The Beloved Novel of Love - Sisterhood and Magic

I got this because I like stories about witches, good stories. This one never made it. Badly written. No one in this book grabbed me. It had wonderful potential with moments of magic and then poof gone. What a shame. Other books of hers were much better. This one was a bummer.

I resented rewatched this movie and noticed it was based on a book so i eagerly got it for my kindle. I'm about a quarter of the way through and I'm not sure I'm going to bother to finish reading it. I'm finding the writing style a bit slow and where the movie was charming and characters were lovable, even with their flaws I'm not finding myself unsympathetic to any of the characters in the book. I'm not compelled to learn what happens to any of them because i just don't care about them. Each character is described as being totally selfish in their own way so i haven't bonded with any of the characters enough to want to read about them.

If you liked the movie please do not waste your money on this book. They are nothing alike! The only similarity is the character names. I was so excited when I finally bought it, and when I was done I put it in the give away pile. I keep most of my literature but that had to go. Waste of $10- go make yourself a margarita, light some candles, and watch the movie with a friend :)

When I have to ditch a book half way through because of bordem I have no choice but give one star. I wanted to like it just couldn't get into it...started feeling like a chore to read rather than for pleasure. Too bad. So many books so little time to be wasting on books you don't enjoy.

The movie was great but is very very loosely based on the book. Thought it would be as good as the movie and was hugely disappointed. The book jumped around so much it was confusing at times. Don't waste your time.

If you saw the film that this book inspired in 1998 and think you know all about the Owens women who "for more than two hundred years...have been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town," then think again. Like most books that make the jump to the silver screen certain changes were made that affected the story as a whole. Some subplots were abandoned while others were expanded.

After the untimely death of their parents in a fire, two sisters Sally and Gillian are taken in by their eccentric Aunts. Due to their family's reputation for being witches, Sally and Gillian are harassed and ostracized by their peers and so have no one to turn to but each other. The two sisters couldn't be more unlike one another. Sally, the eldest sibling, copes by being the perfect child. She cooks nutritional dinners, washes and hangs the laundry and always goes to bed on time. Gillian, however, dreams of being free from the house, the Aunts, the taunting and teasing of the boys who fear her.

However, the sisters have one thing in common. They spend many nights in the shadows of the landing above the stairs in their house listening to their Aunts ply their trade as witches who specialize in affairs of the heart. They listen to the women who come to their Aunts desperate to gain love. The sisters see the toll that unrequited love takes on a woman and are disgusted at the lengths these desperate women will go to in order to obtain the one they desire. Consequently, both of the girls are afraid to love.

In an expanded subplot from the movie, as the story unfolds we actually get to see the long-term results of the love spell performed on behalf of one of the Aunts clients and the consequences of the magic invoked one night with little forethought and much desperation.

Gillian escapes the house on Magnolia Street by running off with a boy in the middle of the night after having spiked their Aunts soup so she wouldn't be caught. She finds herself unable to settle on any one guy, not for very long. However that doesn't stop her from getting married three times. Sally, on the other hand, stays with the Aunts and fills her days working in the garden, doing household chores, and shopping at the hardware store for cleaning supplies.

Sally finally meets a man named Michael at the hardware store. They fall in love, get married and have two daughters Antonia and Kylie. For a time, she is happy. Nonetheless, the death-watch beetle begins to mark off Michael's time on earth and he is doomed to die. At first Sally doesn't believe her Aunts when they tell her, until she slowly begins to believe their warnings and Sally goes to the Aunts for help. Having already secretly done everything they were able, the Aunts could offer no advice but to accept the inevitable.

After Michael's death, Sally goes into a deep depression which last for exactly one year. During that time the Aunts become Antonia and Kyle's main caregivers. When Sally comes out of her depression, she witnesses that her daughters are now being subjected to the same harassment that she and her sisters suffered through so many years ago. She then decides to do just as her sister had done years before. She uses Michael's insurance money and some of her own savings to move away from the Aunts and start a new life in New York. There she attempts to give her daughters something that she herself felt that she never had...a normal life.

Rather than opening her own business as in the movie, Sally takes a job as a school secretary so that she can be home when her daughters come home from school and the job has the added bonus of allowing her to have summers off. Just when it seems that Sally has achieved her goal of a normal life, Gillian shows up on her doorstep one hot summer night with Jimmy Hawkins, her dead boyfriend, in her car.

Gillian fears that she has murdered Jimmy because she had been slipping him nightshade every night to prevent him from getting drunk and consequently hurting her. It seems that though Jimmy has a long history of hurting, even murdering, the ones around him Gillian is compelled to love him and like many abused women, can't seem to leave her abuser. Not even her magic seems strong enough to take away her love for him. This is in direct contrast with all her previous experiences with men, in that since the time she was a teenager men and boys fell in love with her at first sight. She often had them wrapped around her little finger and just when they thought their love was secure---she left the relationship. The sisters ultimately decide to bury Jimmy in the backyard and forget about the entire incident.

The book then begins to focus on the relationship between Sally's daughters Antonia and Kylie. Being teenagers, the girls have a strained relationship. Like Sally and Gillian, they appear to be more unlike that alike in their outlook and attitudes. Antonia is more like her Aunt Gillian--beautiful, spoiled, wild, and carefree; whereas Kylie is more like her mother--responsible, introverted, and sensitive. It is only when Kylie's beauty threatens to outshine her own that Antonia begins to contemplate her future and what she has to offer the world, rather than what the world has to offer her. As Kylie develops physically, she becomes surer of herself and more aware of her own beauty. It is only after she is almost sexually assaulted that Antonia and Kylie renew their sisterly bond.

Throughout these events, Gillian has formed a relationship with Kylie who looks to her Aunt as a role model for what she believes a woman should be. Thus further strains the relationship between Sally and Gillian as Sally feels that her daughters are still babies, and is not eager to see them grow up just yet. Jimmy's ghostly influence uses their resentment for one another to further destroy Sally and Gillian's sisterly bond and drive them apart forever. Jimmy's spirit seems to take over the back yard where he is buried. The lilacs grow great lengths overnight and their scent draws the attention of the neighborhood women who come to the garden gate to look at them. It seems that the scent of the lilacs stir painful memories in these women, who uncontrollably weep when these memories resurface. Jimmy's influence reaches into the house as well, as food begins to spoil overnight and dead creatures are found in the toilet and sink.

On Kylie's 13th birthday, she develops the ability to see auras and other mystical phenomena. It is her that eventually causes Sally and Gillian to realize that Jimmy's spirit is attacking not only the house, but Sally and Gillian themselves. After Sally cuts down the lilacs, things seem to improve. Antonia's biology teacher, Ben Frye, falls in love with Gillian and begins to peruse a relationship with her, although she is adamant that she will be "single forever." Sally too is challenged by love when Gary Hallet, an investigator from Arizona looking into Jimmy's disappearance, arrives at her doorstep drawn by a letter Sally sent to Gillian some months prior. With no where else to turn, Sally and Gillian call the Aunts for help in ridding themselves of Jimmy's ghostly influence.

On the whole, the beginning and ending of the book is somewhat similar to the movie. Although Jimmy's spiritual death is not as dramatic as it was in the movie and no one becomes possessed, however, this is in keeping with the magical realism genre. The middle part of the book focuses more on Sally's daughters as they grow from teenagers to young adults and draws a parallel between them and the generations of Owens women who have come before.

Thankfully the absolutely absurd scene from the movie where the witches jump off their roof with umbrellas is absent from the book. I loved the inclusion of actual spells that are so descriptive of the Aunt's old-world flavor of witchcraft. Although we do get some background information on the Aunts, I think it would be wonderful for Hoffman to write a prequel featuring these wonderful characters.

Practical Magic is a book that I will return to again and again. The author's descriptive prose and attention to detail brings a greater depth to the story. It is rich in imagination, ripe with characterization, and possessed of a wisdom that will not be lost on the attentive reader.

I had read reviews that it was no at all like the Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman movie "Practical Magic" - which I LOVE!!! BUT NOT THIS BOOK - it is terrible, absolutely terrible DO NOT BUY IT...
I bought it thinking there had to be some things pulled from the book to the screen - but I didn't get past Chapter 4 - it is so boring, and you hate the characters, and there's no magical fantasy, no romance, nothing but what appears (to me) to be an author who is angry and hates men and life in general, and evokes her characters to do the same - even the little girls! (Sally's daughter's).
The movie is so great and I give more than applause to the screenwriters for making such a great movie with the same title as this book without the crap that these pages are filled with...its boring, uninteresting, and a waste of my time and money - SO DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE - CLICK THE BACK BUTTON AND NEVER RETURN!

My hope and wish is that SOMEONE - PLEASE SOMEONE - publish the screen adaption into a book - I would buy it in a heartbeat!

I picked this one up during an audible sale and I absolutely love the movie so I thought it would be interesting to see how the book compared. They’re definitely both similar and different as any adaptations are, but I think they’re both pretty great in their own unique ways.

Practical Magic, above all else, is a book about families and their dynamics. The two main protagonists are the Owens sisters, Sally (the elder) and Gillian (the younger). They grew up with their aunts due to being orphaned at a young age. Their aunts have a bit of a reputation in town (as do all Owens’ women) as being odd, eccentric, and…perhaps more than a little witchy (something no one actually says, but is very much implied). Growing up different can be difficult and this is something the girls experience when they start school in town. They each deal with this bullying in their own ways. Sally is known more for her obedience, and love of order and routine, while Gillian is a bit more vivacious. And though the two of them are very different they have a strong bond due to losing their parents so young and being each other’s strength while growing up. The aunts’ business is secret but the girls like to spy on them together and through this they learn that some people think the aunts have magical potions that work. Gillian is a believer but Sally likes to dismiss this idea even when faced with the evidence–she’s ever so practical.

This story goes through their growing years, as they get older and change somewhat. Gillian becomes a bit wild once she hits her teen years and is a constant exasperation to her older sister and the aunts. Rifts start to grow within the family as they enter into adulthood, first with Gillian who moves out and is rarely heard from and then between Sally and the aunts. Eventually Sally moves out as well taking her two daughters with her, trying to put her past behind her. She wants her daughters to grow up normal, not looked at as the town freaks the way her and Gillian grew up. Yet more years pass and we follow Sally and her girls as they grow older and become young adults.

There is not much of an actual plot to this book until near the end when Gillian arrives back on scene with a problem that needs to be solved. And even after that problem is taken care of (not really) there’s not much of a plot other than a growing rift between Sally, Gillian, and Sally’s two girls. Resentment, jealousy, favoritism…there’s a lot going on here between them all and really the dynamics are enough to carry the story through. And yet there is that nagging problem that becomes a major problem once an investigator shows up on scene and things become a bit more imminent. But in the end it’s all about the family coming together and the love they have for one another. It’s about loving oneself so as to not be envious of what others have. It’s about loving yourself enough so that you can let yourself love another. And it’s about sisters.

The pacing is a bit slow at times because it’s very slice of life. And at various times it’s hard to empathize with some of the characters because of the decisions they make and how they act make you not want to root for them. But then they do something that makes you want to root for them again–they come around. The magic in this is both subtle and not subtle. While bad things are buried under the bush there is a festering going on in the hearts of those in the house, bad feelings that are spread and made into bad actions. Is it the thing under the bush causing this, or is it just symbolic? Either way, it works.

There were quite a few changes from the film, but I see how they adapted it to make the story flow better and be more about one thing than something more nebulous like the themes expressed in the book (movies need a plot after all). But I think they still got the sisterhood and family thing down, even if it’s expressed a little more ‘feel good’ in the movie than it is in the book. There are of course entire subplots of the book that were left out and some things that were different (like the ages of Sally’s girls). But overall it was a fairly good adaptation.

I thought this was a good read and I enjoyed it a lot. If you liked the movie you may want to check this one out. 3.5/5 stars.

I watched Practical Magic for the first time when I was a very young child. I grew up on horror movies and mainly had nightmares when I watched kids programming so watching Practical Magic as a young kid wasn't a big deal. I've always been Halloween obsessed (it's also my birthday!) and a lover of all things spooky so I found myself going back to the movie tons of times and, especially, each year around the spooky season. To be honest, until the release of The Rule of Magic, even as a book lover, I had no idea that Practical Magic was a book. I knew that I had to read it this year and I was so excited to dig in! With all that being said, I found myself... disappointed.

Practical Magic was a good book but after being obsessed with the movie for so long, I honestly felt the book to be a bit lacking. Normally I'm a hardcore book-over-movie person but I really do feel like the movie is better than the book in this case. The story basics were still the same but it just seemed like the book was a little lackluster. I enjoyed the characters and the setting deeply but it just felt like there was a lot of build up and never any peaks. Like you were riding a rollercoaster and slowly felt yourself climbing the highest hill only to stop at the top and never go over the edge.

There just wasn't that much excitement for me. I will continue to watch the movie each year and be okay with my love for the cinematic version. I will be diving into The Rules of Magic soon so, even though my hopes aren't as high as they were before, I can't wait to dig in.

Rating: 3 Stars.

I had pretty high expectations going into Practical Magic. I have heard nothing but good things but other than it being a bit witch-y and about family I didn't know much about the plot. I never saw the movie either, so I went into the book completely blind. And I liked it! However, I did have some issues with the story.

The writing was really whimsical and fun to read. It felt almost like a fairy tale the way it's written. There's a lot of telling versus showing especially the first part of the book, but the writing was so easy to slip into that I didn't mind it. Between the writing, the setting, and the themes of the story it definitely feels like a perfect book to read in October or November.

The characters fell a bit flat for me personally, they all have distinct personalities but everyone was a either a bit whiny or selfish and honestly it felt grating at times. If I didn't love the overall atmosphere of the book I could have DNFed it. The saving grace for this book for me is the feeling of the book. Also, I would have enjoyed seeing more witch-y elements and less family drama. Or maybe at least have more witch-y elements and keep the rest. It just turned from this fun Charmed (the tv show) kind of vibe to a family drama about a woman and her two boring kids.

The thing that really made me upset is the ending, which was not only rushed but super anticlimatic. I was expecting this whole thing but it was over in a blink of an eye. I felt like I got to the end and was like, "That's it?" and that's a bummer because it had a lot of potential.

I feel like I am bashing this book, but I don't feel like it deserves less than 3 stars. I enjoyed my time reading it and I enjoyed a lot of the elements but being the book is so short I would have liked more of the more fun supernatural-y elements I thought I was signing up for. Maybe this book was hyped up as this magic heavy story by people who I know liked it and my expectations were just too high.

Overall, I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. I'd easily pick up another book written by Alice Hoffman, her writing was gorgeous and so much fun to read. And I definitely plan on watching the movie soon so I can see how they did with the adaptation. I hear great things about the movie so I am pretty excited.

