Author: Alice Hoffman
Genre: Magical realism / fantasy
Pages: 244
Publication date: 1995
This was the first book I picked up in the Practical Magic series. I decided to read it because I’d heard so much about the classic movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman and wanted to read the original story.
It took me quite a while to get through it — I just couldn’t connect with the book. It has that dreamy writing style Alice Hoffman is known for, but for me, it felt slow, light on actual magic, and a bit aimless. I can imagine it might be more intriguing for teenagers, maybe 18 or 19-year-olds, who enjoy stories about love, tragedy, and a touch of the supernatural.
Practical Magic Summary (With Spoilers)
Sally and Gillian grew up in their aunts’ house — Aunt Frances and Aunt Jet — two eccentric women who are well-known in town for their magical powers and who take in anyone who needs a charm or a potion. The sisters’ childhood was shaped by whispers from the townspeople, bullying from other children, and the constant reminder of their family’s curse.
Sally is the steady, practical sister who longs for a normal life, while Gillian is impulsive and runs away the first chance she gets, chasing excitement and romance. Eventually, Sally marries a man named Michael and has two daughters, Antonia and Kylie. For a while, life feels almost ordinary — until Michael dies unexpectedly, another victim of the family curse.
Shattered by grief, Sally moves her children away, hoping to escape magic and live quietly. But trouble arrives anyway — this time in the form of Gillian, who shows up with her abusive boyfriend, Jimmy. In a moment of desperation, the sisters try to get away from him, and things take a dark turn: Jimmy dies.
Rather than calling the police, the sisters panicked and buried him in the backyard. From this point, the story turns into a mix of ghost story and family drama: Jimmy’s spirit starts haunting them, strange events occur, and the sisters are forced to confront both the literal and metaphorical ghosts of their past.
Eventually, Sally and Gillian have to confess what happened, seek the help of their aunts, and face the town’s suspicions. In the end, Jimmy’s spirit is banished, the truth comes out, and Sally finally opens herself to love again — this time with Gary, a police officer who had been investigating Jimmy’s disappearance.
My Review
Honestly, I struggled with this book from beginning to end. The premise is interesting — witches, family curses, sisterly bonds — but the book itself just didn’t work for me. There were moments where I wasn’t sure why certain scenes were even included because they didn’t seem to move the plot forward.
The characters were also hard to connect with. Sally is supposed to be the grounded, responsible sister, but she mostly came across as passive and sad. Gillian is wild and reckless, but her choices felt frustrating rather than intriguing. Even the aunts, who were supposed to be this quirky, magical presence, felt underdeveloped.
And then there’s the “magic.” For a book called Practical Magic, there wasn’t as much magic as I expected — at least not in a way that felt meaningful. Spells and potions were mentioned, but they weren’t explained or explored deeply. The curse, which is supposed to be the central conflict, was eventually ignored as Sally ends up with Gary. Is it selfish or are they sure the “curse” won’t take Gary’s life?
For me, this one is a two out of ten. As someone who prefers more character depth and a stronger plot, this just wasn’t it.
Books similar to Practical Magic
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston
