Set in an ancient Greek world full of pesky, terrifying, flirtatious, meddling gods, this book introduces the young god Dionysus, who smashes all kinds of regimentation in the mortal world and invites wild nature to come rioting back in. Which, if you ask me, is the type of vibe we need in our current era.
It's got queer love, ancient civilizations, brutal shocks, political intrigue, lots of dark irreverent humor, and enchanting miracles. Absolutely loved it.
This turned out my favorite so far of Hoffman's books! I actually hugged it to my chest after I was done reading it.
Given it's a prequel to Practical Magic and the rest of that series, you can start with this book whether or not you have knowledge of those others (though I have read two of them). Though it's a historical novel, it never feels overly heavy on the historical detail. It's lively and intriguing and deliciously spooky.
Though it features John Hathorne, real-life magistrate in the Salem witch trials, and also includes bits of those trials, this story feels much less like The Crucible (with its dark, nightmarish mood) and much more like The Scarlet Letter—beautifully melancholy, bittersweet, and sometimes romantic. But this one loads up the genuine magic and witchcraft more than either of those.
Incidentally: Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter, was a direct descendant of John Hathorne. Which I bet Hoffman knows. I thus see what she did there. Tipping my hat.
The extraordinary novel tracing a centuries-old curse back to its beginning from the author of PRACTICAL MAGIC and THE DOVEKEEPERS
We first met the Owens in the glorious novel Practical Magic. We discovered the tragedy of the Owens siblings in Rules of Magic. Now we learn how it all began... with a baby abandoned in a snowy English field in the 1600s. Under the care of gentle Hannah Owens, little Maria learns about the 'Unnamed Arts'. Maria has a gift for them - a gift that may well prove her undoing.
I could tell within a few chapters that this would be my favorite book of Marcia Butler's so far, and indeed it was!
It's a completely charming found-family story, set in New York City in the year 2000. Knowing 9/11 was looming had me so worried! But (vague spoilers), I was relieved with how things turned out. Throughout, the book has a vibe of literary fiction crossed with rom-com, and I love it when authors successfully mix genres like that.
Butler writes beautifully, with lifelike and often hilarious dialogue, and morphs occasionally into the voice of Virginia Woolf, who our protagonist Peppa hears in her head as a type of guiding spirit. (Or is it a mental illness? You get to decide.) Also loved some of the side characters, particularly Ivan and GoGo. This book is a kindly hug in hard times.
A sensitive portrait of a vulnerable yet resilient young woman who, with the help of an inner voice and newfound friends, attempts to find her way at the turn-of-the-millennium Manhattan.
For as long as she can remember, Peppa Ryan has been guided by a benevolent voice in her head who she believes is Virginia Woolf. Though she's an exceptionally bright twenty-year-old, she suffers from crippling low self-esteem and has barely left her parents' ramshackle home in Queens, New York City.
At the turn of the millennium, Peppa is caught between her father's wishes for her to run the family business…
A fae-cursed actor, a runaway witch, and a theatre troupe full of magic, sequins, comedy, and secrets—this cozy urban fantasy brings queer joy and all the feelings.
"A delightfully queer and genderqueer romance set in an inventive fantasy world, The Quicksand Theatre Company has slow-burn yearning, magical bargains, joyful performance, and all kinds of drama. I loved it." — Felicia Davin, author of The Scandalous Letters of V and J