Gillian and Sally had been in the care of their aunts since they were quite young – the Owens family had had a reputation for over two hundred years. As they grew up, Gillian and Sally would watch their aunts from the staircase as they administered potions to lovelorn women – they pinky vowed never to fall in love; ever. School was horrid – teased, taunted – children and adults would cross to the other side of the road if they encountered the sisters.

But then the day came that Gillian ran away. She found her own life, forever chasing dreams, while Sally stayed with the aunts, eventually falling in love and marrying Michael. They had two beautiful children, Antonia and Kylie; but when tragedy struck, Sally packed up her girls and left the aunts as well.

Would Sally ever reunite with Gillian? They spoke on a regular basis by phone, but Gillian had never returned. Until the day she turned up on Sally’s doorstep, bringing trouble with her…

I recently read and loved The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, so decided to read Practical Magic pretty well straight away. I’m sad to say I didn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much as Rules of Magic. The narration felt wrong; it irritated me, so I was skimming, trying to find improvement. And the lack of magical elements was odd too – I expected it after reading Rules. All in all, a disappointment to me. But I know others have loved it (obvious in the ratings and reviews) and unlike others, I haven’t seen the movie.

I have seen the movie Practical Magical several times, the last time was actually today, the day after I finished the book for the first time. Well, I did start watching the movie before I started the book. However, I decided to read the book before I finished the movie. I had a very good reason for that. I have a copy of the prequel to the Practical Magic book (The Rules of Magic) and I wanted to read Practical Magical before I started the new book.

This is one of those times when the book is nothing like the movie, however, that doesn't make the movie bad. I really liked it before I read the book, and I still like it after reading the book. They are just like night and day and there are things I miss in the book, like the spell Sally casts to not fall in love. However, the book is really good as well, I love the way Hoffman writes. This is the first book I have read by the author, but I have several books and now I can't wait to read them. It only took my one day to read Practical Magic, it's an easy book to read, engrossing and never boring. I like the characters, and knowing that the prequel will be about the aunts to Sally and Gillian really make me eager to start reading The Rules of Magic soon.

Practical Magical is a great book, and if you have never read the book do I recommend reading it. It's charming, but with a serious tone.

3.5* rounded up to 4* review:
After reading and thoroughly enjoying “Rules of Magic” I just had to get a copy of Alice Hoffman’s “Practical Magic”. I was happy to be back with the Owens women and enjoyed this book too however not quite as much. Perhaps I should have waited a little while before jumping into this one? I will look forward to visiting with the Owens women in the future if the author decides to write more about the. In the meantime, off to something else and hopefully another Alice Hoffman book in the near future. I’ve discovered an author I must come back to and what’s great is that she has written so many books. I also enjoyed “The Museum of Extraordinary Things” a while ago and remembered that I wanted to read more from this author just never got around to it.
(I listened to this book and again the narrator, Christina Moore, was great. )

As with many, I saw the movie first. This is where there is a rift as to whether the book or movie is better. I will leave that to you. (See my review of the movie)

This is the story of a family that on the surface that seems different from most families. Later we see it is anything but. The lives of several generations of the Owens family are covered from major events to those things that seem minor at the time. This book has a dark undertone and makes you think the cat is going to jump off the refrigerator at any moment. Yet if you quit trying to anticipate the story, you find it rich in beautiful pose and people interaction. Contrarily, this story is interspersed with vulgar language and repugnant images (probably necessary to portray bad guys and bad times.)

I personally do not like to read what I call "broke neck" books. The ones with some girl on the cover that has a neck bent back so she can look up the nostrils of the guy. If it weren't for the promise of magic, I would say they caught me. And I enjoyed reading it. I suppose now I will have to read something else by Alice Hoffman to see if this is her style or a radical departure.

Throughout the story, you are not sure if it is luck, logic, or just practical magic.

I want to first acknowledge that I saw the movie years ago and only recently discovered the book. I am going to do my best to write this review without comparing the two.

What I enjoyed about Practical Magic was the actual use of magic was never mystified or given any kind of over the top feel. It was made to almost fit in with the everyday. Even the aunts, while drastic in their appearance didn't wave around wands and shoot sparks into the air. It was very grounded.

The relationship between Sally and Gillian is told as most people feel about their siblings. You love them, you want to see them succeed, but they do things that you don't agree with. Alice Hoffman did a good job of making that feel natural.

I appreciated that Ms. Hoffman took the time to tell about bits and pieces of the future and wrote to attempt to answer every questions. Her details were well placed, while sometimes unnecessary, and the world she created was quite interesting.

My biggest complaint about Practical Magic is that it was all over the place. The entire thing was jumpy and inconsistent and would have benefited from chapters to help organize a few thoughts and made the tense swapping flow better. It bothers me that the aunts were introduced at the beginning of the book, but we are only presented with their names in the last twenty pages. Probably a spoiler, but still. I mean, that came off as though their names were an after thought. And honestly, there were parts that were a bit forgettable. Too much time was spent on parts that weren't necessary.

All in all I really did enjoy the book. As frustrated as I got, it was a great read. I closed the book smiling, which is always a good feeling.

The Owens family has always been blamed for anything bad or out of the ordinary happening. Two sisters, Sally and Gillian, go to live with their eccentric aunts in Magnolia House after their parents death. They are called names at school and avoided like the plague. Their aunts are strange and if bad things happen when they're around, they are thought to be at fault. The girls are allowed to do as they please in Magnolia House. There are no curfews or bedtimes and they can eat whatever they want. They are cared for, but not in the normal way. The aunts sell potions to lovesick women and appear to perform other subtle magics.

The girls are never truly happy, but they get by. Sally takes care of the house and the chores, since no one else would do them. She is the stability factor in the house. Gillian is a bit wild and as she grows, her beautiful looks have all the boys swooning over her. Gillian sees this as her ticket out of town and as soon as she's old enough, runs away and marries a boy just to get out on her own.

Sally is afraid of love after seeing how fickle Gillian's love can be. She wants to love and to marry, but only if it's true love. One day Sally meets Michael and falls in love. They marry and have two girls, Antonia and Kylie. They live happily for a while, but tragedy always seems to strike the Owens women and one day Michael dies. Sally blames the Owens family curse and vows to distance herself and her girls from it. She doesn't want her girls to grow up as she and Gillian did, ostracized because of their family's eccentricities.

Sally and the girls move away and make a home for themselves and are happy for a while. Then more tragedy strikes. Gillian, who has moved around continuously over the years from state to state and from man to man, has come to pay a visit to Sally. She needs her sister's help. Gillian is in major trouble and needs her sister's advice to help her out. Families stick together with a love that binds and a bit of practical magic thrown in for good measure.

What an enjoyable book! The magic is bordering just on the edge between magic and folk remedies, but is lovely nonetheless. It's magical realism at its finest, which I really enjoy. I was also drawn in by the strength of the love shown in the book. When you can look at someone and just know, read a letter from them and understand their soul, that's love at it's most magical.

A quote:
"Trouble is just like love, after all; it comes in unannounced and takes over before you've had a chance to reconsider, or even to think."

Alice Hoffman in Practical Magic uses magical realism to create a unique story about an unusual family and their life's joys and challenges. I enjoy a story like this one. The characters are quirky but relatable, and their devotion to one another undeniable. Often, I find that many books are just too long; this one was the perfect length and a quick read. I am looking forward to her soon to be released prequel entitled Rules of Magic.

Unfortunately, I have to be just another voice chorusing loudly "the movie was better". I saw the movie first and eagerly picked up this book. The magic and evocative atmosphere was there, as was Sally and Gillian and the aunts. I was eager to read more detail into their lives. But suddenly the book lost focus on Sally and Gillian and became a 'coming of age' story for Sally's children. I didn't want to read about Sally's kids and their adolescent problems where hair coloring is a big deal. Lost interest.

I have practically worn out my "Practical Magic" DVD. I even own the soundtrack and play music from it quite often. It's one of my go-to movies for Halloween or when I just want to curl up and enjoy. Usually, I look for a book when I see a movie that I like. I'm not a huge fan of tie-ins, but I like seeing who wrote the story and often I will read the book as well.

And yes, the book is almost always better. In this case, I am calling a tie.

What are the differences? The film plays up the witchy plotline a lot more and we see more of the elder aunts. In the film, Sally still lives in Massachusetts with the aunts. The film is the story of the aunts, Gillie, and Sally. The book tells more Gillian and Sally's story and that of the third generation, Antonia and Kylie. Both feature the death of Gillian's poisonous ex, "Jimmy," but the Goran brings the character to delicious wicked life in the film.

This is the first book I have read by Alice Hoffman; however it will not be the last. Her narrative and dialogue are brilliant. She digs deep into the character's pasts and personalities and she makes the scenes come alive. Reading the book is like an extended film with its rich detail and emotion and it's worth every minute.

Rebecca Kyle, September 2013

I listened to this after reading Rules of Magic. I loved the story of Aunt Frances & Aunt Jet so much, I had to continue but was pretty disappointed. I LOVE the movie, and this is nothing like it. The movie has so much more magic! This is boring in comparison. Also, you can hear other conversations happening outside the recording booth, which I found distracting. As someone who worked in audio production, how do you not tell this person to shut up while she's recording?!

Holy crap, this book was amazing. Ah. Ma. Zing. Who’s with me? That’s what I thought: everyone.

I fell in love with these women (and that cover!) immediately. Theirs was a story that I wanted to read every chance I got while simultaneously not wanting it to end. So I stalled myself; I let life get in the way so I didn’t have time to finish the book. Which only worked for so long, but it was the best I could do.

There are two things you need to know about this book if you haven’t read it. One: this story is a beautiful testament to love, strong women, and family. Two: if you’ve seen the movie (which was amazing in its own right – she put de lime in the coconut and drink ‘em bot’ up), forget everything you saw and go into this book with a blank slate.

I had the amazing opportunity to meet Ms. Hoffman and listen to her speak when I was about halfway through this book and the experience made me love this cast even more. It also led to that desperate grabby-hands feeling when she read from The Rules of Magic, the prequel to Practical Magic, which is the story of the aunts and their brother. (You know the feeling. It’s the one you experience when you cannot wait to get your hands on and/or jump into a certain new book.)

If your reading schedule has an opening I highly, highly recommend you snag a copy of this one ASAP and jump in.

at least 20 times and finally read the book. The are not exactly the same. The book has more fleshed out character descriptions of the Sally’s children and they are older, and Sally moves away from the Aunt’s house, but all in all the same awesome story.

Alice Hoffman abandons her standard magical realism to give us some real magic, a la the witches Owens. Two young orphan sisters are sent to live with their overtly witchy Aunts in a strange old house. Ostracized by the town's children, they do everything they can as they grow to adulthood to try to blend in and be "normal." Their birthright, however, comes calling and they find themselves on the wrong side of a vengeful ghost as a policeman investigating a disappearance in another state keeps a close watch on them.

Hoffman brings the world of the Owens women to life with her wonderfully sympathetic characters: we feel for Gillian even though it's her selfish and immature choices that plunge both her sister and herself into a nightmare world. We watch Sally, a loving widowed mom, try to protect her own daughters from suffering the same fate she and her sister did.

Running the gamut from creepy to downright scary, and from abusive to breathtakingly romantic, this book is one you'll want to immerse yourself in. Find a comfy chair, have a pot of tea at your elbow, and let yourself be carried along by Hoffman's poetic prose and magical storytelling.

As others have stated, I read the book after watching the movie. At first I was disappointed by how different the book and the movie were to one another. Then I just let go of what I already knew about our little witch family based on the movie, and things got much better.

The writing was beautiful, the characters were interesting (if very flawed) and the storyline realistic, even though it had a hefty web of magic woven in. The sisters do not stay in their family home, but instead go their own ways to find their own dreams. Their lives are even sadder than they are in the movie and I deeply felt for their real life problems. After some time they come back together, but its not smooth sailing. Not only is there the evil spirit of an ex lover that continues to haunt one of them, they are at odds with one another over things such as lifestyle choice and other sisterly concerns. The magic in this book is not overt, but rather subtle. Some people may not like that but I felt it added an element of realism to the story that convinced me the women came from a magical family.

Ultimately, I'm not sure if the movie helped or hurt this book. I'm sure it helped as far as sales, but it is so different in tone and even structure that I'm afraid it will turn a few people off. I admire Miss Hoffman's writing and would recommend this to anyone looking for a little magic in their lit.

This was not my first time reading Practical Magic. Or even my second. Or third. I've read Practical Magic so many times that I have had to purchase several copies through the years. The first time I read Practical Magic, I was 16 years old and listening to my then favorite cd, Under the Pink by Tori Amos. I distinctly recall the first day I cracked open the book. I'd never heard of Alice Hoffman before and the movie didn't yet exist. But I had found this copy in a library sale for a measly 45 cents and decided that it sounded interesting. And it was a book that didn't disappoint. Even now, 16 years later, I am still deeply in love with this book and I recommend it to everyone that I possibly can.

Though liberally sprinkled with magic throughout the entire story line, the main theme of the novel is actually love. Practical Magic focuses on the sometimes stupid and inane decisions that people make in the name of love. Gillian, the younger of the two Owen sisters, has no shortage of men falling all over themselves to be with her. And while she definitely could have her pick of all the men in her town, she instead constantly falls for the wrong ones. Gillian longs for a life free of their elder Aunts and far, far away from their New England home. Sally, the elder sister, longs for normalcy instead of love. She'd gladly give up everything just to have a life where people didn't cross the street at the sight of her, due to their fear of the witchcraft that the Owens family is known for.

The novel also has a second major theme. Family. Practical Magic delves deep into the family ties of the Owens women. Whether it's the elder aunts Frances and Jet or Sally and Gillian or with Sally's daughters, Antonia and Kylie. It explores the dreams, fears, loves, losses, fights, make-ups and anger found deep within a family's core.

But don't get me wrong. This story about love and family is also rich with magical realism and supernatural elements brought about with the untimely death of Gillian's dark and abusive lover, Jimmy Angelov. Hoffman's writing is so powerful that you can actually feel Gillian's fear when she realizes that Jimmy is haunting her and her family. Some of the creepiest scenes in the novel to me, are when Kylie tells us about seeing Jimmy's ghost and the disturbing aura of the lavender. Read it at night and make sure you have a cuddly blanket to pull around you. I personally love the fact that the magic in the story isn't about flashy curses and wands. It's simple and steeped in nature, just like Paganism. It's beautiful in it's simplicity and Hoffman weaves it flawlessly.

