Practical Magic
- Downloads：5332
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-01-21 04:41:15
- Update Date：2025-09-24
- Status：finish
- Author：Alice Hoffman
- ISBN：1398515515
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
The Owens sisters confront the challenges of life and love in this bewitching novel from New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman。
For more than two hundred years， the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town。 Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children， the sisters were forever outsiders， taunted， talked about， pointed at。 Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery， with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats。 But all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape。
One will do so by marrying， the other by running away。 But the bonds they share will bring them back—almost as if by magic。。。
For more than two hundred years， the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town。 Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children， the sisters were forever outsiders， taunted， talked about， pointed at。 Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery， with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats。 But all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape。
One will do so by marrying， the other by running away。 But the bonds they share will bring them back—almost as if by magic。。。
Reviews
Julie-Anne Dorval
，
As much as looooved Magic Lesson， Practical Magic was less of a hit for me。But I must add here that I still thoroughly enjoyed the way Hoffman writes and how the story unfolds。3。2/5 for me。
Catherine
，
Eh。 It was alright。
Nancie
，
Great story line with with interesting， well developed characters。
Sarah Rock
，
Thankfully I haven't watched the movie。 Not sure a movie would do this justice。 Books have more magic！ Thankfully I haven't watched the movie。 Not sure a movie would do this justice。 Books have more magic！ 。。。more
Kirsten
，
Whimsical book - very enjoyable。 Liked the magical realism of it。 It was very cozy。
Hannah Lightfoot
，
I have to be honest， I prefer the film。 I don’t if it’s because it was a big part of my childhood or because I love the cast but the film is 4 star while this book doesn’t quite reach past 3。5 stars。
Samantha
，
Sweet and easy reading。 Lovely to get into。 The flow is so soothing。 It reads less like a book and more like watching a movie or a dream
Michele
，
I really wish that I had read the book before I have seen the movie。 Of course， the movie was out when I was younger and I did not even know that it was based off of a book until recently。 I’ve seen the movie so many times that I expected it to be quite different， as what often happens between books and screenplays。 The characters were basically the same， however， I found that I didn’t particularly like Sally in the book。 It was ok and I’m happy that I read it but will probably not pick it back I really wish that I had read the book before I have seen the movie。 Of course， the movie was out when I was younger and I did not even know that it was based off of a book until recently。 I’ve seen the movie so many times that I expected it to be quite different， as what often happens between books and screenplays。 The characters were basically the same， however， I found that I didn’t particularly like Sally in the book。 It was ok and I’m happy that I read it but will probably not pick it back up again。 。。。more
Megan Lowde
，
This just wasn't for me。 The story itself was entirely character-focused and very slow。 I really struggled to pay attention， and nothing really stood out to me in any way。 This is a dysfunctional family with a slight， tiny touch of magic， and it wasn't even fun magic。 This just wasn't for me。 The story itself was entirely character-focused and very slow。 I really struggled to pay attention， and nothing really stood out to me in any way。 This is a dysfunctional family with a slight， tiny touch of magic， and it wasn't even fun magic。 。。。more
Kel
，
i really loved this one！ great characters and a great story。 i loved how the author added necessary ingredients for potions throughout， and i was just rooting for maria the whole time。 i'll check out more in the series。 the quick wrap up of the ending prevented me from giving 5 stars。 but i do highly recommend this book。 i really loved this one！ great characters and a great story。 i loved how the author added necessary ingredients for potions throughout， and i was just rooting for maria the whole time。 i'll check out more in the series。 the quick wrap up of the ending prevented me from giving 5 stars。 but i do highly recommend this book。 。。。more
Marissa
，
I thought this would be more fantasy/witchy。。。。but it's more of a romance。 I thought this would be more fantasy/witchy。。。。but it's more of a romance。 。。。more
Dana
，
I feel there is a good story hidden somewhere in here but it was hard to find。 The one thing not hidden is the tons of rape-like thoughts and a bit of actual rape as well。 Yuck。
Leiba
，
2 1/2 stars
Marisa
，
I struggled to get through the first half。 Thankfully the second half was better。 I would love to understand the author’s thinking in terms of why there are no chapters。 I think I would have found it more suspenseful if it weren’t for that。 All in all a fun story and interesting characters。
Becky
，
I saw the movie back when it came out in 1998。 I fell in love with the film， and to this day it remains my favorite film with Sandra Bullock as well as my favorite witchy movie。 In 2021， I discovered it was based on a book， and now there was a prequel about Maria Owens called Magic Lessons。 I chose to read the prequel first。 I enjoyed that book and it had me even more excited to finally read Practical Magic。 However， I found this book a complete disappointment。All of the elements that I love in I saw the movie back when it came out in 1998。 I fell in love with the film， and to this day it remains my favorite film with Sandra Bullock as well as my favorite witchy movie。 In 2021， I discovered it was based on a book， and now there was a prequel about Maria Owens called Magic Lessons。 I chose to read the prequel first。 I enjoyed that book and it had me even more excited to finally read Practical Magic。 However， I found this book a complete disappointment。All of the elements that I love in the film do not exist in the book。 Certain essential story-building points in the movie were underplayed in the book。 The characters lack intriguing personalities。 Few characters have any likable or redeemable qualities。 The only characters I cared about by the end of the book were the aunts， Sally's daughters and Gideon。 What I find most disgusting about the book is that lust is constantly referred to as love。 Every romantic relationship shown in the book is based on sexual desire。 Each time one person looks at another person with sexual intent， it's labeled love。 I find that representation of love appalling。 Few healthy relationships appear in this book of any kind。 I would like to say my opinion of the book would be different if I had read it before watching the movie， but even then I would still not like it。 If I read another Alice Hoffman book in the future it will be because I enjoyed Magic Lessons。 。。。more
