First thing out of the way is that the cover art of this book is a bit misleading! The cover seems more fantasy leaning, when the book is more contemporary with small magical elements woven within.

That said, I found this story interesting and reflective. It deals with heavy topics including loss of a parent, grief, alcoholism, Alzheimer’s, and general emotions relating to marriage and women’s rights. Emerson was a complex character, her mother Dorothy and daughter Sadie each had very engaging arcs in the book. The dysfunctional struggles of their family came to a head after Jefferson’s death. I like how the story came together in the end, bringing the three generations of women together. The magical typewriter was a good plot device, it had that butterfly effect feeling, as well as an interesting study of how Alzheimer’s disease affects families.

Audiobook narration by Mia Hutchinson Shaw fit the mood of the story very well. I really enjoyed her delivery and portrayal of various emotions.

3.5⭐️ rounding up

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the advance review copies.

Title: The Unwritten Rules of Magic
Author: Harper Ross
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism
Rating: 3.5-4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