Another element that I absolutely loved was how realistic both Gillian and Sally are. They are written as extremely flawed and human characters. I identified with both of them. All my life, I have been very much like Sally. I'm one of the oldest of my siblings, always been held responsible for things long before I should have and wished I could have been more like my "normal" peers. But like Gillian, I have always been stupidly boy-crazy and have always fallen for the wrong men. All I can hope for is that my life gets a happy ending similar to the Owens women ;)

In the end, if you are expecting Practical Magic to be just like the movie, you may be in for a let down. There are some pretty huge differences. But personally, I find the book much more enjoyable and I actually happened to like the movie. The only thing I would have liked to have seen more of, are more scenes with Gary and Sally. We definitely didn't get enough of them. The pacing was terrific, the characters are all like-able (well, perhaps with the exception of Antonia for most of the book) and I love Hoffman's style of writing. There are few authors who can manage to write so poetically without the words seeming clumsy and deliberate.

I had no idea how good this book would be. It had an absolutely charming prose with a story completely different from the famous movie. This was the reason I hadn't bothered to read it all theses years. I've seen the movie a dozen times.

Don't make the same mistake I did and assume the novel is the same story. It's not. I almost spit out my tea when the characters started dropping the "F" bomb. I don't recall that scene?? I loved every minute of this and can't wait to start THE RULES OF MAGIC.

I have to say I was slightly disappointed by this novel. I've heard such good things, and I loved The Dovekeepers, Hoffman's most recent novel. I haven't read anything else by her yet, but I will.

From the Publisher
Practical Magic is a tale of two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, brought up by their two elderly guardian aunts in a world of spells and exotica from which they eventually escape - one by running away, the other by marrying - but which never escapes from them. Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust them together again, and again they are in a world that blends the mundane and the mysterious, the familiar and the fantastic, the normal and the numinous. Three generations of Owens women are then united in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching all of them that the perceptions provided by what is called the magical are rare and wonderful endowments.

This book was good. Please, don't get me wrong. But...I guess it was the POV that threw me off. It was a strange POV. Third person, very distanced from the characters. Sometimes, it was present tense, and sometimes, Hoffman would go into the future. She's say something like, "The winds would later become so strong that in the morning, not a single trash can would be left standing."

That's not a direct quote, but it's close. Then, after a paragraph of describing what the strong winds would do, Hoffman would come back to the present.

Though it was odd to me, it did work with the overall tone for the novel in a way I can't really explain. I guess, the aura of mystery surrounding the main characters. The fear of the unknown and the gravity of the sisters' positions in life, being gifted with this magic that can reveal so much about other people, both the good and the evil.

I enjoyed it. But compared to other books I've read, I have to rate it only 2 stars.

As someone who LOVES the movie Practical Magic I had meant to get the book it was adapted from for years thinking there was bound to be a few things that were changed or left out of the movie completely. I was greatly disappointed that there is very little that the book and the movie have in common other than the characters' names. While it was an interesting book in its' own right, if you're one who hates the book after you've seen the movie I recommend leaving this alone.

I read this book after having read The Rules of Magic which although written later was written as the prequel to Rules of Magic. I had so enjoyed RoM I was curious to follow the story further. I did enjoy Practical Magic but I believe Alice Hoffman is a better writer now than before. I found these characters not quite as interesting, not quite as comp!ex as those in RoM. I do relate to the complexities of love and how we humans struggle with all that love asks of us.

As with many, I saw the movie first. This is where there is a rift as to whether the book or movie is better. I will leave that to you. (See my review of the movie)

This is the story of a family that on the surface that seems different from most families. Later we see it is anything but. The lives of several generations of the Owens family are covered from major events to those things that seem minor at the time. This book has a dark undertone and makes you think the cat is going to jump off the refrigerator at any moment. Yet if you quit trying to anticipate the story, you find it rich in beautiful pose and people interaction. Contrarily, this story is interspersed with vulgar language and repugnant images (probably necessary to portray bad guys and bad times.)

I personally do not like to read what I call "broke neck" books. The ones with some girl on the cover that has a neck bent back so she can look up the nostrils of the guy. If it weren't for the promise of magic, I would say they caught me. And I enjoyed reading it. I suppose now I will have to read something else by Alice Hoffman to see if this is her style or a radical departure.

Throughout the story, you are not sure if it is luck, logic, or just practical magic.

I want to first acknowledge that I saw the movie years ago and only recently discovered the book. I am going to do my best to write this review without comparing the two.

What I enjoyed about Practical Magic was the actual use of magic was never mystified or given any kind of over the top feel. It was made to almost fit in with the everyday. Even the aunts, while drastic in their appearance didn't wave around wands and shoot sparks into the air. It was very grounded.

The relationship between Sally and Gillian is told as most people feel about their siblings. You love them, you want to see them succeed, but they do things that you don't agree with. Alice Hoffman did a good job of making that feel natural.

I appreciated that Ms. Hoffman took the time to tell about bits and pieces of the future and wrote to attempt to answer every questions. Her details were well placed, while sometimes unnecessary, and the world she created was quite interesting.

My biggest complaint about Practical Magic is that it was all over the place. The entire thing was jumpy and inconsistent and would have benefited from chapters to help organize a few thoughts and made the tense swapping flow better. It bothers me that the aunts were introduced at the beginning of the book, but we are only presented with their names in the last twenty pages. Probably a spoiler, but still. I mean, that came off as though their names were an after thought. And honestly, there were parts that were a bit forgettable. Too much time was spent on parts that weren't necessary.

All in all I really did enjoy the book. As frustrated as I got, it was a great read. I closed the book smiling, which is always a good feeling.

The Owens family has always been blamed for anything bad or out of the ordinary happening. Two sisters, Sally and Gillian, go to live with their eccentric aunts in Magnolia House after their parents death. They are called names at school and avoided like the plague. Their aunts are strange and if bad things happen when they're around, they are thought to be at fault. The girls are allowed to do as they please in Magnolia House. There are no curfews or bedtimes and they can eat whatever they want. They are cared for, but not in the normal way. The aunts sell potions to lovesick women and appear to perform other subtle magics.

The girls are never truly happy, but they get by. Sally takes care of the house and the chores, since no one else would do them. She is the stability factor in the house. Gillian is a bit wild and as she grows, her beautiful looks have all the boys swooning over her. Gillian sees this as her ticket out of town and as soon as she's old enough, runs away and marries a boy just to get out on her own.

Sally is afraid of love after seeing how fickle Gillian's love can be. She wants to love and to marry, but only if it's true love. One day Sally meets Michael and falls in love. They marry and have two girls, Antonia and Kylie. They live happily for a while, but tragedy always seems to strike the Owens women and one day Michael dies. Sally blames the Owens family curse and vows to distance herself and her girls from it. She doesn't want her girls to grow up as she and Gillian did, ostracized because of their family's eccentricities.

Sally and the girls move away and make a home for themselves and are happy for a while. Then more tragedy strikes. Gillian, who has moved around continuously over the years from state to state and from man to man, has come to pay a visit to Sally. She needs her sister's help. Gillian is in major trouble and needs her sister's advice to help her out. Families stick together with a love that binds and a bit of practical magic thrown in for good measure.

What an enjoyable book! The magic is bordering just on the edge between magic and folk remedies, but is lovely nonetheless. It's magical realism at its finest, which I really enjoy. I was also drawn in by the strength of the love shown in the book. When you can look at someone and just know, read a letter from them and understand their soul, that's love at it's most magical.

A quote:
"Trouble is just like love, after all; it comes in unannounced and takes over before you've had a chance to reconsider, or even to think."

Alice Hoffman in Practical Magic uses magical realism to create a unique story about an unusual family and their life's joys and challenges. I enjoy a story like this one. The characters are quirky but relatable, and their devotion to one another undeniable. Often, I find that many books are just too long; this one was the perfect length and a quick read. I am looking forward to her soon to be released prequel entitled Rules of Magic.

Unfortunately, I have to be just another voice chorusing loudly "the movie was better". I saw the movie first and eagerly picked up this book. The magic and evocative atmosphere was there, as was Sally and Gillian and the aunts. I was eager to read more detail into their lives. But suddenly the book lost focus on Sally and Gillian and became a 'coming of age' story for Sally's children. I didn't want to read about Sally's kids and their adolescent problems where hair coloring is a big deal. Lost interest.

I have practically worn out my "Practical Magic" DVD. I even own the soundtrack and play music from it quite often. It's one of my go-to movies for Halloween or when I just want to curl up and enjoy. Usually, I look for a book when I see a movie that I like. I'm not a huge fan of tie-ins, but I like seeing who wrote the story and often I will read the book as well.

And yes, the book is almost always better. In this case, I am calling a tie.

What are the differences? The film plays up the witchy plotline a lot more and we see more of the elder aunts. In the film, Sally still lives in Massachusetts with the aunts. The film is the story of the aunts, Gillie, and Sally. The book tells more Gillian and Sally's story and that of the third generation, Antonia and Kylie. Both feature the death of Gillian's poisonous ex, "Jimmy," but the Goran brings the character to delicious wicked life in the film.

This is the first book I have read by Alice Hoffman; however it will not be the last. Her narrative and dialogue are brilliant. She digs deep into the character's pasts and personalities and she makes the scenes come alive. Reading the book is like an extended film with its rich detail and emotion and it's worth every minute.

Rebecca Kyle, September 2013

I listened to this after reading Rules of Magic. I loved the story of Aunt Frances & Aunt Jet so much, I had to continue but was pretty disappointed. I LOVE the movie, and this is nothing like it. The movie has so much more magic! This is boring in comparison. Also, you can hear other conversations happening outside the recording booth, which I found distracting. As someone who worked in audio production, how do you not tell this person to shut up while she's recording?!

Holy crap, this book was amazing. Ah. Ma. Zing. Who’s with me? That’s what I thought: everyone.

I fell in love with these women (and that cover!) immediately. Theirs was a story that I wanted to read every chance I got while simultaneously not wanting it to end. So I stalled myself; I let life get in the way so I didn’t have time to finish the book. Which only worked for so long, but it was the best I could do.

There are two things you need to know about this book if you haven’t read it. One: this story is a beautiful testament to love, strong women, and family. Two: if you’ve seen the movie (which was amazing in its own right – she put de lime in the coconut and drink ‘em bot’ up), forget everything you saw and go into this book with a blank slate.

I had the amazing opportunity to meet Ms. Hoffman and listen to her speak when I was about halfway through this book and the experience made me love this cast even more. It also led to that desperate grabby-hands feeling when she read from The Rules of Magic, the prequel to Practical Magic, which is the story of the aunts and their brother. (You know the feeling. It’s the one you experience when you cannot wait to get your hands on and/or jump into a certain new book.)

If your reading schedule has an opening I highly, highly recommend you snag a copy of this one ASAP and jump in.

at least 20 times and finally read the book. The are not exactly the same. The book has more fleshed out character descriptions of the Sally’s children and they are older, and Sally moves away from the Aunt’s house, but all in all the same awesome story.

Alice Hoffman abandons her standard magical realism to give us some real magic, a la the witches Owens. Two young orphan sisters are sent to live with their overtly witchy Aunts in a strange old house. Ostracized by the town's children, they do everything they can as they grow to adulthood to try to blend in and be "normal." Their birthright, however, comes calling and they find themselves on the wrong side of a vengeful ghost as a policeman investigating a disappearance in another state keeps a close watch on them.

Hoffman brings the world of the Owens women to life with her wonderfully sympathetic characters: we feel for Gillian even though it's her selfish and immature choices that plunge both her sister and herself into a nightmare world. We watch Sally, a loving widowed mom, try to protect her own daughters from suffering the same fate she and her sister did.

Running the gamut from creepy to downright scary, and from abusive to breathtakingly romantic, this book is one you'll want to immerse yourself in. Find a comfy chair, have a pot of tea at your elbow, and let yourself be carried along by Hoffman's poetic prose and magical storytelling.

As others have stated, I read the book after watching the movie. At first I was disappointed by how different the book and the movie were to one another. Then I just let go of what I already knew about our little witch family based on the movie, and things got much better.

The writing was beautiful, the characters were interesting (if very flawed) and the storyline realistic, even though it had a hefty web of magic woven in. The sisters do not stay in their family home, but instead go their own ways to find their own dreams. Their lives are even sadder than they are in the movie and I deeply felt for their real life problems. After some time they come back together, but its not smooth sailing. Not only is there the evil spirit of an ex lover that continues to haunt one of them, they are at odds with one another over things such as lifestyle choice and other sisterly concerns. The magic in this book is not overt, but rather subtle. Some people may not like that but I felt it added an element of realism to the story that convinced me the women came from a magical family.

Ultimately, I'm not sure if the movie helped or hurt this book. I'm sure it helped as far as sales, but it is so different in tone and even structure that I'm afraid it will turn a few people off. I admire Miss Hoffman's writing and would recommend this to anyone looking for a little magic in their lit.

This was not my first time reading Practical Magic. Or even my second. Or third. I've read Practical Magic so many times that I have had to purchase several copies through the years. The first time I read Practical Magic, I was 16 years old and listening to my then favorite cd, Under the Pink by Tori Amos. I distinctly recall the first day I cracked open the book. I'd never heard of Alice Hoffman before and the movie didn't yet exist. But I had found this copy in a library sale for a measly 45 cents and decided that it sounded interesting. And it was a book that didn't disappoint. Even now, 16 years later, I am still deeply in love with this book and I recommend it to everyone that I possibly can.

Though liberally sprinkled with magic throughout the entire story line, the main theme of the novel is actually love. Practical Magic focuses on the sometimes stupid and inane decisions that people make in the name of love. Gillian, the younger of the two Owen sisters, has no shortage of men falling all over themselves to be with her. And while she definitely could have her pick of all the men in her town, she instead constantly falls for the wrong ones. Gillian longs for a life free of their elder Aunts and far, far away from their New England home. Sally, the elder sister, longs for normalcy instead of love. She'd gladly give up everything just to have a life where people didn't cross the street at the sight of her, due to their fear of the witchcraft that the Owens family is known for.

The novel also has a second major theme. Family. Practical Magic delves deep into the family ties of the Owens women. Whether it's the elder aunts Frances and Jet or Sally and Gillian or with Sally's daughters, Antonia and Kylie. It explores the dreams, fears, loves, losses, fights, make-ups and anger found deep within a family's core.

But don't get me wrong. This story about love and family is also rich with magical realism and supernatural elements brought about with the untimely death of Gillian's dark and abusive lover, Jimmy Angelov. Hoffman's writing is so powerful that you can actually feel Gillian's fear when she realizes that Jimmy is haunting her and her family. Some of the creepiest scenes in the novel to me, are when Kylie tells us about seeing Jimmy's ghost and the disturbing aura of the lavender. Read it at night and make sure you have a cuddly blanket to pull around you. I personally love the fact that the magic in the story isn't about flashy curses and wands. It's simple and steeped in nature, just like Paganism. It's beautiful in it's simplicity and Hoffman weaves it flawlessly.

