Search - Practical Magic

When I read this book years ago, I was already very familiar with the film it was based on. While I absolutely adore the movie, I couldn't get into the novel like I wanted to. I admit that I kept reading chapter after chapter in the hopes that it would explore the witchcraft aspect of the sisters more and that it would really pull me in, but I was disappointed by the end of it.

As a stand-alone novel, it was decently written, but I kept comparing it to the film. Thus, it fell flat for me.

As rare as it may be, for me, this was one of the first books I’ve read where the movie was better than the book. The story was completely different, and I’m sure avid fans of the novel would call me a blasphemer for even suggesting it, but I really did like the movie much better. The book sort of took too long and encompassed too many years. Also, the characters weren’t as strong as they were in the movie, neither one of the Owens sisters were.

This is a fun, light fantasy that explores the ideas of love, life, and family with a hint of magic thrown in to spice up the proceedings. Telling the story of two young women born into a long line of witches, and their special sisterly relationship that grows through their various trials and tribulations - both natural and supernatural -, this book is easy to read and is very engaging and ethereal in its writing. The world in which the story is set is exactly like our own, but magic is treated in a drastically understated manner, which makes the references to the supernatural that much more immersive and believable. A true delight to read, the perfect book to read on the porch swing with a cup of steamy tea!