Sixteen-year-old Ivy is pregnant and alone. Cast out by her family, she runs away and finds safety in the arms of Joel Davis. He offers a simpler life than the one she had in Boston, a quiet, rural life of rules, peace and community. Little does she realise, Joel is the charismatic leader of a cult known as the Community, and all is not quite as it seems. Daughter Mia has only known the claustrophobic life of the Community. While out serving the Community one weekend, she secretly commits a transgression reading. Discovering a world beyond the edges of the Communitys property is intoxicating. But breaking rules carries serious consequences, and sends Mia on a path she could never have imagined. With two fiercely wonderful heroines, The Invisible Hour is a heart-breaking and hopeful novel of family, redemption and the power of love.Praise for Alice Hoffman Beautiful, harrowing, a major contribution to twenty-first century literatureToni Morrison I am still reeling from The Dovekeepers from the history Alice Hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader.Jodi Picoult In her remarkable new novel, Alice Hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, womens solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic thats quietly present in our day-to-day living. Put The Dovekeepers at the pinnacle of Hoffmans extraordinary body of work. I was blown away.Wally Lamb Alice Hoffman takes seemingly ordinary lives and lets us see and feel extraordinary things.Amy Tan Miss Hoffman heals wounds with the gentle touch of an angelJoseph Heller ''Oh, what a book this is! Hoffmans exploration of the world of good and evil, and the constant contest between them, is unflinching; and the humanity she brings to us it is a glorious experience.''Elizabeth Strout
Full of Hoffmans bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations it casts a spell --Matt Haig THE STUNNING, UNFORGETTABLE CONCLUSION TO THE BELOVED PRACTICAL MAGIC SERIES For centuries, the Owens family has been cursed in matters of love. When beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the sound of the deathwatch beetle, she knows that it is a signal. She has finally discovered the secret to breaking the curse, but time is running out. She has only seven days to live. Unaware of the familys witchcraft lineage and all it entails, one of the young sisters of the new Owens generation has fallen in love. As the curse strikes once again, her loves fate hangs in the balance, spurring three generations of Owens to venture back to where it all began and use their gifts to break the spell that has marked all their lives. But doing so threatens to destroy everything the family has fought so hard to protect. How much will they give up for the greatest gift of all? ''This page-turning Atlantic-crossing caper is, above all, a paean to family love... These fast fairytales for grown-ups are full of enchanting comfort more escapist than curse'' -- Sunday Times ''A satisfying tale springs from a slow beginning, packing in escapist fable, real-world savvy and incidents galore'' -- Mail on Sunday ''Delightfully witchy... Alluring on its own, it''s also a satisfying end to a timeless saga'' -- New York Times Book Review PRAISE for ALICE HOFFMAN Beautiful, harrowing, a major contribution to twenty-first century literature Toni Morrison I am still reeling from The Dovekeepers from the history Alice Hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader. Jodi Picoult In her remarkable new novel, Alice Hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, womens solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic thats quietly present in our day-to-day living. Put The Dovekeepers at the pinnacle of Hoffmans extraordinary body of work. I was blown away. Wally Lamb Alice Hoffman takes seemingly ordinary lives and lets us see and feel extraordinary things. Amy Tan Miss Hoffman heals wounds with the gentle touch of an angel Joseph Heller ''Oh, what a book this is! Hoffmans exploration of the world of good and evil, and the constant contest between them, is unflinching; and the humanity she brings to us it is a glorious experience.'' Elizabeth Strout