Another element that I absolutely loved was how realistic both Gillian and Sally are. They are written as extremely flawed and human characters. I identified with both of them. All my life, I have been very much like Sally. I'm one of the oldest of my siblings, always been held responsible for things long before I should have and wished I could have been more like my "normal" peers. But like Gillian, I have always been stupidly boy-crazy and have always fallen for the wrong men. All I can hope for is that my life gets a happy ending similar to the Owens women ;)

In the end, if you are expecting Practical Magic to be just like the movie, you may be in for a let down. There are some pretty huge differences. But personally, I find the book much more enjoyable and I actually happened to like the movie. The only thing I would have liked to have seen more of, are more scenes with Gary and Sally. We definitely didn't get enough of them. The pacing was terrific, the characters are all like-able (well, perhaps with the exception of Antonia for most of the book) and I love Hoffman's style of writing. There are few authors who can manage to write so poetically without the words seeming clumsy and deliberate.

I had no idea how good this book would be. It had an absolutely charming prose with a story completely different from the famous movie. This was the reason I hadn't bothered to read it all theses years. I've seen the movie a dozen times.

Don't make the same mistake I did and assume the novel is the same story. It's not. I almost spit out my tea when the characters started dropping the "F" bomb. I don't recall that scene?? I loved every minute of this and can't wait to start THE RULES OF MAGIC.

I have to say I was slightly disappointed by this novel. I've heard such good things, and I loved The Dovekeepers, Hoffman's most recent novel. I haven't read anything else by her yet, but I will.

From the Publisher
Practical Magic is a tale of two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, brought up by their two elderly guardian aunts in a world of spells and exotica from which they eventually escape - one by running away, the other by marrying - but which never escapes from them. Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust them together again, and again they are in a world that blends the mundane and the mysterious, the familiar and the fantastic, the normal and the numinous. Three generations of Owens women are then united in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching all of them that the perceptions provided by what is called the magical are rare and wonderful endowments.

This book was good. Please, don't get me wrong. But...I guess it was the POV that threw me off. It was a strange POV. Third person, very distanced from the characters. Sometimes, it was present tense, and sometimes, Hoffman would go into the future. She's say something like, "The winds would later become so strong that in the morning, not a single trash can would be left standing."

That's not a direct quote, but it's close. Then, after a paragraph of describing what the strong winds would do, Hoffman would come back to the present.

Though it was odd to me, it did work with the overall tone for the novel in a way I can't really explain. I guess, the aura of mystery surrounding the main characters. The fear of the unknown and the gravity of the sisters' positions in life, being gifted with this magic that can reveal so much about other people, both the good and the evil.

I enjoyed it. But compared to other books I've read, I have to rate it only 2 stars.

As someone who LOVES the movie Practical Magic I had meant to get the book it was adapted from for years thinking there was bound to be a few things that were changed or left out of the movie completely. I was greatly disappointed that there is very little that the book and the movie have in common other than the characters' names. While it was an interesting book in its' own right, if you're one who hates the book after you've seen the movie I recommend leaving this alone.

I read this book after having read The Rules of Magic which although written later was written as the prequel to Rules of Magic. I had so enjoyed RoM I was curious to follow the story further. I did enjoy Practical Magic but I believe Alice Hoffman is a better writer now than before. I found these characters not quite as interesting, not quite as comp!ex as those in RoM. I do relate to the complexities of love and how we humans struggle with all that love asks of us.

Watching the movie Practical Magic is a Halloween tradition of mine, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it was a novel first. I can't believe I had never heard of Alice Hoffman, since after looking her up online, all of her books look absolutely wonderful!

In Practical Magic, the Owens' women of Massachusetts have always been known to have strange powers and are therefore mainly ostracized (unless someone is in need of a spell!). Sisters Gillian and Sally Owens both desire to live normal lives where no one knows their background, so both leave their aunts and the town where they were raised. Sally becomes a widower and takes her two girls to New York State, while Gillian drifts getting into various degrees of trouble with the wrong type of men. They rarely have contact with each other, until Gillian gets into serious trouble and comes to Sally for help.

I can't say enough good things about this book. The women are all delightful (in their own ways) and the various mother-daughter-sister relationship aspects are touching and real. Even more than the characters, Alice Hoffman's writing style makes this book! She makes even onions seem magical with her excellent sentences and when describing the scents of lemons, lilacs, or a summer evening transports the reader to her scene. Now, off to find some more of her books to read!

If you saw the film that this book inspired in 1998 and think you know all about the Owens women who "for more than two hundred years...have been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town," then think again. Like most books that make the jump to the silver screen certain changes were made that affected the story as a whole. Some subplots were abandoned while others were expanded.

After the untimely death of their parents in a fire, two sisters Sally and Gillian are taken in by their eccentric Aunts. Due to their family's reputation for being witches, Sally and Gillian are harassed and ostracized by their peers and so have no one to turn to but each other. The two sisters couldn't be more unlike one another. Sally, the eldest sibling, copes by being the perfect child. She cooks nutritional dinners, washes and hangs the laundry and always goes to bed on time. Gillian, however, dreams of being free from the house, the Aunts, the taunting and teasing of the boys who fear her.

However, the sisters have one thing in common. They spend many nights in the shadows of the landing above the stairs in their house listening to their Aunts ply their trade as witches who specialize in affairs of the heart. They listen to the women who come to their Aunts desperate to gain love. The sisters see the toll that unrequited love takes on a woman and are disgusted at the lengths these desperate women will go to in order to obtain the one they desire. Consequently, both of the girls are afraid to love.

In an expanded subplot from the movie, as the story unfolds we actually get to see the long-term results of the love spell performed on behalf of one of the Aunts clients and the consequences of the magic invoked one night with little forethought and much desperation.

Gillian escapes the house on Magnolia Street by running off with a boy in the middle of the night after having spiked their Aunts soup so she wouldn't be caught. She finds herself unable to settle on any one guy, not for very long. However that doesn't stop her from getting married three times. Sally, on the other hand, stays with the Aunts and fills her days working in the garden, doing household chores, and shopping at the hardware store for cleaning supplies.

Sally finally meets a man named Michael at the hardware store. They fall in love, get married and have two daughters Antonia and Kylie. For a time, she is happy. Nonetheless, the death-watch beetle begins to mark off Michael's time on earth and he is doomed to die. At first Sally doesn't believe her Aunts when they tell her, until she slowly begins to believe their warnings and Sally goes to the Aunts for help. Having already secretly done everything they were able, the Aunts could offer no advice but to accept the inevitable.

After Michael's death, Sally goes into a deep depression which last for exactly one year. During that time the Aunts become Antonia and Kyle's main caregivers. When Sally comes out of her depression, she witnesses that her daughters are now being subjected to the same harassment that she and her sisters suffered through so many years ago. She then decides to do just as her sister had done years before. She uses Michael's insurance money and some of her own savings to move away from the Aunts and start a new life in New York. There she attempts to give her daughters something that she herself felt that she never had...a normal life.

Rather than opening her own business as in the movie, Sally takes a job as a school secretary so that she can be home when her daughters come home from school and the job has the added bonus of allowing her to have summers off. Just when it seems that Sally has achieved her goal of a normal life, Gillian shows up on her doorstep one hot summer night with Jimmy Hawkins, her dead boyfriend, in her car.

Gillian fears that she has murdered Jimmy because she had been slipping him nightshade every night to prevent him from getting drunk and consequently hurting her. It seems that though Jimmy has a long history of hurting, even murdering, the ones around him Gillian is compelled to love him and like many abused women, can't seem to leave her abuser. Not even her magic seems strong enough to take away her love for him. This is in direct contrast with all her previous experiences with men, in that since the time she was a teenager men and boys fell in love with her at first sight. She often had them wrapped around her little finger and just when they thought their love was secure---she left the relationship. The sisters ultimately decide to bury Jimmy in the backyard and forget about the entire incident.

The book then begins to focus on the relationship between Sally's daughters Antonia and Kylie. Being teenagers, the girls have a strained relationship. Like Sally and Gillian, they appear to be more unlike that alike in their outlook and attitudes. Antonia is more like her Aunt Gillian--beautiful, spoiled, wild, and carefree; whereas Kylie is more like her mother--responsible, introverted, and sensitive. It is only when Kylie's beauty threatens to outshine her own that Antonia begins to contemplate her future and what she has to offer the world, rather than what the world has to offer her. As Kylie develops physically, she becomes surer of herself and more aware of her own beauty. It is only after she is almost sexually assaulted that Antonia and Kylie renew their sisterly bond.

Throughout these events, Gillian has formed a relationship with Kylie who looks to her Aunt as a role model for what she believes a woman should be. Thus further strains the relationship between Sally and Gillian as Sally feels that her daughters are still babies, and is not eager to see them grow up just yet. Jimmy's ghostly influence uses their resentment for one another to further destroy Sally and Gillian's sisterly bond and drive them apart forever. Jimmy's spirit seems to take over the back yard where he is buried. The lilacs grow great lengths overnight and their scent draws the attention of the neighborhood women who come to the garden gate to look at them. It seems that the scent of the lilacs stir painful memories in these women, who uncontrollably weep when these memories resurface. Jimmy's influence reaches into the house as well, as food begins to spoil overnight and dead creatures are found in the toilet and sink.

On Kylie's 13th birthday, she develops the ability to see auras and other mystical phenomena. It is her that eventually causes Sally and Gillian to realize that Jimmy's spirit is attacking not only the house, but Sally and Gillian themselves. After Sally cuts down the lilacs, things seem to improve. Antonia's biology teacher, Ben Frye, falls in love with Gillian and begins to peruse a relationship with her, although she is adamant that she will be "single forever." Sally too is challenged by love when Gary Hallet, an investigator from Arizona looking into Jimmy's disappearance, arrives at her doorstep drawn by a letter Sally sent to Gillian some months prior. With no where else to turn, Sally and Gillian call the Aunts for help in ridding themselves of Jimmy's ghostly influence.

On the whole, the beginning and ending of the book is somewhat similar to the movie. Although Jimmy's spiritual death is not as dramatic as it was in the movie and no one becomes possessed, however, this is in keeping with the magical realism genre. The middle part of the book focuses more on Sally's daughters as they grow from teenagers to young adults and draws a parallel between them and the generations of Owens women who have come before.

Thankfully the absolutely absurd scene from the movie where the witches jump off their roof with umbrellas is absent from the book. I loved the inclusion of actual spells that are so descriptive of the Aunt's old-world flavor of witchcraft. Although we do get some background information on the Aunts, I think it would be wonderful for Hoffman to write a prequel featuring these wonderful characters.

Practical Magic is a book that I will return to again and again. The author's descriptive prose and attention to detail brings a greater depth to the story. It is rich in imagination, ripe with characterization, and possessed of a wisdom that will not be lost on the attentive reader.

This story is the perfect blend of the real and the magical. Starting with two orphaned girls being raised by their "unconventional" aunts...the book then blossoms into an examination of family relationships, true love, and what hope and belief really mean.

The relationships between the Aunts (Frances and Bridget-known as Jet), the girls (Sally and Gillian), and Sally's children (Antonia and Kylie) develop and change over the 30 year or so timespan of the book in a way that is absolutely something beautiful. The growth of all of these characters, the hard lessons learned, the joy and wonder embraced...make it a treasure even aside from it's magic.

But this book does indeed also have a very magical side. There is magic woven through the Owens family dating back hundreds of years. The Aunts actively practice love magic for the town's women, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Sally and Gillian struggle though out their lives wavering between embracing what they are and rejecting it in the attempt to live a more normal life. By the conclusion, after one particularly hard lesson is learned, they seem to have found that balance...

Note: I would have given this a full 5 stars if not for the element of animal sacrifice involved in the Aunts love magic.

NOTE: Honest Review of a book from my personal library - purchased from another retailer.

I've loved this book for years. Read and re-read it. I've the audio that I often listen to at work.

Very entertaining, very "practical" very beautiful elements. To the author. Thankyou for writing this.

...I enjoyed reading the book, so I guess that's good enough for 2 1/2 stars. I'll round up to be generous.
There were a few things that bothered me about this book. It sort of bothered me that all the women in this book were SO beautiful that men lost control of themselves just by looking at them. The main characters were either overly practical domestics (Sally)or irrational out of control wild women (Gillian). The whole book sort of danced around that sort of feminist kind of sexism that states pretty much the same things about women's roles that traditional sexism does, but tries to get away with it by talking about how important those roles are. This book hints that it is of utmost importance for women to be beautiful, but escapes veiwing them as objects by acting like somehow beauty is the *power* that women have. I can't see this as much more comforting then traditional sexism; if you aren't beautiful enough, then tough noodles for you, you're a failure as a woman. At the same time it sort of glorifies women's role as caretaker and domestics, without really giving them much of another option.
This is probably a bit overstated, the book sort of borders on these ideas without crossing the line enough to clearly take a position.
The men in the book were pretty flat, and mostly just there to give the women something to do (with one exception that I can't talk about without ruining things).
I thought it was odd how Antonia seemed like she was going to be important, and then she just kind of faded away from the plot.
Some people were bothered by the way the point of view would jump from one character to another, but I thought it was a pretty effective literary device.
The plot was kind of wandering and directionless, but the prose was pretty fun to read so that made up for it somewhat, as did the unexpected occurances of magical realism. The ending was a classical example of Deus Ex Machina if I've ever seen one.

This book captured my attention in the beginning because the writing style is really imaginative. However, as I got further into it I started to lose interest. The majority of the characters are very unlikeable and everything seems over the top. Their emotions and reactions to everything are melodramatic and I stopped caring what happened to them. I can't stand Gillian or Kylie and their hysterics. I got tired of everyone pandering to and worshipping these overly fragile, hysterical, thoughtless people and stopped reading halfway through. Very frustrating characters that were just too much. Maybe it gets better but I didn't stick around to find out.

This is a fun, light read with memorable characters and not too much compelling plot. Love, magic, and strong women are central, like many of Hoffman's other books. But this one just didn't have as much depth. I bet, however, the movie is just right.

I had to think about this book for awhile after finishing it to clarify what I thought about it. I'd seen the movie several times and the last time saw that it was based on a book. Since I usually love the book way more than the movie I picked this up. Hollywood really romanticized and simplified much of what was in the book, still while reading the book I enjoyed comparing the two stories and various plot points, enjoying different aspects, like the fact that the girls were given a more substantial role in the book and the fact that Sally left home rather than subject her girls to the same ostracizing that she received as a child. So if you saw the movie and you're interested in seeing the author's original intent for the characters, buy this book. To be honest, I don't think I would have enjoyed this book if not for the opportunity to compare it to the film version and then get some plot and character questions answered.

