Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

14 reviews

maite_moonchild's review

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Alcohol

erinreading's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

Not much like the movie at all. The book has four sections but no chapters so it can drag on. Subject seems to change with almost every other paragraph giving a sense of rambling. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism

hoggman's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Death

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Abortion

sonlight21's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

I liked the first half I guess the second one not as much and the last quarter not much at all. I don't think I've read a book before that used the F word so many times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Car accident and Abortion

beckyhofman's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

noraestelle's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

2.0

So I wanted to read this book before ever watching the movie. I always heard the movie was a classic, so I figured the book is too. Honestly, it took me way too long to figure out if I was even reading the first/right book or not. My opinion, the aunts are the only like-able characters in the whole book and I find they’re not in it enough. If you came for a cute witchy book, you’ve come to the wrong place. The only time there is any “witchy” elements in the book is when the aunts are around which isn’t often. They had too many side characters that they would insert their thoughts in, but didn’t really build those characters. Over half of the side characters I did not care about. Honestly, I would have much rather listen to Sally and her husbands love story which we barely got any of. To me that was the only love story in the book, the others were all rushed and felt forced. Not to mention literally every sexual scene feeling uncomfortable and on the verge of not consent. I kept reading this book waiting for it to get good and don’t get me wrong there were cute moments. Maybe I just had too high expectations going into it, but I don’t know. I’d say for 75% of the book I was just waiting for it to be over. I will say the narrator I liked. She sounded like Cher and I lowkey loved that. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Animal cruelty, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

pinto_los_flores's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

Alice Hoffman explains the wide spectrum of male attention perfectly. I feel like I’ve been every single one of these women at some point or another. I found every woman wildly relatable.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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

5.0

Blended reading (audiobook + physical)

The Details:
Narrated by Laurence Bouvard
Unabridged

Mild spoilers will be in this review as I talk about different parts of the book.

I was initally apprehensive about the lack of chapters, but I needn't worry about that because everything just flowed in such a gentle storytelling way. It was also helpful that it was broken into parts.

I wasn't expecting such a generational saga, but I loved growing up with the sisters Sally and Gillian as they went to live with their peculiar aunts in Superstition. It was interesting to see little bits of witch craft, and from the little snippets of the movie I've seen (only very small scenes out of context), I was surprised that there was a lot of hexing and manipulation of love. It was fascinating to see how both of the very opposite sisters felt about it and also how everyone around them changed their views in different ways as they grew up. I felt like Sally was always getting the short straw of life, rather unfairly, just for being kind and not as bold and carefree as her little sister, so when she finally got a chance at love later on in this part and had a family I was so happy.

In Premonitions I'm happy that Sally was still a main character but the focus shifted on her two children growing up and mirroring the experience her and her sister had with school. I also loved seeing the OG sisters, who had become more and more estranged, reconciled at last.... but not over wholesome circumstances.
The lilacs haunting the sisters, suddenly reminded me of a scene from Weep, Woman, Weep and I wonder if that was inspired by Practical Magic. A pivotal development in this part was Kylie's 13th birthday and that did not go anyway I was expecting it to!

With the way that part ended, I was super interested to see how Clairvoyance would progress the story futher, now that Kylie was coming into her own. The story really developed here as powers were further unearthed and consequences began to come to a head for the run up to the conclusion.

It's weird how fond of the aunts I was, despite them feeling more like off page characters. I missed them and the cats so much when we were following everyone else living their lives.

The whole feel of this story was very whimsical and cosy and felt as if you were being narrated through this odd life, that wasn't super out of the ordinary, but enough to make you second glance. I absolutely adored it and am looking forward to reading the sequel and two prequels.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Car accident

scarlett_f's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death and Suicidal thoughts

zannayo's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Car accident, and Death of parent