Alice Hoffman The Book of Magic

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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 family's 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 love's 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 ReviewPRAISE 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.