I was intrigued with the story, but Alice Hoffman does what I thought writers were never supposed to do - write huge information dumps and then proceed to use 10 words when just one or two would suffice. I go so tired of hearing about those damn lilacs and how every single person in this book from main character to unnamed minor character is awash in grief and secret pain. She really lost me after she used the phrase "... drenched in a thousand tears." No joke, she really uses that phrase.

I don't think I'll be picking up any more of her books in the near future. So glad I got this from the library so I don't feel bad about wasting any money.

This is, without a doubt, one of my most favorite books in my collection, and some day I hope to have it in hardcover.
If you've seen the movie, forget it, go grab yourself a copy of this book, and sit down and read one of the most stirring and wonderful tales you are going to read in a contemporary setting.
Sally and Gillian Owens have a gift, a touch of magic that they wield in their lives with different philosophies. For Gillian, the world is a place to meet, enjoy, and move on. For Sally, the notion of a "regular" life is the prize, to be married, to have children, and to be a regular woman. Neither of them get what they're expecting, and the result is, well, magic.
The evocative prose of this book left me breathless: Hoffman has a way to work with present and past tense narrative that will work wonders on most readers. Her past tense writing gives you a sense of a fairy tale unfolding, and her present tense writing sucks you in with its sharp immediacy. Most of all, her generational writing, dealing with the Aunts, to the Sisters, to the daughters of Sally, is a wonderful perspective and a truly moving piece of narrative.
The blend of folklore with life, and the sharp clarity of Hoffman's eye toward the emotional made this one of my favorites, and I have given copies of this book to many people in my time. I recently mailed a copy to the Netherlands, for a friend there who couldn't find the book.
This book will move you, and make you believe.

If I ever expect it to be as hocus-pocus as the one in movie, I was TOTALLY wrong! Well, sure, the aunts are able to make love potion but Sally and Gillian... They know something about magic but they don't do it like jumping from the roof ala Wicked Witch of The West.

At the core, it is from, for and about women. It's about 3 generations of Owens women who are all very beautiful and have big grey eyes just like their first known ancestor, Maria Owens. I said known because there's no story about how and where Maria came from. She just came with her baby daughter, built a house and became a legend, superstitious legend that is.

This is my first book by Hoffman and I enjoyed it very much. It's so brilliant of how she wrapped deep emotional issues with fairytale-like plot. And the weird coincidences are the practical magic that sometimes does happen in real life.

Don't expect this book to be anything like the movie. The movie took the characters' names, some of their personality traits, and a couple of plot lines and mixed them up into an unrecognizable parody of this amazing book. That's not to say the movie was all bad. I might have liked it more if I hadn't read this book first and loved it so much.
Practical Magic tells the story of the Owens' women whose bad luck with men is notorious. It would be difficult to give a short summary of the plot since it is interjected with little anecdotes from the lives of ancestors, the girls who grow up(Sally and Gillian) under their aunts' (more or less) care, and Sally's daughters.
As usual, Hoffman paints the tale with beautiful descriptions and a wonderful narrative. One of my favorite parts is the the description of the lilacs and the effect they have on other people in the town.
I highly recommend this book. Not all of Hoffman's books are as good, but this is one of her best. See my review of "Turtle Moon" as well.

I love Alice Hoffman. So does the rest of the literature world, it would seem. Her books capture me, make me emotional and I can't (usually) put them down. Practical Magic was no exception. But i've realized I can only take Alice in small doses before I start rolling my eyes. She lays on the 'beautiful descriptions' a bit, and lately, i've been picking "Local Girls" up and snorting at the ridiculousness of it all. I couldn't finish it.
I *know* Alice has broken the 'literature fiction/women's genre with her mystical writing, but I think she could still manage to write in that way without making some of the characters and relationships so darn unrealistic.
I find offense that a man would just cry at the sight of a beautiful woman and ask her to marry him, without knowing if she was a total lunatic--men aren't *that* dumb. So, ugly simpletonoes with wonderful personalities aren't exotic enough to write about?
Alice's view of beauty is narrow-minded: what about beauty on the inside? Her heroines seem to grace an incredible beauty, but no brains and they're usually not very likeable or funny, (except for Gretel in Local Girls) yet men still fall at their feet. And all the sobbing they do when they 'glance at a violet bush' and the 'moon is so silvery it...' etc etc. I love most of her writing, but I do wish she wouldn't make it so ludicrously unrealistic. It feels like i'm reading a Mills and Boon sometimes with all the fawning over pretty girls.

For centuries the Owens women have been the oddballs. They're the ones people cross the street to avoid...the Owens women are witches. Raised by their two aunts, Sally and Gillian Owens grow up to be polar opposites. Sally is always practical and straight-laced; most concerned with keeping the lives of her two daughters as normal as possible. Gillian, on the other hand, is a free spirit...perhaps a little too free at times.
This story follows Sally and Gillian through their trials and tribulations with life, love, and death, and Hoffman's wonderful storytelling makes it, simply, magical! Wonderful twists and turns lurk around every corner of this funny, touching, and at times, dark story...brimming over with themes of compassion, redemption, and inner strength. Playing on every human emotion, Hoffman has struck absolute gold.
If you've ever seen the movie,forget it, and pick up this wonderful book!

If you are looking for a fantasy that will keep you engrossed, you will find it here. Practical Magic is a fairy tale for adults. Like all of Ms. Hoffman's books, it is a sheer reading delight.

The characters in the book are endearing. The elderly aunts in the story are like eccentric good witches of the north. The story is absolutely engaging. This is as good a book as any of Ms. Hoffman's with which to begin.

Ms. Hoffman has a gift for exploring human relationships in such a way that is uplifting to the soul. From that standpoint, this book is a deeply spiritual one. As the author of a series of books with a spiritual theme, I especially appreciated that. You will love this book if you have a sentimental bone in your body.

Davis Aujourd'hui, author of "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"

I enjoyed Rules of Magic which I learned was the prequel to Practical Magic so ran right out and bought a copy. Other than being about the Owens family witches, the two books weren’t linked by much and this one was frankly plodding and disappointing.

ok it is late in the night as i'm writing this. forgive me if i don't use the correct mechanics of grammer and other such nonsense that should only be forced when writing a term paper or when you are a NOVICE writer trying to start out. first let me say that the book is worth five stars for the way it captures you from the first page i have read many books in my life shakespeare being the top man in the the field of literature and i can safely say that practical magic has the stuff to make it a classic despite the bad tie in movie. one other thing to you grammer buffs out there when a writer is first starting out yes it is necessary for the writer to use the proper mechanics of english but when you have built up a reputation as worthy of MS HOFFMAN you can you as much vulgarity and bad grammar and what have you as you want get over it it was a good if not excellent book and i wish that someday i will be able to capture the magic in her prose. don't mess with alice

This is my first Alice Hoffman book, and I was pleasantly surprised. This book is a fairy tale that explores the magical occurrences in the lives of sisters (2 main pairs). It reminds of the magic realism style of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and other Latin American writers.
Ms. Hoffman weaves a beautiful, interesting world where good and bad things happen. Add a layer of magic and you end up with a fun book to read.
Some people may find the book to be slow and plotless. It certainly is not the fastest book ever, but its slowness adds a silkiness that envelops you as you read and enter this world.
As to it being plotless, I disagree. It's not your average genre plot. It's a character study showing you how the main characters react to new obstacles and themselves.
All in all, I highly recommend it.
If you liked this book, I also recommend Laura Esquivel's "Like Water For Chocolate."
Enjoy

Alice Hoffman has a unique way of turning life inside out by revealing mystical glimmers of unspoken truth in everything she writes. "Practical Magic" overflows with Hoffman's quirky, offbeat wisdom.
Don't expect "Practical Magic" to be much like the movie. You'll find that the screenwriters for the film version of this tale took some amazing liberties with the characters and the plot. Even so, you'll want to read the book. Some things just don't translate to the screen, and you won't want to miss them in print.
Hoffman creates a bevy of strong, wonderfully flawed women in "Practical Magic." I would be tempted to say there's a little too much narrative and not enough action in this novel, particularly in the beginning, but Hoffman writes narrative so beautifully it's hard to complain.

If you've only seen the movie then you need to read the book. You're missing so much and that is such a shame. The movie is only a wildly adapted slice of what the book contains. Gillian is even more flawed than Nicole Kidman could have handled and Sally is as rigid as rebar. These are older, wiser, more complex characters than the film portrays. Although the aunts, delightfully fleshed out by Stockard Channing and Diane Weist, are only background characters here, Sally's daughers are given front and center attention as girls becoming women. It is, I think, an even trade. Hoffman tells the story of the Owens' sisters simply and beautifully. The tone is almost matter-of-fact, not unlike wisdom shared, sage advice given by the older and the wiser.

I admit that I saw the movie before I read the book and to be honest was a little disappointed in the book. I felt that it just lacked the drama to keep the reader interested. I kind of felt that the Aunts were just a side part of the book and they should not have been. I also felt that it wasn't clearly portrayed that both Sally and Gillian were "witches" and why Sally was so determined to not bring her girls up that way. I also felt the appearance of Gary didn't make any sense since he was only in the last three chapters and his character was never developed beyond a side character to whom Sally falls in love with. We don't know why she falls in love she just does. To her credit Ms. Hoffman is a remarkable writer and I would purchase books by her again.

I've loved this book for years. Read and re-read it. I've the audio that I often listen to at work.

Very entertaining, very "practical" very beautiful elements. To the author. Thankyou for writing this.

...I enjoyed reading the book, so I guess that's good enough for 2 1/2 stars. I'll round up to be generous.
There were a few things that bothered me about this book. It sort of bothered me that all the women in this book were SO beautiful that men lost control of themselves just by looking at them. The main characters were either overly practical domestics (Sally)or irrational out of control wild women (Gillian). The whole book sort of danced around that sort of feminist kind of sexism that states pretty much the same things about women's roles that traditional sexism does, but tries to get away with it by talking about how important those roles are. This book hints that it is of utmost importance for women to be beautiful, but escapes veiwing them as objects by acting like somehow beauty is the *power* that women have. I can't see this as much more comforting then traditional sexism; if you aren't beautiful enough, then tough noodles for you, you're a failure as a woman. At the same time it sort of glorifies women's role as caretaker and domestics, without really giving them much of another option.
This is probably a bit overstated, the book sort of borders on these ideas without crossing the line enough to clearly take a position.
The men in the book were pretty flat, and mostly just there to give the women something to do (with one exception that I can't talk about without ruining things).
I thought it was odd how Antonia seemed like she was going to be important, and then she just kind of faded away from the plot.
Some people were bothered by the way the point of view would jump from one character to another, but I thought it was a pretty effective literary device.
The plot was kind of wandering and directionless, but the prose was pretty fun to read so that made up for it somewhat, as did the unexpected occurances of magical realism. The ending was a classical example of Deus Ex Machina if I've ever seen one.

This book captured my attention in the beginning because the writing style is really imaginative. However, as I got further into it I started to lose interest. The majority of the characters are very unlikeable and everything seems over the top. Their emotions and reactions to everything are melodramatic and I stopped caring what happened to them. I can't stand Gillian or Kylie and their hysterics. I got tired of everyone pandering to and worshipping these overly fragile, hysterical, thoughtless people and stopped reading halfway through. Very frustrating characters that were just too much. Maybe it gets better but I didn't stick around to find out.

This is a fun, light read with memorable characters and not too much compelling plot. Love, magic, and strong women are central, like many of Hoffman's other books. But this one just didn't have as much depth. I bet, however, the movie is just right.

I had to think about this book for awhile after finishing it to clarify what I thought about it. I'd seen the movie several times and the last time saw that it was based on a book. Since I usually love the book way more than the movie I picked this up. Hollywood really romanticized and simplified much of what was in the book, still while reading the book I enjoyed comparing the two stories and various plot points, enjoying different aspects, like the fact that the girls were given a more substantial role in the book and the fact that Sally left home rather than subject her girls to the same ostracizing that she received as a child. So if you saw the movie and you're interested in seeing the author's original intent for the characters, buy this book. To be honest, I don't think I would have enjoyed this book if not for the opportunity to compare it to the film version and then get some plot and character questions answered.

I was intrigued with the story, but Alice Hoffman does what I thought writers were never supposed to do - write huge information dumps and then proceed to use 10 words when just one or two would suffice. I go so tired of hearing about those damn lilacs and how every single person in this book from main character to unnamed minor character is awash in grief and secret pain. She really lost me after she used the phrase "... drenched in a thousand tears." No joke, she really uses that phrase.

I don't think I'll be picking up any more of her books in the near future. So glad I got this from the library so I don't feel bad about wasting any money.

This is, without a doubt, one of my most favorite books in my collection, and some day I hope to have it in hardcover.
If you've seen the movie, forget it, go grab yourself a copy of this book, and sit down and read one of the most stirring and wonderful tales you are going to read in a contemporary setting.
Sally and Gillian Owens have a gift, a touch of magic that they wield in their lives with different philosophies. For Gillian, the world is a place to meet, enjoy, and move on. For Sally, the notion of a "regular" life is the prize, to be married, to have children, and to be a regular woman. Neither of them get what they're expecting, and the result is, well, magic.
The evocative prose of this book left me breathless: Hoffman has a way to work with present and past tense narrative that will work wonders on most readers. Her past tense writing gives you a sense of a fairy tale unfolding, and her present tense writing sucks you in with its sharp immediacy. Most of all, her generational writing, dealing with the Aunts, to the Sisters, to the daughters of Sally, is a wonderful perspective and a truly moving piece of narrative.
The blend of folklore with life, and the sharp clarity of Hoffman's eye toward the emotional made this one of my favorites, and I have given copies of this book to many people in my time. I recently mailed a copy to the Netherlands, for a friend there who couldn't find the book.
This book will move you, and make you believe.

If I ever expect it to be as hocus-pocus as the one in movie, I was TOTALLY wrong! Well, sure, the aunts are able to make love potion but Sally and Gillian... They know something about magic but they don't do it like jumping from the roof ala Wicked Witch of The West.

At the core, it is from, for and about women. It's about 3 generations of Owens women who are all very beautiful and have big grey eyes just like their first known ancestor, Maria Owens. I said known because there's no story about how and where Maria came from. She just came with her baby daughter, built a house and became a legend, superstitious legend that is.

This is my first book by Hoffman and I enjoyed it very much. It's so brilliant of how she wrapped deep emotional issues with fairytale-like plot. And the weird coincidences are the practical magic that sometimes does happen in real life.

