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Summary: magic in words not grammer
Review: ok it is late in the night as i'm writing this. forgive me if i don't use the correct mechanics of grammer and other such nonsense that should only be forced when writing a term paper or when you are a NOVICE writer trying to start out. first let me say that the book is worth five stars for the way it captures you from the first page i have read many books in my life shakespeare being the top man in the the field of literature and i can safely say that practical magic has the stuff to make it a classic despite the bad tie in movie. one other thing to you grammer buffs out there when a writer is first starting out yes it is necessary for the writer to use the proper mechanics of english but when you have built up a reputation as worthy of MS HOFFMAN you can you as much vulgarity and bad grammar and what have you as you want get over it it was a good if not excellent book and i wish that someday i will be able to capture the magic in her prose. don't mess with alice
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Summary: wonderful, moving touching!!
Review: I loved this book, and i think Alice Hoffman is a truly talented writer. i also saw the movie before i read the book, and there is no comparison at all. the book is so much better! It made me laugh, cry and touched me in ways that few books have. Everyone should read this book!
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Summary: Wonderfully enchanting, captivating story.
Review: My first taste of Alice Hoffman was Here on Earth. While the prose was beautiful, I was disappointed in the characters and plot. However, deep in my gut, I had a feeling there was more to Alice Hoffman than what she was displaying in that book. I couldn't write her off with all of the books she had written, and I felt there was more to her than I was shown. So, I did a little research and took some of her books out of the library. The second book I read was, Practical Magic, and I'm glad to see my instincts were right.This bewitching, captivating novel is full of spellbounding characters, which is the main thing that was missing from Here on Earth. Sally and Gillian are sisters who, because of the passing of their parents, end up getting raised by their two aunts, who are witches. Because of this, the sisters are ostrasized a bit from their peers, and long to be free from the house and the Aunts on Magnolia Street. Raven-haired Sally is the older of the two sisters. She's practical, hard-working, good, responsible, and afraid to love. Golden-haired Gillian is wild, lazy, coniving, airy, and also afraid to love. Gillian is the first to escape, by running off with a boy. She moves from town to town, from guy to guy, with three failing marriages behind her, before she shows up on her sister's doorstep with the dead body of her recent boyfriend, Jimmy, in the car. Sally, who continued to stay with the Aunts, fell in love and got married to a wonderful man named Michael, finding a happy life of her own. She had a man she loved, and two daughters, Antonia and Kylie. Her world came crumbling down on her when Michael got killed by a drunk driver. She went into a deep depression, and when she finally snapped out of it, she packed up her two daughters and moved out into the Aunts' house and into one of her own. There, she tried to provide a normal life for her daughters, wanting them to go to school without being called a witch. She was trying her best to build her life again when her sister appeared at her doorstep. The book then focuses on Sally's two daughters, the red-headed, spunky, spoiled Antonia, and the more sensative, introverted Kylie, who seemed to develop powers to "see" things on her own. To add depth to the story, Gillian and Sally are both challenged to love again when Ben comes into Gillian's life, and, towards the end of the story, Gary comes into Sally's. The Aunts, who were always background characters, finally have dialogue towards the end of the story when their "help" is needed. Not only do the Aunts have something to say, but they have names: Aunt Frances and Aunt Jet. We also have the pleasure of getting to know them a little bit, too. This is a book that's absolutely rich in characterization. There's three generations of Owens women in this book, and each one of them has a depth and personality all her own. The men that come into these womens' lives only add more depth and richness to the book. What a wonderfully enchanting, imaginative story. I have a feeling this book will end up being one of my favorite books by Ms. Hoffman.
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Summary: ABSOULUTLY ENCHANTING
Review: I loved this book!It was the best book I've ever read and I enjoyed it very much.I saw the movie first and thought that was great so I bought the book.The book had a great plot and not everything happend just like the moovie.The book was not even close to being the same as the movie.Whoever said it was too much like the book is wrong.You should by this book and read it over and over!
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Summary: Pure Magic
Review: I love this book. The first time I read it was in hardcover, something about it was spellbinding. I cry sometimes when I read it. My favorite characters are Kylie, Gillian, Gideon, & Sally b/c I can relate to what they're going through--well, Kylie & Gideon more than Sally & Gillian b/c I haven't been around *that* long yet--but...you get the picture. I was a bit disappointed by the movie, however...
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Summary: I like how it makes me feel.
Review: It's true, it's true: Alice Hoffman is a lazy writer. I have now read three of her books where people "spoil cats with cream" -- and once caught the reference twice in the SAME book assigned to two different characters! But that aside, I'll just say that I read her books for the way they make me feel. They make me think my life has more possibility. They make me think magic (meaning, to me, you can get what you want, things have a way or turning out, or that sometimes you can believe that life is good) is possible. And that's pretty rare! Sure, it's true, every woman in her book is THE most beautiful woman in the world, so beautiful the teenage boys line up and go all moony-eyed. But who hasn't imagined herself to be exactly that way? And don't jump all over me; I am a college-educated, early-'30s writer, rampant liberal and a feminist! I like them anyway.
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Summary: Hoffman's words are spellbinding
Review: This was the first Hoffman novel I read. The original cover of shimmery blue, black and silver caught my eye. This was just the kind of story I like, one of magic, mystery and love. Hoffman's writing entices the reader, creating a vivid picture of her characters and their lives. I couldn't put it down. Read it on a warm summer night and you'll feel like you're part of the story. Oh, by the way, definitely read the book before seeing the movie!
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Summary: Practical Magic- an impossible book to put down
Review: Practical Magic is the best book I've ever read. I picked up the book (after seeing the movie) one night, and refused to put it down. It was amazingly written and had a terrific plot. The beautifully crafted plot ranged from romantic to spooky to amusing all in the course of a few pages. It's a book I've reccomended to all my friends and I hope all of Alice Hoffman's books are as good as Practical Magic, because I plan to read as many as I can get my hands on.
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Summary: I couldn't put it down!!!
Review: This book was great! I haven't seen the movie, I've heard the book and movie r very different from each other. I can't wait 2 c the movie. The book was simply enchanting! Get caught in it's magical web!
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Summary: Magically Enticeing
Review: I just read this book and I was mesmerized by it.I must say I saw the movie first but I was more impressed with the book.I loved the vived imagery that Hoffman used.
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