Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - Practical Magic

Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

41 reviews

bxnnny's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad 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

3.0

of course, i have always loved the practical magic movie ever since i was a kid, but i'd never gotten around to reading the book it was based off of until now. i kept my expectations low as i had heard from others that the book doesn't quite compare, and i tried to still go into it with an open mind. i will say that the movie is leagues better, but i still have an appreciation for the book. i enjoyed the writing style and the way the story was told. the characters were complicated and complex as well as their relationships to one another. that being said, i wish the aunts were more likeable, fun, and wise like their movie counterparts and i wish both sets of sisters had a closer bond as shown in the movie as well... but i can appreciate that the book version of their relationships was a little more complex than that. overall, i appreciate this book for what it is and will continue to cherish the movie separately.

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passionatereader78's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

This was an enjoyable read. I loved the movie and wanted to read the book. I liked plot, but the pace was slower than I thought it should be. I didn't like the profanity used in the story. I loved the ending. Sally and Gillian were raised by their aunts who were called Witches. When they grew up Gillian looked for love in all the wrong places and Sally just gave up on it. When tragedy strikes the sisters have to face the lifestyle they left behind and decide if love is worth fighting for.

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thesonnetsilence's review against another edition

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I tried to get into it, but I just couldn't. It started off very slow and just meh for me. I kept finding excuses to not pick this book back up. When I finally mustered up the energy to try it again, I couldn't get past the triggering content. I was not in the right headspace for this one and I'm happy I didn't torture myself to the end.

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internationalreads's review against another edition

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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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ce_read's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I was raised on the movie so it's hard not to compare the two. The writing could be a bit hoakey and ham-fisted for me at times, but ultimately compelling and entertaining. I second some other reviews that said some characters were introduced abruptly or not well-enough developed, and of there were themes or plot devices, I didn't pick up on them. Not my usual fare

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