Don't expect this book to be anything like the movie. The movie took the characters' names, some of their personality traits, and a couple of plot lines and mixed them up into an unrecognizable parody of this amazing book. That's not to say the movie was all bad. I might have liked it more if I hadn't read this book first and loved it so much.
Practical Magic tells the story of the Owens' women whose bad luck with men is notorious. It would be difficult to give a short summary of the plot since it is interjected with little anecdotes from the lives of ancestors, the girls who grow up(Sally and Gillian) under their aunts' (more or less) care, and Sally's daughters.
As usual, Hoffman paints the tale with beautiful descriptions and a wonderful narrative. One of my favorite parts is the the description of the lilacs and the effect they have on other people in the town.
I highly recommend this book. Not all of Hoffman's books are as good, but this is one of her best. See my review of "Turtle Moon" as well.

I love Alice Hoffman. So does the rest of the literature world, it would seem. Her books capture me, make me emotional and I can't (usually) put them down. Practical Magic was no exception. But i've realized I can only take Alice in small doses before I start rolling my eyes. She lays on the 'beautiful descriptions' a bit, and lately, i've been picking "Local Girls" up and snorting at the ridiculousness of it all. I couldn't finish it.
I *know* Alice has broken the 'literature fiction/women's genre with her mystical writing, but I think she could still manage to write in that way without making some of the characters and relationships so darn unrealistic.
I find offense that a man would just cry at the sight of a beautiful woman and ask her to marry him, without knowing if she was a total lunatic--men aren't *that* dumb. So, ugly simpletonoes with wonderful personalities aren't exotic enough to write about?
Alice's view of beauty is narrow-minded: what about beauty on the inside? Her heroines seem to grace an incredible beauty, but no brains and they're usually not very likeable or funny, (except for Gretel in Local Girls) yet men still fall at their feet. And all the sobbing they do when they 'glance at a violet bush' and the 'moon is so silvery it...' etc etc. I love most of her writing, but I do wish she wouldn't make it so ludicrously unrealistic. It feels like i'm reading a Mills and Boon sometimes with all the fawning over pretty girls.

For centuries the Owens women have been the oddballs. They're the ones people cross the street to avoid...the Owens women are witches. Raised by their two aunts, Sally and Gillian Owens grow up to be polar opposites. Sally is always practical and straight-laced; most concerned with keeping the lives of her two daughters as normal as possible. Gillian, on the other hand, is a free spirit...perhaps a little too free at times.
This story follows Sally and Gillian through their trials and tribulations with life, love, and death, and Hoffman's wonderful storytelling makes it, simply, magical! Wonderful twists and turns lurk around every corner of this funny, touching, and at times, dark story...brimming over with themes of compassion, redemption, and inner strength. Playing on every human emotion, Hoffman has struck absolute gold.
If you've ever seen the movie,forget it, and pick up this wonderful book!

If you are looking for a fantasy that will keep you engrossed, you will find it here. Practical Magic is a fairy tale for adults. Like all of Ms. Hoffman's books, it is a sheer reading delight.

The characters in the book are endearing. The elderly aunts in the story are like eccentric good witches of the north. The story is absolutely engaging. This is as good a book as any of Ms. Hoffman's with which to begin.

Ms. Hoffman has a gift for exploring human relationships in such a way that is uplifting to the soul. From that standpoint, this book is a deeply spiritual one. As the author of a series of books with a spiritual theme, I especially appreciated that. You will love this book if you have a sentimental bone in your body.

Davis Aujourd'hui, author of "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"

I enjoyed Rules of Magic which I learned was the prequel to Practical Magic so ran right out and bought a copy. Other than being about the Owens family witches, the two books weren’t linked by much and this one was frankly plodding and disappointing.

ok it is late in the night as i'm writing this. forgive me if i don't use the correct mechanics of grammer and other such nonsense that should only be forced when writing a term paper or when you are a NOVICE writer trying to start out. first let me say that the book is worth five stars for the way it captures you from the first page i have read many books in my life shakespeare being the top man in the the field of literature and i can safely say that practical magic has the stuff to make it a classic despite the bad tie in movie. one other thing to you grammer buffs out there when a writer is first starting out yes it is necessary for the writer to use the proper mechanics of english but when you have built up a reputation as worthy of MS HOFFMAN you can you as much vulgarity and bad grammar and what have you as you want get over it it was a good if not excellent book and i wish that someday i will be able to capture the magic in her prose. don't mess with alice

This is my first Alice Hoffman book, and I was pleasantly surprised. This book is a fairy tale that explores the magical occurrences in the lives of sisters (2 main pairs). It reminds of the magic realism style of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and other Latin American writers.
Ms. Hoffman weaves a beautiful, interesting world where good and bad things happen. Add a layer of magic and you end up with a fun book to read.
Some people may find the book to be slow and plotless. It certainly is not the fastest book ever, but its slowness adds a silkiness that envelops you as you read and enter this world.
As to it being plotless, I disagree. It's not your average genre plot. It's a character study showing you how the main characters react to new obstacles and themselves.
All in all, I highly recommend it.
If you liked this book, I also recommend Laura Esquivel's "Like Water For Chocolate."
Enjoy

Alice Hoffman has a unique way of turning life inside out by revealing mystical glimmers of unspoken truth in everything she writes. "Practical Magic" overflows with Hoffman's quirky, offbeat wisdom.
Don't expect "Practical Magic" to be much like the movie. You'll find that the screenwriters for the film version of this tale took some amazing liberties with the characters and the plot. Even so, you'll want to read the book. Some things just don't translate to the screen, and you won't want to miss them in print.
Hoffman creates a bevy of strong, wonderfully flawed women in "Practical Magic." I would be tempted to say there's a little too much narrative and not enough action in this novel, particularly in the beginning, but Hoffman writes narrative so beautifully it's hard to complain.

If you've only seen the movie then you need to read the book. You're missing so much and that is such a shame. The movie is only a wildly adapted slice of what the book contains. Gillian is even more flawed than Nicole Kidman could have handled and Sally is as rigid as rebar. These are older, wiser, more complex characters than the film portrays. Although the aunts, delightfully fleshed out by Stockard Channing and Diane Weist, are only background characters here, Sally's daughers are given front and center attention as girls becoming women. It is, I think, an even trade. Hoffman tells the story of the Owens' sisters simply and beautifully. The tone is almost matter-of-fact, not unlike wisdom shared, sage advice given by the older and the wiser.

I admit that I saw the movie before I read the book and to be honest was a little disappointed in the book. I felt that it just lacked the drama to keep the reader interested. I kind of felt that the Aunts were just a side part of the book and they should not have been. I also felt that it wasn't clearly portrayed that both Sally and Gillian were "witches" and why Sally was so determined to not bring her girls up that way. I also felt the appearance of Gary didn't make any sense since he was only in the last three chapters and his character was never developed beyond a side character to whom Sally falls in love with. We don't know why she falls in love she just does. To her credit Ms. Hoffman is a remarkable writer and I would purchase books by her again.

One of the few instances where the prequel, The Rules of Magic, was better then the original. It was hard to relate to the characters, who come across as selfish and self absorbed. While most people deserve a happy ending, it was hard to justify this one.

This book was made into the recent movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Rarely have I ever said that the movie was better than the book, but I think I'm going to have to make that statement in this case. The events in the movie and book were markedly different and I just liked the way they played out in the movie a bit better. Plus I felt that the book left out the theme that I felt was most important in the movie - the community of women coming together, united in a common goal, even though they had shunned the Owens women before. This part just isn't in the book at all. The Owenses take care of their problems all by themselves. But the book was good for itself, as long as you don't have the movie to compare it with.

Though the time periods and character viewpoints jump around too much, this novel about a NE family of psuedo- witches is full of lush, evocative description. I enjoyed the many descriptions of food, plants and weather, and agree it is similar to Like Water For Chocolate.
However, I also agree the plot is somewhat weak, the women too obviously beautiful and somewhat lacking in real personality. This I would blame on the disappointing lack of dialogue in Practical Magic. The men are basically flat. Lust seems to be more important than love--the author seems to want to drive the point home that you cannot escape lust/love no matter how hard you try. I didn't really learn anything from this novel, especially not anything to do with Wicca, witchcraft, or New Age philosophy.
Overall it's a pretty good read if you're not too fussy.

I did not like this book. Not one bit. I study the occult and the occult references in the book were hazy at best, but that is acceptable since it is meant for mainstream consumption. What got to me most about this book is that there is almost no dialog, there are periods where there are three pages without dialog, without vaugely meaninful description (like say Moby Dick), but just pure nariation. The book is written from an omni-scentiant point of view, so it is hard to care very much about any one of the characters as a main character. Now perhaps it is acceptable for Clancy to have five main characters, when he writes a 900 page book, but this book being around 250, can't support the lack of focus.

I picked up Practical magic because I wanted to see the movie and figured I may as well read the book for comparison. What ended up happening was within the next twenty four hours i had finished the book, to my dissapointment. What's a girl to do? I read it again. And again. And again. Hoffamn is at her best with this book, her voice light and compelling as she draws you into the story of Sally and Gillian. This book is absolutely one of my favourites, ever. People who say otherwise watch too much TV and play too much golf, and have had their imaginations long since rotted away.

I saw the film when it came out 15 years ago and found it to be pretty trite. So I was surprised to find out that Hoffman had written the novel when the title was suggested to me after I read (and loved) "The Museum of Extraordinary Things". Since I had more faith in Hoffman's ability as a story-teller than Hollywood's ability to produce a quality adaptation, I gave "Practical Magic" a read and found it thoroughly enjoyable! The movie is only loosely based on the book so it's not surprising that the theme, tone, and characters all have more depth.

I saw the movie before I read the book and I absolutely loved the movie. I decided to try the book. It was one of the most fascinating reading experiences I have ever embarked upon. There are only two other authors who bring me that depth of involvement-- Madeleine L'Engle and Lucy Maud Montgomery. But Hoffman has a narrative style that makes me think that this is a story that one should read aloud or hear from someone. She captures you from beginning to end with the weave of narrative. I read each section of the book without stopping within a section. To have stopped in a section would have taken away from the narrative flow.
It is best to look at the book and the movie as two separate stories. They must be told differently because they are different media. The movie medium is sound and pictures, so the narrative cannot be the same as the book, a medium which relies on words. You could not have translated Hoffman's story as it was into a movie. This is why I'm glad that the movie is so much different than the book. Each is a good story on its own and could have only been told the way it was in the medium it was produced in.

I have enjoyed more than one of Alice Hoffman's books, but this may be my favorite.

I was swept up in the story immediately and finished the book in three nights. The story is about family life, and how love can drive people to extremes.

The author's style really shines in this book. Her descriptions of flowers, trees, smell, the weather are utterly poetic. There is a magical quality to Hoffman's writing that I absolutely love.

I highly recommend this book whether or not you have read any of Alice Hoffmans other novels.

I would have to place Practical Magic on my top FIVE list of favorite films (The Goonies, Harry Potter, The Secret Garden & Titanic...are also on that list). I love the setting, the mood and the all around feel I have when I watch this movie-those who have seen it know exactly what I mean! I decided to pick up the book, thinking 'how could I not love it?' but behold...I have never seen such a difference between book and film...EVER. Not to say that I didn't like the book, but it was missing everything I loved about "Practical Magic." In the film it was real magic...in the book it seemed more like silly little love 'spells' that aunts liked to do in their spare time. The magic was gone...the whole air and feeling...gone. The book was okay and in general I am thankful that it was written...because I love the film!

Will say that the movie was better then the book which I never say but the books itself was good even though the characters are very unlikable it was written pretty well even though didn't like the characters was still able to read the book at a good pace.

If you kill your boyfriend, making it permanent, no second chances, is the best plan.

After a bumping off, a woman bails out of a bad scene to go and stay with her sister. Just one or two flaws with this plan. Nothing is going to be simple when you have a zombie ex after you, and that your elderly aunts are all witches.

Being your chick-lit romance, a new bloke of course will enter the picture, as well.

A reasonably entertaining book that is deliberately fluffy, and maybe a little slow in places with the flashbacks.

Three generations of a family form the core of this novel. Sisters, Gillian and Sally, are raised by their aunts Frances and Jet, also sisters. Sally's two daughters, Antonia and Kylie, create the third generation. Magical realism is woven into the storyline which focuses on the issues of fate, trust, love, sibling rivalry, and family ties. I highly recommended Practical Magic for readers of multigenerational tales, magical realism, and stories where love, both romantic and between family members, can conquer all.

Meh. Not what I had expected after watching the movie but I guess that's why they call it an adaptation. It was ok but if your wanting a more bewitching read (pun intended) I would go with something else.

Let me say first off that I went to see the movie first, and loved it. I read the book expecting the movie, and there's the rub. Quite simply, they are two different works of art, with varying flaws and merits to each. Alice Hoffman's writing is amazingly stylized, swinging between being a fairy tale to an urban drama and back again, with a few shakes of witches and hedge magic thrown in just for fun. Some reviewers complain about the lack of plot or characterization, but this is just not true. Sally and Gillian are both painstakingly realized throughout, their different viewpoints meeting and overlapping as their lives are twisted and casually tossed about. What makes the book is seeing these characters grow and change, evolving into powerful, complete women. The men are somewhat undeveloped, but their role was less as co-stars in this drama then as events, or forces of nature. Which comes down to what I got out of the book, and the movie, which was less about people then it was about love, or desire, take your pick, and the incredible knots we tie ourselves into over it, or the pits we dig when we lose it. Slow and dreamy, this is not a book about solid lines and "This Is What Happened In This Chapter." Read it as you would the Brothers Grimm, and the whole thing will make much more sense. Truly.

I found TURTLE MOON and SECOND NATURE at a used book store and have been an Alice Hoffman fan ever since.
PRACTICAL MAGIC is one my favorite Hoffman stories because of the quirky characters and off-beat plot.
The movie, however, did the book no justice, except in the casting of Stockard Channing and Dianne Weist as the 'aunts.' They were dead on. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman just didn't do it for me.
If you want a good read for the beach or a stormy summer night, this book is for you. Hoffman continues to turn out quality work...she's one of the best.
Enjoy!

I finished this book in about 3 days realizing that the only thing that was noteworthy was the fact I had lost 3 days in my life to which I could have been reading something that was worthy of my time rather than wasting my time on this book. I read the book and saw the movie at the same time. If Hoffman had written a book with the same heart as the movie, maybe then I would not be so harsh. Plus, did she even do any kind of research for this book? Being a Wiccian,I am very disappointed.This girl needs to learn a few things about magic and the occult before she writes a book on it!!!!

Being descendants of a family of witches that has been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their neighbourhood for the past two hundred years, it is not surprising that sisters Sally and Gillian call on each other in times of trouble.
When trouble finds Gillian she flees to Sally's only to discover that the trouble has followed and won't stay buried. That's where "family" comes in.
Quirky little fairytale, and oddly enough, I almost enjoyed the movie as much as the book - it made me wish that l'd had a sister!

