Meet New Books
Meet New Books
Book Cover

Practical Magic

Book 1 in the series:Practical Magic

Save:
Find on Amazon

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman is a story that follows the lives of two sisters, Sally and Gillian Owens, who come from a long line of witches. The book explores themes of acceptance of witchery in modern society and the complexities of family dynamics. The plot weaves magical realism into a modern-day setting, showcasing the struggles and strengths of the Owens family through generations. Hoffman's writing style is described as sensuous and moody, with a touch of romance and raw drama in her characterizations.

Characters:

The characters, particularly the sisters and their aunts, are well-developed, each embodying different aspects of love, family, and personal challenges.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by lyrical prose that evokes a sense of magic while exploring deep emotional themes.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around the complex lives of two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, who deal with family, love, and their magical legacy amidst societal judgment.

Setting:

The setting is a key element, providing a backdrop that blends the mundane with the magical, reflective of the characters' experiences.

Pacing:

The pacing is deliberate, emphasizing character development over plot advancement, which may feel slow to some readers.
FOR more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in town. If a damp spring arrived, if cows in the pasture gave milk that was runny with blood, if a...

Notes:

The book is about two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, who are raised by their eccentric aunts after being orphaned.
The Owens sisters are thought to be witches due to their family's history and the magic practiced by their aunts.
In the book, the sisters are bullied and ostracized by their peers because of their family's witch reputation.
Unlike the movie, the book provides deeper insights into the sisters' personalities and struggles
Sally is the more responsible sister, while Gillian is portrayed as a free spirit and dreamer.
The themes of sisterhood and family bonds are central to the narrative, showcasing both rivalry and support.
Alice Hoffman’s writing style is characterized as lyrical and poetic, creating an enchanting atmosphere.
The book includes elements of magical realism, intertwining supernatural aspects with the characters' everyday lives.
Love, both joyful and heartbreaking, is a recurring theme, affecting all the Owens women across generations.
The book emphasizes the importance of familial connections and the complexity of mother-daughter relationships.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content includes themes of loss, abusive relationships, and ghostly hauntings, which may be triggering for some readers.

Has Romance?

There is a significant presence of romance, but it is not the sole focus of the narrative.

From The Publisher:

Alice Hoffman's enchanting witch's brew of suspense, romance and magic - now a major motion picture from Warner Bros.

When the beautiful and precocious sisters Sally and Gillian Owens are orphaned at a young age, they are taken to a small Massachusetts town to be raised by their eccentric aunts, who happen to dwell in the darkest, eeriest house in town. As they become more aware of their aunts' mysterious and sometimes frightening powers - and as their own powers begin to surface - the sisters grow determined to escape their strange upbringing by blending into "normal" society.

But both find that they cannot elude their magic-filled past. And when trouble strikes - in the form of a menacing backyard ghost - the sisters must not only reunite three generations of Owens women but embrace their magic as a gift - and their key to a future of love and passion.

Funny, haunting, and shamelessly romantic, Practical Magic is bewitching entertainment - Alice Hoffman at her spectacular best.

Ratings (82)

Incredible (15)
Loved It (38)
Liked It (17)
It Was OK (7)
Did Not Like (4)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (212):

Read It (88)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (103)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (19)

1 comment(s)

It Was OK
1 month

It did have a cozy feel to it, like being curled up in a blanket with a warm cup of tea in a rainy day kind of feel. But the story didn't stick with me and I will most likely forget about it soon. It was a good read nevertheless

 

About the Author:

Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including Magic Lessons, The World That We Knew, Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic, the Oprah's Book Club selection Here on Earth, The Red Garden, The Dovekeepers, The Museum of Extraordinary Things, The Marriage of Opposites, and Faithful. She lives near Boston.

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.