is thoroughly enjoyable. Hoffman's redemptive story of a fiercely independent woman adds an engrossing, worthwhile chapter to the series." -- Publisher's Weekly "Calling all Alice Hoffman stans. Along the way, [ Magic Lessons ] shows us how smart, independent women were treated in the 17th century. Don't miss it." --theSkimm "Full of wonderfully strong women, fascinating history and a plot that doesn't stop spinning, this book is a treat." -- AARP Magazine "Mysterious, magical and with important lessons about love and life, I cannot wait for it!" -- Parade "Heartbreaking and heart-healing...intense and gorgeous...This is an impressive tale, equal parts love story, history, and horror....The whole thing is absolutely riveting and riveting from start to finish." -- BookPage "A very emotional, mystical, engaging read. The characters in this novel are brilliantly drawn with Hoffman's skillful writing... It is a magical read." -- The Free Lance-Star, "Storytelling is in Hoffman's bones, and the skill with which she dispenses information and compresses time, so that a year passes in a sentence, so that a tragedy witnessed becomes the propeller for a hundred-page subplot, is (forgive me) bewitching. My current reality feels chaotic and confusing; to have a narrator take my hand and tell me that linden root and yarrow will cure a racing heart, that witches turn silver dull with their touch, is an undiluted pleasure... Hoffman's book swept me away during a time I most needed it." -- New York Times Book Review " Hoffman writes deftly, and often beautifully, about nature, and she can plot like, well, a witch, casting a spell on her reader to flip pages, reading ahead for plot twists. .. Magic Lessons is a compelling reminder of the past, which as it turns out, is not distant enough from the present." -- Boston Globe "A gorgeous new novel you won't want to miss" -- Bustle "Vivid and enchanting, with a can't-miss-it foray into the Salem Witch Trials, Magic Lessons is another sublime entry in an arresting series." -- Esquire "In Hoffman's luminous prose, all characters, even the villains, are not only vividly, but also compassionately, rendered... Hoffman adeptly highlights that how one uses a talent, selflessly or selfishly, has a sweeping impact on many lives, meaning that one should always choose courage, and that love is the only answer." -- Booklist " Hoffman offers an eye-opening account of how single women were treated in the 17th century, particularly when their knowledge or intelligence was deemed threatening. [This] page-turning adventure is thoroughly enjoyable. Hoffman's redemptive story of a fiercely independent woman adds an engrossing, worthwhile chapter to the series." -- Publisher's Weekly "Calling all Alice Hoffman stans. Along the way, [ Magic Lessons ] shows us how smart, independent women were treated in the 17th century. Don't miss it." --theSkimm "Full of wonderfully strong women, fascinating history and a plot that doesn't stop spinning, this book is a treat." -- AARP Magazine "Mysterious, magical and with important lessons about love and life, I cannot wait for it!" -- Parade "Heartbreaking and heart-healing...intense and gorgeous...This is an impressive tale, equal parts love story, history, and horror....The whole thing is absolutely riveting and riveting from start to finish." -- BookPage