I really liked the book. It was different than what I expected....
Practical Magic is a tale of two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, brought up by their guardian aunts in a world of magic from which they eventually escape - one by running away, the other by marrying. Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust them together again. Three generations of Owens women are then united in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching all of them that what is called the magical are rare and wonderful endowments.

I love the magical realism of Alice Hoffman's novels, and this book certainly met my expectations! Full of sensual descriptions and quirky characters in small-town New England...I loved it! The middle was a tad slow, but the writing is worth it!

One of the few instances where the prequel, The Rules of Magic, was better then the original. It was hard to relate to the characters, who come across as selfish and self absorbed. While most people deserve a happy ending, it was hard to justify this one.

This book was made into the recent movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Rarely have I ever said that the movie was better than the book, but I think I'm going to have to make that statement in this case. The events in the movie and book were markedly different and I just liked the way they played out in the movie a bit better. Plus I felt that the book left out the theme that I felt was most important in the movie - the community of women coming together, united in a common goal, even though they had shunned the Owens women before. This part just isn't in the book at all. The Owenses take care of their problems all by themselves. But the book was good for itself, as long as you don't have the movie to compare it with.

Though the time periods and character viewpoints jump around too much, this novel about a NE family of psuedo- witches is full of lush, evocative description. I enjoyed the many descriptions of food, plants and weather, and agree it is similar to Like Water For Chocolate.
However, I also agree the plot is somewhat weak, the women too obviously beautiful and somewhat lacking in real personality. This I would blame on the disappointing lack of dialogue in Practical Magic. The men are basically flat. Lust seems to be more important than love--the author seems to want to drive the point home that you cannot escape lust/love no matter how hard you try. I didn't really learn anything from this novel, especially not anything to do with Wicca, witchcraft, or New Age philosophy.
Overall it's a pretty good read if you're not too fussy.

I did not like this book. Not one bit. I study the occult and the occult references in the book were hazy at best, but that is acceptable since it is meant for mainstream consumption. What got to me most about this book is that there is almost no dialog, there are periods where there are three pages without dialog, without vaugely meaninful description (like say Moby Dick), but just pure nariation. The book is written from an omni-scentiant point of view, so it is hard to care very much about any one of the characters as a main character. Now perhaps it is acceptable for Clancy to have five main characters, when he writes a 900 page book, but this book being around 250, can't support the lack of focus.

I picked up Practical magic because I wanted to see the movie and figured I may as well read the book for comparison. What ended up happening was within the next twenty four hours i had finished the book, to my dissapointment. What's a girl to do? I read it again. And again. And again. Hoffamn is at her best with this book, her voice light and compelling as she draws you into the story of Sally and Gillian. This book is absolutely one of my favourites, ever. People who say otherwise watch too much TV and play too much golf, and have had their imaginations long since rotted away.

I saw the film when it came out 15 years ago and found it to be pretty trite. So I was surprised to find out that Hoffman had written the novel when the title was suggested to me after I read (and loved) "The Museum of Extraordinary Things". Since I had more faith in Hoffman's ability as a story-teller than Hollywood's ability to produce a quality adaptation, I gave "Practical Magic" a read and found it thoroughly enjoyable! The movie is only loosely based on the book so it's not surprising that the theme, tone, and characters all have more depth.

I saw the movie before I read the book and I absolutely loved the movie. I decided to try the book. It was one of the most fascinating reading experiences I have ever embarked upon. There are only two other authors who bring me that depth of involvement-- Madeleine L'Engle and Lucy Maud Montgomery. But Hoffman has a narrative style that makes me think that this is a story that one should read aloud or hear from someone. She captures you from beginning to end with the weave of narrative. I read each section of the book without stopping within a section. To have stopped in a section would have taken away from the narrative flow.
It is best to look at the book and the movie as two separate stories. They must be told differently because they are different media. The movie medium is sound and pictures, so the narrative cannot be the same as the book, a medium which relies on words. You could not have translated Hoffman's story as it was into a movie. This is why I'm glad that the movie is so much different than the book. Each is a good story on its own and could have only been told the way it was in the medium it was produced in.

I have enjoyed more than one of Alice Hoffman's books, but this may be my favorite.

I was swept up in the story immediately and finished the book in three nights. The story is about family life, and how love can drive people to extremes.

The author's style really shines in this book. Her descriptions of flowers, trees, smell, the weather are utterly poetic. There is a magical quality to Hoffman's writing that I absolutely love.

I highly recommend this book whether or not you have read any of Alice Hoffmans other novels.

I would have to place Practical Magic on my top FIVE list of favorite films (The Goonies, Harry Potter, The Secret Garden & Titanic...are also on that list). I love the setting, the mood and the all around feel I have when I watch this movie-those who have seen it know exactly what I mean! I decided to pick up the book, thinking 'how could I not love it?' but behold...I have never seen such a difference between book and film...EVER. Not to say that I didn't like the book, but it was missing everything I loved about "Practical Magic." In the film it was real magic...in the book it seemed more like silly little love 'spells' that aunts liked to do in their spare time. The magic was gone...the whole air and feeling...gone. The book was okay and in general I am thankful that it was written...because I love the film!

If you kill your boyfriend, making it permanent, no second chances, is the best plan.

After a bumping off, a woman bails out of a bad scene to go and stay with her sister. Just one or two flaws with this plan. Nothing is going to be simple when you have a zombie ex after you, and that your elderly aunts are all witches.

Being your chick-lit romance, a new bloke of course will enter the picture, as well.

A reasonably entertaining book that is deliberately fluffy, and maybe a little slow in places with the flashbacks.

Three generations of a family form the core of this novel. Sisters, Gillian and Sally, are raised by their aunts Frances and Jet, also sisters. Sally's two daughters, Antonia and Kylie, create the third generation. Magical realism is woven into the storyline which focuses on the issues of fate, trust, love, sibling rivalry, and family ties. I highly recommended Practical Magic for readers of multigenerational tales, magical realism, and stories where love, both romantic and between family members, can conquer all.

Meh. Not what I had expected after watching the movie but I guess that's why they call it an adaptation. It was ok but if your wanting a more bewitching read (pun intended) I would go with something else.

Let me say first off that I went to see the movie first, and loved it. I read the book expecting the movie, and there's the rub. Quite simply, they are two different works of art, with varying flaws and merits to each. Alice Hoffman's writing is amazingly stylized, swinging between being a fairy tale to an urban drama and back again, with a few shakes of witches and hedge magic thrown in just for fun. Some reviewers complain about the lack of plot or characterization, but this is just not true. Sally and Gillian are both painstakingly realized throughout, their different viewpoints meeting and overlapping as their lives are twisted and casually tossed about. What makes the book is seeing these characters grow and change, evolving into powerful, complete women. The men are somewhat undeveloped, but their role was less as co-stars in this drama then as events, or forces of nature. Which comes down to what I got out of the book, and the movie, which was less about people then it was about love, or desire, take your pick, and the incredible knots we tie ourselves into over it, or the pits we dig when we lose it. Slow and dreamy, this is not a book about solid lines and "This Is What Happened In This Chapter." Read it as you would the Brothers Grimm, and the whole thing will make much more sense. Truly.

I found TURTLE MOON and SECOND NATURE at a used book store and have been an Alice Hoffman fan ever since.
PRACTICAL MAGIC is one my favorite Hoffman stories because of the quirky characters and off-beat plot.
The movie, however, did the book no justice, except in the casting of Stockard Channing and Dianne Weist as the 'aunts.' They were dead on. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman just didn't do it for me.
If you want a good read for the beach or a stormy summer night, this book is for you. Hoffman continues to turn out quality work...she's one of the best.
Enjoy!

I love this story. It’s not adventurous but knowing the lives of the Owens family (especially after listening to the prequel) was fulfilling. The movie is good but the books have so much more. Lovely story.

I finished this book in about 3 days realizing that the only thing that was noteworthy was the fact I had lost 3 days in my life to which I could have been reading something that was worthy of my time rather than wasting my time on this book. I read the book and saw the movie at the same time. If Hoffman had written a book with the same heart as the movie, maybe then I would not be so harsh. Plus, did she even do any kind of research for this book? Being a Wiccian,I am very disappointed.This girl needs to learn a few things about magic and the occult before she writes a book on it!!!!

Being descendants of a family of witches that has been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their neighbourhood for the past two hundred years, it is not surprising that sisters Sally and Gillian call on each other in times of trouble.
When trouble finds Gillian she flees to Sally's only to discover that the trouble has followed and won't stay buried. That's where "family" comes in.
Quirky little fairytale, and oddly enough, I almost enjoyed the movie as much as the book - it made me wish that l'd had a sister!

I really liked the book. It was different than what I expected....
Practical Magic is a tale of two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, brought up by their guardian aunts in a world of magic from which they eventually escape - one by running away, the other by marrying. Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust them together again. Three generations of Owens women are then united in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching all of them that what is called the magical are rare and wonderful endowments.

I love the magical realism of Alice Hoffman's novels, and this book certainly met my expectations! Full of sensual descriptions and quirky characters in small-town New England...I loved it! The middle was a tad slow, but the writing is worth it!

I read this book because I loved the movie. I find that I almost always love the book more than the movie, however I can't say so in this case. Of course many things were different which was to be expected. I didn't go into reading the book thinking that it would be the same. I was hoping it would be more magical and was disappointed. I probably should have read the book first. I would read another Alice Hoffman as I did enjoy the writing.

If you enjoyed the movie you may enjoy the book. Of course, the book is different but the essence of the magical family and journey through life and love are still there. Think of the book and the movie as two different translations of the Owen's tale. And I'm not sure which I prefer!

As the book has not yet come out on the market I saw the film. Its humoristic, romantic and magic. Sandra Bullock does a good job as the "I'll-never-fall-in-love-sister" and she makes the movie live. I belive that the book is just as good as the movie, if not better as books offen are and when it comes out on the market I'll be the first to red it. I hope that you see the film or red the book, you'll love it.

And, I liked this better for having seen the movie. The book doesn't have the same humor or sweetness, unfortunately, nor does it treat witches with the same semi-flip fun magical attitude. It does portray a somewhat similar plot, though, and all the depth of the relationship between the sisters. I probably won't read another Hoffman, but I'm glad I read this one.

Everyone says the book is always better. I would argue the book is always better if you don't already love the movie. When I stumbled across the inspiration for one of my favorite movies at a used book sale, how could I say no?

There are big differences between these two stories though and I think my expectations were too high for the book. While I enjoyed the book overall, it never really clicked for me. The writing style is a little strange and is heavy on description. I did like the darker moments in the book, but they never amounted to anything. Most of the time there were too many descriptors for the situation. It made the story drag on and on.

While I wanted to love all of the characters, I didn't like any of them. There was never a time when I really felt connected or invested in the characters because the story switched narrators every few pages. The magic did not impress me either. The magic was too overt to be mysterious and was much less charming than I wanted it to be. I definitely found this book interesting and I read it very quickly. After I started though and the story didn't click with me, I found I was more interested in finding out the differences between this story and the movie.

Quick Thoughts: This was not my favorite example of magical realism. Overall, it just didn't keep my attention and wasn't anything spectacular. I don't know if I'll be picking up anything else by Alice Hoffman anytime soon.

I, too, watched the movie first. Normally once I have watched a movie, I won't read the book on a dare, it is always a disappointment, until now.

There is a real relationship between book and movie but this book can stand alone. The relationships between the characters alone made me not want to put this book down ever. Alice Hoffman does an incredible job with this story , which ends up being less about witchy magic and more about the magic that exists in all of us. I will have to read more of Hoffman because if the rest of her book are this good, I don't want to miss out.

This is my favorite book by Alice Hoffman. Sure, it's a fairy tale, but the characters are so interesting it makes you wish you really knew people like that. I got this book from the library, read it straight through, and went out and bought a copy for myself. I have no idea what the movie version will be like, but the book is just pure magic, there are no other words to describe it!

Practical Magic is an amazing book and way better than the film adaptation. Like many, I discovered the film first and thought it was adorable but the book is on a whole different level. I've recommended this book to many of my friends and I haven't had any negative feedback yet. However, having an interest and/ or acceptance of the world of natural magick may possibly be the key to fully enjoying and even relating to the book. I just wish they would make another movie that follows the book version more closely.

The characters are one dimensional. I don't want to be yet another "broken record" repeating what's already been said but I have to say this: the movie captures the title "practical magic" better than the book does. I never thought I'd see the day when a movie would out-do the book!

The movie captures the essence of magic, whereas the novel tries to give "magical advice," but still comes across as bland. The movie is a lot more whimsically inclined and loyal to the title.

*possible spoilers as I compare it to the movie*

The book is a lot more vulgar and crass. Simplistic in its narration and lacking in the depth of the characters and plot.

Jimmy is never even alive in the book (save for his ghost, of course) he was a woman-beater and never really in love with Gillian. Just as insecure and simplistic as she was but just more aggressive about it.

Gillian was a blonde (not a redhead) and ditzy to boot! Her self esteem and confidence were non-existent. The movie showed her in a more dignified manner -- and that's pretty bad.

Sally was supposed to be the rational and structured one (according to the book AND movie), and she was for the first few chapters, then she deteriorates to an insecure mother who behaves like childishly at times.

Antonia is a complete simpleton brat throughout the majority of the book.

There's a scene with Kylie almost getting raped.

The men are all the same. With only one thing in their mind. Unlike the movie which gives them some form of character.

The aunts actually age... etc

I could go on, but my point is... the book is a lot less like magic and more like real life drama with simplistic narration to it.

The Magic in this book lies in the exquisite ability Alice Hoffman has of seeing the mystical aspect of everyday living and loving. Her characters are richly developed, explored, and endearing. From beginning to end I was enchanted--I'm a sucker for vivid detail and flawless imagery. Please read it before seeing the movie (though the film will disappoint, I think)

A weird situation, where the movie was so good it overwhelmed the book. Unfortunately I read the book afterwards, and kept resenting the diversion from the script. However the book is great, and evokes the Owens family in a more realistic and twisting way, rather than the script which focused on only one aspect, ie Jimmy. This stays in my library. Love Hoffman

This book was enjoyable but if you are a fan of the movie then you might want to wait for a while to read this when the movie isn't so fresh in your mind. They expand a lot more on the daughters of Sally which I really loved but it isn't a quick read book & can get laborous. Still good, glad I finished it.

a lot different than movie- the movie is what prompted me to read her novels and when I read this book, I went HUH? how they got that great movie from this book, I'll never know, Interesting read anyway

Never before have I read a book been so beautiful as to bring tears to my eyes for no particular reason. All it takes it the turn of a perfect, poetic phrase and I'm gone, sniffling into an abyss of warm summers replete with Lemon Verbana and heat lightening. I can not recomend this story, a tender fairy tale constructed of true love and old fashioned folklore, enough.

