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Summary: An entertaining and engaging read!
Review: I had difficulty tearing myself away from this book. I have seen the movie and enjoyed it, but the book tells the real story. I found many original ideas that the movie doesn't include. I was able to learn more about the family that intrigued me in the movie. In addition, Hoffman writes with such sensitivity. It is obvious that she believes in and genuinely likes these characters. I almost recommend seeing the movie and then reading the book. This way you learn the basics and then are able to learn more through the book. In conclusion, this book is a lot of fun and keeps you interested!
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Summary: hi
Review: i like books and this was a bad one. the end
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Summary: So where's the magic?
Review: I read this, got done and said 'Huh? Did I miss the point?' I'm sure someone else would say 'Oh it's a character study.' Me - I like a plot. There didn't seem to be much of one here.
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Summary: A grown-up bedtime story
Review: I loved this book since the beginning. Is a sweet, moody fairy tale about a family of witches. If you are expecting to find stories of wild revenge, outrageous love potions and dazzling spells, read something else; this story is very smooth and serene, with a kind of quiet charm that is impossible to ignore. It will be hard for you not to believe in magic after you have read this book.
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Summary: A beautiful, magical story
Review: I've read several of Alice Hoffman's books and this has all of the elements I love. It's lush, sexy, funny, and sad. People don't just fall in love in Alice Hoffman's novels. They stop eating. Their hair changes color. This magic fills Practical Magic. Saw the movie? Terrible. Don't base your decision on whether or not to read this book on that movie.
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Summary: Champagne in a Cauldron
Review: You never know what to expect from an Alice Hoffman book, except for an incredibly light touch that belies her sharp contol of plot. She has such finesse as she writes, and she writes in such a unique style, it is hard to put one of her books down for a second. This author loves writing, and it shows. You will love the results. I do not think there is another living writer who is able to entwine such magic and realism into a story the way she does, all the time focusing on daily life and never losing sight of the mysteries that cause us to act in the ways that we do, sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for bad reasons.When there is a double ragged ring around the moon, when the smell of lilacs is strong and it is well past the time they should have finished blooming...when you have a family whose odd heritage goes back hundreds of years and they draw people to them unexpectedly...there you will find Alice Hoffman, weaving happy endings out of strange happenings, and lovely images out of eerie events. Don't ever try to outthink her. Part of the fun is just enjoying the way she pulls it all together in the end. Truly special.
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Summary: An American magical realist tale
Review: I am a real fan of magic realism. But most of the genre is from South America or Mexico. So it is delightful to find one that is American. I read this book years before the movie came out. I've seen the book a couple of times. I just recently re-read the book. The movie retains the major events from the book, but the timespan is greater in the book. The book revolves around the theme of love. The damage that love can do, the transformative nature of love, and the beauty of love. In both the book and the movie, there is a minor character who comes to the aunts because she is obsessed with a married man. She begs them to do anything to get his love and attention. In the movie, that's the end of it. In the book, however, the man becomes obsessed with her and won't give her a moment of peace and she ends up regretting it. If you haven't read the book, please do. It is wonderful, lyrical, thoughful, and moving. There is a lot to think about, and I really enjoyed re-reading it.
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Summary: how strange - liked the book AND the movie
Review: Being descendants of a family of witches that has been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their neighbourhood for the past two hundred years, it is not surprising that sisters Sally and Gillian call on each other in times of trouble. When trouble finds Gillian she flees to Sally's only to discover that the trouble has followed and won't stay buried. That's where "family" comes in. Quirky little fairytale, and oddly enough, I almost enjoyed the movie as much as the book - it made me wish that l'd had a sister!
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Summary: Lyrical and intimate tale from a first-rate author
Review: Alice Hoffman has a unique way of turning life inside out by revealing mystical glimmers of unspoken truth in everything she writes. "Practical Magic" overflows with Hoffman's quirky, offbeat wisdom. Don't expect "Practical Magic" to be much like the movie. You'll find that the screenwriters for the film version of this tale took some amazing liberties with the characters and the plot. Even so, you'll want to read the book. Some things just don't translate to the screen, and you won't want to miss them in print. Hoffman creates a bevy of strong, wonderfully flawed women in "Practical Magic." I would be tempted to say there's a little too much narrative and not enough action in this novel, particularly in the beginning, but Hoffman writes narrative so beautifully it's hard to complain.
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Summary: magical fairytale
Review: If you have seen the movie Practical Magic, then you will love the book. It is full of suspence, and magic. If you like to read to escape into another world, than this is the book for you. It has love, family, and relationship drama. It is a comedy and love story all put into one. I love this book, and I don't like to read. So if you are a big reader, than you will love this book.
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