Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

23 reviews

meeg_han28's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Murder, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Death of parent

lahariel's review against another edition

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

2.5

I was surprised that the movie was so much better than the book. It's written in a manner that is purely exposition, with only a few moments of character dialogue sprinkled in for flavor. If you're looking for something "witchy," you're going to be disappointed. Only the aunts dabble in any sort of spellwork and they're barely in the book. I guess you could consider Jimmy's situation a bit spooky, but he's often treated as a lingering afterthought until an ending is finally needed.

Hoffman loves to wax poetic about every character's entire background (and I mean EVERY character) for pages on end before getting back to the heart of the plot. There are multiple times when I felt like the story just ambled away on me, because ultimately this book is about seizing love in the moment, so it's all about the characters falling in and out of love, seemingly at random, the second they look at anyone.

My recommendation is to just watch the movie.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Death of parent

internationalreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective fast-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

3.5

Unique writing style; I liked it but it may not be for everyone. The pacing was pretty weird, a lot got packed in to the last 15% or so of the book. And I’m not sure how I felt about how casually the author wrote about domestic violence. This may be the rare case where the movie is better than the book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

prairiebunny's review against another edition

dark emotional lighthearted mysterious tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Murder, Death of parent, and Alcoholism

Minor: Animal cruelty and Stalking

chasingpages1's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Car accident, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Stalking, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Rape

euphemiajo's review against another edition

adventurous

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Animal death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Violence

_mirambo_'s review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Murder, Death, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

lenagf's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism and Bullying

Minor: Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Car accident

kaylashauntedlibrary's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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!). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Death, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, and Vomit

corinnereads7's review against another edition

dnf, felt quite sexist. too cheesy and unrealistic with the romances while shallow with the relationships between the Owens women/girls. focuses intensely on how hot they are, including the 13 year old girl who has a glow-up when her hair is dyed blonde and then is immediately abandoned by her male best friend because he’s too attracted to her or something? and instead of writing him off as an asshole and getting better friends, she bakes him his favorite cake. she’s then chased across a cornfield by grown men whose graphic thoughts about a CHILD the author kindly details for us. gross.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Stalking, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship