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Loading... Practical Magic (original 1996; edition 2003)by Alice Hoffman
Work detailsPractical Magic by Alice Hoffman (1996)
 suepk | May 3, 2013 |  I could not put this book down, I pretty much read 3/4s of it in one sitting. I watched the movie years ago and was pleasantly surprised to see that there is more to the book, exploring issues such as love, lust and madness, the dynamics of family, the line between following your head and your heart amidst the magical realism and the supernatural happenings of the novel. The characters are multi-faceted, complete with their strengths and their flaws. You could read my full review of the novel over at my blog (contains some spoilers!): http://www.rulethewaves.net/blog/?p=4165 (  ) caffeinatedlife | Apr 26, 2013 | This book started out as a 2, then became a 3 star, and by the end, I didn't want it to end! There were times at the beginning when I rolled my eyes at so much magic, every sentence mentioned something out of the ordinary, it seemed, that it was too far "out there" for me--not real, but not fastasy either. But once the sisters started growing into adulthood, with relationships and what not, I enjoyed the book more and more. The narrator of the audiobook was very good, to boot. (  ) dukefan86 | Apr 22, 2013 | I needed this book in a major way. I was flopping around between various novels and audio books, starting things, losing interest, etc. The winter doldrums were dragging me down, down, down. Then my coworker suggested Alice Hoffman and I decided to start with Practical Magic. Voila. New England, magic, superstition, sisterly interaction, romance, humor. I LOVED it! I'm hoping that Alice Hoffman's other work is similar. ( ) KristySP | Apr 21, 2013 | I picked this book up because I loved the Sandra Bullock movie so much--naturally, there were a lot of things different (aren't there always?), but still I am glad I read it. It probably would have been a five-star had a read the book first--but then I wouldn't have liked the movie as much, most likely. Ah, well. A double-edged sword. Still, a highly enjoyable read. ( ) beckymmoe | Apr 3, 2013 |
 If there is an author north of the border who has managed to successfully translate the language of magic realism into the American idiom, it is Alice Hoffman.  Indeed, the title of Ms. Hoffman's latest novel, "Practical Magic," says it all: if you are going to believe in magic, it had better have palpable and easily comprehensible results.
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(retrieved from Amazon Wed, 02 Jan 2013 23:45:57 -0500)
Sorcery is the legacy of Gillian and Sally Owens, a legacy they both try to escape until they realize their magic is a gift, not an affliction. For more than two hundred years, the Owens women had been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town. And Gillian and Sally endured that fate as well; as children, the sisters were outsiders. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, but all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape. One would do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they shared brought them back -- almost as if by magic ...… (more)
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Wikipedia in English
If I had to choose book or film then I would choose film because it is a lovely story and that house is really special. In the book the house is made out to be a dark and dingy place that neither Sally or Gillian could wait to get away from. Of course this is true in the film too, but the house is much lovelier in the film.
There are some very good aspects to the story in the book that aren't in the film, but as they centre on Sally's daughter's being teenagers then it is understandable why they aren't in the film.
I doubt I would read this again, whereas I have watched the film at least twenty times! (