The story is not like the movie at all aside from character names. It was a very good read. Read it without the expectation that it will follow any of the plot line in the movie and you will be very pleased. Time well spent.

I read the book before I saw the movie. I loved it. I found it an easy, relaxing read. It was scary without being a horror story. What I found unique about this book is that it is a modern day fantasy story that almost seemed as if it could happen. It was out there, but not in the same way as the TV show, Charmed. I did not predict the ending. I liked it and I will read it again.

Entertaining, thoughtful, insightful. A fairytale about love and loss. Magical, inspiring, and practical. I connected with the characters. Saw myself in Sally. Related to the story about sisters. Will read more books by this author. ..

Alice Hoffman has a way with words that is truly unique. I've read all of her books and each one is better than the last. I went out and planted lilac bushes after reading this one. Fabulous! Don't believe any negative reviews of her writing. Her words are enchanted and she seductively draws you into her world and her stories.

I read this book because I loved the movie. I find that I almost always love the book more than the movie, however I can't say so in this case. Of course many things were different which was to be expected. I didn't go into reading the book thinking that it would be the same. I was hoping it would be more magical and was disappointed. I probably should have read the book first. I would read another Alice Hoffman as I did enjoy the writing.

If you enjoyed the movie you may enjoy the book. Of course, the book is different but the essence of the magical family and journey through life and love are still there. Think of the book and the movie as two different translations of the Owen's tale. And I'm not sure which I prefer!

As the book has not yet come out on the market I saw the film. Its humoristic, romantic and magic. Sandra Bullock does a good job as the "I'll-never-fall-in-love-sister" and she makes the movie live. I belive that the book is just as good as the movie, if not better as books offen are and when it comes out on the market I'll be the first to red it. I hope that you see the film or red the book, you'll love it.

And, I liked this better for having seen the movie. The book doesn't have the same humor or sweetness, unfortunately, nor does it treat witches with the same semi-flip fun magical attitude. It does portray a somewhat similar plot, though, and all the depth of the relationship between the sisters. I probably won't read another Hoffman, but I'm glad I read this one.

Everyone says the book is always better. I would argue the book is always better if you don't already love the movie. When I stumbled across the inspiration for one of my favorite movies at a used book sale, how could I say no?

There are big differences between these two stories though and I think my expectations were too high for the book. While I enjoyed the book overall, it never really clicked for me. The writing style is a little strange and is heavy on description. I did like the darker moments in the book, but they never amounted to anything. Most of the time there were too many descriptors for the situation. It made the story drag on and on.

While I wanted to love all of the characters, I didn't like any of them. There was never a time when I really felt connected or invested in the characters because the story switched narrators every few pages. The magic did not impress me either. The magic was too overt to be mysterious and was much less charming than I wanted it to be. I definitely found this book interesting and I read it very quickly. After I started though and the story didn't click with me, I found I was more interested in finding out the differences between this story and the movie.

Quick Thoughts: This was not my favorite example of magical realism. Overall, it just didn't keep my attention and wasn't anything spectacular. I don't know if I'll be picking up anything else by Alice Hoffman anytime soon.

I, too, watched the movie first. Normally once I have watched a movie, I won't read the book on a dare, it is always a disappointment, until now.

There is a real relationship between book and movie but this book can stand alone. The relationships between the characters alone made me not want to put this book down ever. Alice Hoffman does an incredible job with this story , which ends up being less about witchy magic and more about the magic that exists in all of us. I will have to read more of Hoffman because if the rest of her book are this good, I don't want to miss out.

This is my favorite book by Alice Hoffman. Sure, it's a fairy tale, but the characters are so interesting it makes you wish you really knew people like that. I got this book from the library, read it straight through, and went out and bought a copy for myself. I have no idea what the movie version will be like, but the book is just pure magic, there are no other words to describe it!

I am an 8th grader, and I read this book after hearing about the film Practical Magic. Everyone probably thinks this story is mostly about witchcraft, but it doesnt really emphasize on it considering Hoffmann doesnt know that much about it. But overall, it is a fairly good story, about the bonds betweenm these very different sisters and their lives. But the characters were rather undeveloped, and you hardly find any information about who the hell these people are. And the characters personalities were rather bland, because first, there was Gillian, wild, sexy, Sally, plain, Antonia, beautiful, and Kylie, awkward. Women are no simple creatures, and are made of all different elements. If Hoffmann really does understand the feelings of her female readers (which i believe are all of the readers) this should show in her writing. A great story, but these are not very realistic characters. Women want someone they can relate to. If the author followed this form, I believe the book would've had much more praise than it recently has.

Practical Magic is an amazing book and way better than the film adaptation. Like many, I discovered the film first and thought it was adorable but the book is on a whole different level. I've recommended this book to many of my friends and I haven't had any negative feedback yet. However, having an interest and/ or acceptance of the world of natural magick may possibly be the key to fully enjoying and even relating to the book. I just wish they would make another movie that follows the book version more closely.

The characters are one dimensional. I don't want to be yet another "broken record" repeating what's already been said but I have to say this: the movie captures the title "practical magic" better than the book does. I never thought I'd see the day when a movie would out-do the book!

The movie captures the essence of magic, whereas the novel tries to give "magical advice," but still comes across as bland. The movie is a lot more whimsically inclined and loyal to the title.

*possible spoilers as I compare it to the movie*

The book is a lot more vulgar and crass. Simplistic in its narration and lacking in the depth of the characters and plot.

Jimmy is never even alive in the book (save for his ghost, of course) he was a woman-beater and never really in love with Gillian. Just as insecure and simplistic as she was but just more aggressive about it.

Gillian was a blonde (not a redhead) and ditzy to boot! Her self esteem and confidence were non-existent. The movie showed her in a more dignified manner -- and that's pretty bad.

Sally was supposed to be the rational and structured one (according to the book AND movie), and she was for the first few chapters, then she deteriorates to an insecure mother who behaves like childishly at times.

Antonia is a complete simpleton brat throughout the majority of the book.

There's a scene with Kylie almost getting raped.

The men are all the same. With only one thing in their mind. Unlike the movie which gives them some form of character.

The aunts actually age... etc

I could go on, but my point is... the book is a lot less like magic and more like real life drama with simplistic narration to it.

The Magic in this book lies in the exquisite ability Alice Hoffman has of seeing the mystical aspect of everyday living and loving. Her characters are richly developed, explored, and endearing. From beginning to end I was enchanted--I'm a sucker for vivid detail and flawless imagery. Please read it before seeing the movie (though the film will disappoint, I think)

A weird situation, where the movie was so good it overwhelmed the book. Unfortunately I read the book afterwards, and kept resenting the diversion from the script. However the book is great, and evokes the Owens family in a more realistic and twisting way, rather than the script which focused on only one aspect, ie Jimmy. This stays in my library. Love Hoffman

Alice Hoffman uses a splendid narrative style to reveal how extraordinary life is. Her talent has captured me from the beginning till the end. This novel starts with telling us the Owens women had been blamed for everything that had gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally were two of them, one was beautiful and lazy whereas another one was very responsible. Their aunts encouraged them to practise witchery but what Gillian and Sally only wanted was to escape. Though they were seperated, but finally they're back together. Practical Magic not only describes withcery, but also the "magical" relationship between the Owen sisters.
The novel is charming, funny and written in great rhythm. Once you start reading Practical Magic, it's hard to put it down because of the great narrative flow. The novel is as enchanting as the movie. Practical Magic is one of her best novels and you can't miss it.

This book was enjoyable but if you are a fan of the movie then you might want to wait for a while to read this when the movie isn't so fresh in your mind. They expand a lot more on the daughters of Sally which I really loved but it isn't a quick read book & can get laborous. Still good, glad I finished it.

a lot different than movie- the movie is what prompted me to read her novels and when I read this book, I went HUH? how they got that great movie from this book, I'll never know, Interesting read anyway

Never before have I read a book been so beautiful as to bring tears to my eyes for no particular reason. All it takes it the turn of a perfect, poetic phrase and I'm gone, sniffling into an abyss of warm summers replete with Lemon Verbana and heat lightening. I can not recomend this story, a tender fairy tale constructed of true love and old fashioned folklore, enough.

The story is not like the movie at all aside from character names. It was a very good read. Read it without the expectation that it will follow any of the plot line in the movie and you will be very pleased. Time well spent.

I read the book before I saw the movie. I loved it. I found it an easy, relaxing read. It was scary without being a horror story. What I found unique about this book is that it is a modern day fantasy story that almost seemed as if it could happen. It was out there, but not in the same way as the TV show, Charmed. I did not predict the ending. I liked it and I will read it again.

I suppose I'll make this quick: this book is really nothing like the movie. Or I guess I should say the movies is not much like the book. They share similar characters and a few key events but for the most part, very different. So if you are a fan of the movie, like myself, you may not enjoy the book. It took me a while to get into it, but once I put away my preconceived notions brought about by the movie, I found that I really, really liked it! In short, give it a chance. It's not the movie, but it's just as good if not better.

Very little actual magic, practical or otherwise is included in this overly sentimental and boring story about sisters who grow up under the stigma of being witches. There's crying aplenty as EVERY single character breaks into tears at the drop of a hat. You read and read waiting for something to HAPPEN, but nothing interesting ever does. This is one case in which the movie was much better than the book.

Just finished reading PRACTICAL MAGIC and had that rare experience of being sorry to see the book end. It left me wanting to learn more about those intense, lovely, witchy Owens women (and girls). I recently "discovered" Alice Hoffman and have read three of her earlier books, including PRACTICAL MAGIC. Hoffman has the gift! Her artistry is breath-taking. Thank God she is a prolific writer. I have many more titles of hers to enjoy. Can't wait to get to them.

I read Alice Hoffman's "Turtle Moon" and thoroughly enjoyed it. A good, sturdy plot. Real characters, for whom one could care. Description of Florida's atmospherics that were right on.So imagine my chagrin when I waded through THIS piece of fluff. This book stinks. Someone has to refute the lava flow of gush here. This is for former girl scouts, waxing nostalgic about telling sanatized horror stories around sanatized camp fires, pounding smores.Stephen King Lite. C'mon, move on up from those bodice-ripping novels, we've got REAL women here!Characters? Sally is SO beautiful. Gillian is SO beautiful. Kylie is SO beautiful. Antonia is SO beautiful. SO what? Why would anyone care about these losers? None has any redeeming qualities (granted Sally DOES keep a neat house), and, by the way, one IS a murderess.The occultism (upon which, supposedly, the "charm" of this book hangs) is a turgid mishmash of new age touchy feely, dimestore Halloween spooky, and drag queen camp. Mysterious toads, menacing swans and black cats abound. Boo! Scarey.I suppose the author's use of color would be spellbinding (no pun intended) to gradeschoolers. Lessee, green is for envy, red for blood and other yucky stuff, black for things that go bump in the night ... well, you get the picture. Dick, Jane and Spot would get the picture."By the very next morning that edge of jealously Antonia has been dragging around with her will be gone, leaving only the faintest green outline on her pillow, in the place where she rests her head." If it had been a MAUVE outline, we'd be lost!The clunkers found on every page: don't publishers have editors any more? Or did they all graduate from Bugtussle U's School of Creative Scribbling?"Love is worth the sum of itself, and nothing more." Huh?"He's as transparent as a sheet of glass." ASTOUNDING imagery!"Summer in Tuscon is seriously hot ..." Duh, do ya think so?"The air is as dense as a chocolate cake, the good kind, made without flour." That dense, ey?"The weight of never seeing George descends like a cloak made of ashes." How come not "black, spooky ashes"?The gratutious use of the f-word is grating, the sex scenes are base and mechanical.the store, we clamor for the "zero stars" option. This baby deserves one.

I have seen the movie and love it. I also have the soundtrack to the movie and love that. I got about half way thru the book and just stopped. I did not like the authors writing style, from a third person point of view. I could not get inside the characters because the book was not told from one of their view- points. Also, it did not flow smoothly for me. The story jumped around and did not unfold evenly. I was very disappointed. This is one case where the movie was much better than the book.

I am an 8th grader, and I read this book after hearing about the film Practical Magic. Everyone probably thinks this story is mostly about witchcraft, but it doesnt really emphasize on it considering Hoffmann doesnt know that much about it. But overall, it is a fairly good story, about the bonds betweenm these very different sisters and their lives. But the characters were rather undeveloped, and you hardly find any information about who the hell these people are. And the characters personalities were rather bland, because first, there was Gillian, wild, sexy, Sally, plain, Antonia, beautiful, and Kylie, awkward. Women are no simple creatures, and are made of all different elements. If Hoffmann really does understand the feelings of her female readers (which i believe are all of the readers) this should show in her writing. A great story, but these are not very realistic characters. Women want someone they can relate to. If the author followed this form, I believe the book would've had much more praise than it recently has.

I'm reading Alice Hoffman's "Practical Magic" for the third time. I love this book! Of course, I love all of Alice Hoffman's books. I'm not going into the details of the story as others have done that before me. I just want it to be known that this is an incredible book, definitely a keeper, and one I highly recommend.

This book truly touched me; it stirs thoughts of past, present and future and gives a new appreciation for the depth and beauty, the sadness and poignancy of them all. I would recommend this book to anyone I knew who enjoyed thoroughly touching, viscerally romantic stories about /people./

I will confess I picked up the book because I liked the movie. While I found that they were very different, I think that its those differences that make both the movie and the book so good.
I found this slightly slow to start with but by about page 75 I was having trouble putting it down and finally finished it a 1am in the morning.
I am now looking forward to reading another of her novels and hope that I find the same depth of feeling in those.

I read one of Hoffman's other books, Illumination Night, and liked it well enough, though it seemed at time as if she were trying to imitate Anne Tyler with soem magical realism thrown in. Practical Magic started with some potential, but after about a third of the way into the book I had to stop reading. Her characers, and the way she staged their interactions, did not ring true and come to life. Rather, the book seemed mired in the emotional and imaginative level of a second-rate TV movie. All of which was especially disappointing, since Hoffman's original setup had some real potential- she just never realized it by pulling out all the stops and letting her tale set its own internal logic. Instead, she settled for cheap melodrama.

Practical Magic is my first Alice Hoffman book. It's a fairly quick read, with just the right dynamic of magic and reality. Hoffman's writing is at times sensual and moody; others it is light and subtle. It's a stirring contrast. Hoffman has a real knack for romance, too. The way she describes the various loves of the Owens girls is raw, dramatic, yet not completely unrealistic.

Awesome book. I read it in two sittings.

I loved this book. I loved the movie as well, but it doesn't compare to the book's detail. All of the magic in the book really filled me with the feelings of my childhood again. I'm so sick of reading books that are all the same. This book is definitly out of the ordinary. It held my interest from the first page until the last. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to feel enchanted. I loved it. It's the best book I've read in a long time!