The extraordinary and enchanting novel tracing a centuries-old curse back to its beginning from the author of PRACTICAL MAGIC and THE DOVEKEEPERS For centuries, the women of the Owens family have been cursed: any man who loves an Owens woman will die. It begins with a baby abandoned in a snowy English field in the 1600s. Gentle Hannah Owens takes the baby in, and as the child grows, Hannah teaches little Maria about the ''Unnamed Arts''. Maria has a gift for them a gift that may well prove her undoing. When Maria is abandoned by the man she loves, she invokes the curse that will haunt her family for centuries. Because magic has rules, and they must be obeyed. PRAISE for ALICE HOFFMAN Beautiful, harrowing, a major contribution to twenty-first century literature Toni Morrison I am still reeling from The Dovekeepers from the history Alice Hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader. Jodi Picoult In her remarkable new novel, Alice Hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, womens solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic thats quietly present in our day-to-day living. Put The Dovekeepers at the pinnacle of Hoffmans extraordinary body of work. I was blown away. Wally Lamb Alice Hoffman takes seemingly ordinary lives and lets us see and feel extraordinary things. Amy Tan Miss Hoffman heals wounds with the gentle touch of an angel Joseph Heller ''Oh, what a book this is! Hoffmans exploration of the world of good and evil, and the constant contest between them, is unflinching; and the humanity she brings to us it is a glorious experience.'' Elizabeth Strout
She was disappearing inch by inch, vanishing into thin air, and then one day a postcard arrived . . . There was no return address, no signature, only a scrawled message: Say something. Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl growing up on Long Island until one night a terrible road accident brings her life to a halt. While her best friend Helene suffers life-changing injuries, Shelby becomes overwhelmed with guilt and is suddenly unable to see the possibility of a future shed once taken for granted. But as time passes, and Helene becomes an almost otherworldly figure within the town, seen by its inhabitants as a source of healing, Shelby finds herself attended to by her own guardian angel. A mysterious figure she half-glimpsed the night of the car crash, he now sends Shelby brief but beautiful messages imploring her to take charge of her life once more . . . What happens when a life is turned inside out? When you lose all hope and sense of worth? Shelby, a fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookshops, and men she should stay away from, captures both the ache of loneliness and the joy of finding oneself at last. From the bestselling author of The Dovekeepers comes this spellbinding, poignant and life-affirming story of one womans journey towards happiness and the power of love, family and fate. A great atmospheric storyteller . . . Her books are a real pleasure Kate Atkinson Alice Hoffman reminds us with every sentence that words have the power to transport us to alternate worlds Jodi Picoult
Practical Magic, to date Alice Hoffmans biggest ever selling novel, became a major Hollywood film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman who played sisters Sally and Gillian Owens. In this sparkling prequel we meet sisters Frances and Jet and Vincent, their brother. From the beginning their mother Susanna knew they were unique: Franny with her skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, who could commune with birds; Jet as shy as she is beautiful, who knows what others are thinking, and Vincent so charismatic that he was built for trouble. Susanna needed to set some rules of magic: no walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles and certainly, absolutely, no books about magic But the Owens siblings are desperate to uncover who they really are. Each heads down a life-altering course, filled with secrets and truths, devastation and joy, and magic and love. Despite the warning handed down through the family for centuries Know that for our family, love is a curse they will all strive to break the rules and find true love. Book 2 in the Practical Magic series ''Hoffman delights in this prequel to Practical Magic a coming-of-age tale replete with magic and historical references to the early witch trials. The spellbinding story, focusing on the strength of family bonds through joy and sorrow, will appeal to a broad range of readers. Fans... will be bewitched'' Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Rules of Magic
Monroe, Massachusetts, petite ville aux pelouses impeccables, aux
demeures spacieuses et aux allées bordées de pommiers. C'est là que
vivent Jorie, Ethan et leur fils Collie. Jorie et Ethan vivent un amour
sans faille, Jorie est une épouse comblée et Ethan, pompier volontaire,
fait l'admiration de tous. Cette famille unie incarne un bonheur
serein que rien ne semble pouvoir troubler. Mais ce tableau idyllique
se lézarde un beau matin d'été lorsque la police vient arrêter Ethan,
suspecté d'avoir commis un meurtre atroce quinze ans auparavant...
Alice Hoffman tisse une intrigue originale et forte et nous offre la
description acide d'une communauté aux apparences trompeuses,
dans un roman foisonnant, tendu et inoubliable.