Reviews with content warning for Cursing - Practical Magic

Really loved this one! Alice Hoffman writes so beautifully and has a way of making books really stick with you.

I love that the magic is more subtle and real and there is a focus on sisterhood and family.

I went into this book not really knowing what to expect and it wasn’t at all what I would have thought (and I’m glad!).

Content Warnings

atlanticgiantpumpkin's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

As an autistic woman, I spent a lot of the book thinking “Is this actually how people think?” Because everything was very exaggerated. I do feel like it went on a bit at times giving unnecessary details, but it was wonderful.

Content Warnings

bexi's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

lain_darko's review against another edition

Go to review page

hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

howie_e's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Content Warnings

anabookadventures's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I finally read this book after years of having it on my shelf. It was hard for me to get into at first because the writing style is so different than most books. It reads like a fairytale rather than a start-to-finish story. When I switched over to the audiobook it was much more enjoyable. The last part, levitation, was my favorite part of the book. My favorite part is the relationship between sisters and the witchy vibes. I really do with their was more dialogue to love the. plot along instead of narration. I also think I went in a little biased because I’ve seen and loved the movie way before I even knew the book existed, so the book’s story wasn’t as lively for me. But overall I really enjoyed the book.

Content Warnings

raesengele's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is such a beautifully written book that left me with so many feelings, but I can entirely understand how it won't be for everyone.

For starters, it's magical realism, not fantasy, so if you want hard magic systems and Harry Potter esque witchcraft, look somewhere else.

Second, know that it is written in a stream of consciousness style and highly character driven, so if you're more comfortable with linear plot lines or are prone to claiming that "nothing happened" look somewhere else.

Finally, it is nothing like the movie (which was perfect for me since I never did get much out of it beyond the house and Nicole Kidman's face), so if it's one of your absolute favorites, look somewhere else.

For everyone still here, you are in for a treat! Why have I waited so long to read an Alice Hoffman book? Her prose is lyrical, almost fairy tale like, and moves seamlessly from one thought to the next which makes it difficult to put down.

One thing I've noticed a lot in other reviews is people criticizing the fact that every Owens woman is described as some kind of traffic stopping sort of beautiful (some more literally than others), but I'd argue that that's the point. Because it's written in this fairy tale style, hyperbole is to be expected. The princess is never just an average princess, she the fairest in all the land, the prince is always handsome, the witch is always ugly and disfigured. What Hoffman does is take that hyperbole and then makes them real despite of it. Yes, the women are traffic stopping level of gorgeous, but they're also broken, flawed, and struggle with getting through life, understanding what real love is, seeing themselves the way the rest of the world sees them. And that beauty is never treated as "this is a good person because she is beautiful." Sally refuses to see herself as anything other than a mother, as a woman worthy of love and longing. Gillian believes she deserves to be abused and used, never letting men see her for anything other than her beauty. Antonia is cruel and puts all her worth in her looks to the point where when her sister out shines her, she loses her confidence and has to learn what parts of her truly matter. Kylie learns deals with the hazards of beauty from an early age. The lesson is that it doesn't matter how beautiful you are, because that beauty is, after all, only skin deep. From page 227, "Although she'd never believe it, those lines in Gillian's face are the most beautiful part about her. They reveal what she's gone through and what she's survived and who exactly she is, deep inside."

Content Warnings

More...