Welcome to my review of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman!
Summary
The Owens sisters confront the challenges of life and love in this bewitching novel from New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman.
For more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats. But all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape.
One will do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they share will bring them back—almost as if by magic…
(Summary from Goodreads)
Review
If you’re looking for a quick recommendation, yes, I would definitely recommend this book!
If you’ve watched the movie Practical Magic, please know that the book is completely different. Many parts of the story were changed when it was adapted to the screen, but a few aspects remain the same. I watched the movie first before I even knew it was a book, and as I read the book, I kept waiting for the events I saw in the movie to happen in the book. But the more I read, the more I realized how different they are. Although the book and the movie are so different, I enjoyed both. They both have their good qualities and their bad, but I liked both the movie and the book. Here, I’ll focus on my thoughts about the book.
What I loved most about this book was the writing. Hoffman has a wonderful way of writing that brings an air of magic to everyday life. Each character is unique and well-developed. Although the story focuses on the two sisters, Gillian and Sally, we also get to know Sally’s two daughters. Hoffman’s writing brings each character to life in a way that made the story feel alive. It’s basically a feel-good, romantic, chick-flick in the form of a book. With a little magic thrown in. Although I’m not sure if the sisters’ family actually possess any magical abilities in the book.
The only problem I had with the book was that it could be a bit too wistful. Hoffman was occasionally too caught up in the minds of her characters, that I felt like I was in a rabbit hole. I love a well-developed character, and I think she did just that, but sometimes it was a bit too much. Otherwise, I would recommend this book to a busy mom. It’s a quick read that’s sure to keep you entertained around the time of Halloween. And you can watch the movie afterward!
Rating
Four out of five stars
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If you enjoyed my review of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, you might also like Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares. Check out my review!
If you’re interested in purchasing Practical Magic, here are some quick links to buy the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, if you’re interested to see what others think, here’s the link to the book on Goodreads.
