Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

26 reviews

suziem00n's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-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

This book was not what I first expected. It had a lot more dark themes than I thought, and involved some serious topics. However I enjoyed how the story ended, and enjoyed the subtle hints to witchcraft throughout. I read this as a stand alone book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicide

euphemiajo's review against another edition

adventurous

2.0

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Content Warnings

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

cocacolor's review against another edition

hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

First: this isn't a rom-com, and the movie is nothing like the book in terms of atmosphere and tone at all. Tonally, if the entire genre of women's fiction and A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS had a baby, it would be PRACTICAL MAGIC.

I'd read another Hoffman before, the historical THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW, and wasn't terribly impressed by it, so I came here expecting more of the same. Here, though, Hoffman's style really does work. Though the characters are also drawn in broad brushstrokes and the romances instant, PRACTICAL MAGIC really makes it feel like more of a conscious nod to fairy tales than simply bland writing. The omniscient narrator, who sometimes switches the character being followed within the same paragraph, the doses of wisdom, and the lyricism all combine to make a great experience; Hoffman knows exactly when to dole out backstory to make the reader appreciate their increasingly more whole understanding of the Owens family and the world. 

I'm of two minds, though, because the political imagination at work here isn't great. Everyone is white; everyone is heterosexual. The cure for the characters' flaws is the right man. The main characters are all neatly paired off at the end; just find your true love and you'll be fixed, Hoffman seems to say. The pre-cell phone milieu is interesting and evocative, but drives home the kind of stifling suburban whiteness that characters aspire to.

Overall, a serious and occasionally dark book about sisterhood and female family members in a magical realism milieu, where the cure for all conflict is heterosexual romance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Grief, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Rape, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Death of parent

Sally's love interest

, a character we are apparently supposed to find sympathetic, has a moment where he wishes he were the kind of person who might rape someone so he can keep kissing her when she pushes him away.

funktious's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective fast-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

3.5

I’ve been meaning to read this for ages, so was disappointed to discover it was quite so narrator-driven, a style I always dislike. It just feels like being spoon fed everything. Otherwise I liked the atmosphere and the family, although not all the members. I wish there had more time spent with the aunts, but I suppose Sally and Gillian had to come round to understanding the aunts at the end. Too much focus on appearances (maybe Kylie could be kind and insightful and sweet without also being stunningly beautiful?) and everyone being partnered up. Very 90s.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Domestic abuse and Rape

madison26_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

courtwj's review against another edition

dark inspiring 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment

_likethefruit's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse

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

puf's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious relaxing sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Death of parent

waynethelibrarian's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Rape, Sexual content, and Death of parent