REVIEW: Practical Magic (Alice Hoffman)

Book: Practical Magic

Author: Alice Hoffman

Premise: Gillian and Sally Owens are marked as different, growing up in a town where whispers of magic cling to their family name. Years later, when tragedy draws them back together, the sisters must confront not only the past they tried to leave behind, but the enduring connection between them.

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting and I think that made it fall flat for me. The story is all about the relationships between sisters and also a coming of age. There are hints of magic, but more as magical realism than about witches. Personally, I found this book slow going. I struggled with the fact there are very few chapters and breaks, but the story meanders between characters. There's a big focus on men being dazzled by the Owens women's beauty and falling in love with them because of it. And then the language used when talking about sex felt really jarring with the rest of the writing style.

After reading the book, I tried the film and I definitely preferred it. There was more magic and a bit more going on.