Teresa
，
I was expecting more magic in this book based on the description and the title but it was really more like magical realism。 Magic kind of happened around them but not too much under their control。 Made me think of stuff like 100 years of solitude but on a small and quiet scale。 Anyway， it's not my favorite genre but it was fine。 I was expecting more magic in this book based on the description and the title but it was really more like magical realism。 Magic kind of happened around them but not too much under their control。 Made me think of stuff like 100 years of solitude but on a small and quiet scale。 Anyway， it's not my favorite genre but it was fine。 。。。more
Heather
，
Wow， there is WAY less magic in this book than I imagined there would be。 It’s really a family story with a lil’ bit of herbs and pigeon hearts thrown in occasionally。A friend described this book as like a cozy mug of hot cider， and that feels apt to me （if your cider occasionally involves sex and death）。 I’m not sure if it’s due to the audio narrator failing to distinguish them， the characters being less well-drawn than their mothers， or my own lack of attention， but I absolutely could not tell Wow， there is WAY less magic in this book than I imagined there would be。 It’s really a family story with a lil’ bit of herbs and pigeon hearts thrown in occasionally。A friend described this book as like a cozy mug of hot cider， and that feels apt to me （if your cider occasionally involves sex and death）。 I’m not sure if it’s due to the audio narrator failing to distinguish them， the characters being less well-drawn than their mothers， or my own lack of attention， but I absolutely could not tell the daughters （Antonia and Kylie） apart to save my life。 Sally and Gillian were far more distinct。 （I wonder if Gillian is more sympathetic in the movie。 I’m Team Sally all the way。）Also， can we get more of the aunts please？ These broads seem INTERESTING and do all the witch shit I was hoping for。 。。。more
CeeCee
，
I didn’t realise how different the book was from the movie。 I’ve loved the film since I was a young girl which is maybe why I was a little disappointed in the novel。 I found comfort in the story and characters though， especially after reading ‘The rules of magic’， which is now a firm favourite of mines。
FyreWoman66
，
Different from the movie - pleasant surprisesI have watched the movie many many times and this was the first time I’ve read the book。 I’m glad the book is different and I enjoyed it more than the movie。 I do like them both with the book being my favorite。
Captain Quinn
，
The only reason I didn’t enjoy this book to its fullest was because I saw the movie first。 I firmly believe if I hadn’t known the outcome， I would have given this book 5 stars。 Gillian and Sally have a deep sister-bond that transcends time and place， and this is their love story。 This book is about a family curse and the choice to love despite the consequences。 This book teaches you about the mortality of life and teaches you to value every moment of happiness， and to treasure the relationships The only reason I didn’t enjoy this book to its fullest was because I saw the movie first。 I firmly believe if I hadn’t known the outcome， I would have given this book 5 stars。 Gillian and Sally have a deep sister-bond that transcends time and place， and this is their love story。 This book is about a family curse and the choice to love despite the consequences。 This book teaches you about the mortality of life and teaches you to value every moment of happiness， and to treasure the relationships in life which make us who we are。 This is true literary fiction because it forces us to examine our own life， way of thinking， and change our perspective。Alice Hoffman is my favorite author because of the character-driven way in which she writes， her open and flowing stream of consciousness， and her beautiful poetic prose。 This book is not for those who like a planned out and structured plot; and if you are just looking for the next action scene this book is likely not your jam。 Alice makes you feel deeply， but in a way that is satisfying and delightful。 I recommend this entire series to people I meet in coffee shops and airports。 。。。more
Meghan
，
The whole time I'm reading this book， I keep asking myself， is anything going to happen， is this story going to have a climax？ It reads more like a diary， but switching between viewpoints sometimes left my next dizzy from whipping back and forth。 The whole time I'm reading this book， I keep asking myself， is anything going to happen， is this story going to have a climax？ It reads more like a diary， but switching between viewpoints sometimes left my next dizzy from whipping back and forth。 。。。more
Kara A
，
This was an easy flowing read， unlike the 2 prequels。 This was a good plot but， if you've seen the movie， it is different。 This was an easy flowing read， unlike the 2 prequels。 This was a good plot but， if you've seen the movie， it is different。 。。。more
Beth
，
Sweet and charming， mostly fairytale vibes。
Allie
，
3。5 stars
db
，
Lots of talk
Taylor Thompson
，
I had high hopes because I liked the prequels so much- however， this did let me down。 The story line itself was just disappointing。 The writing was fine but it just didn’t keep me interested。 I really had to fight to finish。
Katasokolov
，
Knižní předloha se mi líbila méně， než velice zdařile zpracovaný film， který se stal klasikou …。
Vicki Sacharski
，
It was ok。 Just kinda went on and on。
Nellie Neeman
，
I enjoyed this original in the series AFTER reading the recently published prequel， The Rules of Magic。 While I preferred the prequel， this was a fun read。 Wondering what happened to Gideon。 Hope Hoffman tells us in the next book in series。
Marie McKenna
，
What a strange， strange little story。 There was a youthfulness in the writing that made it seem light and unpretentious。 But there was a sweetness that helped the extraordinary feel plausible。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Practical Magic
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Practical Magic&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Practical Magic&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0