Alice Hoffman Blog Hop: Practical Magic

In honor of Alice Hoffman’s birthday I have joined the Alice HoffmanBlog Hop. For years, I’ve loved the movie Practical Magic. Last year I actually got around to reading the book by Alice Hoffman. I have to say that they feel like two different entities. I’m still unsure which I like better. Each has its own virtues.
 
Movie:I’ll start with this since, I watched it first. This is the story of two sisters, Sally and Gillian who come to live with their aunts.  The thing is, they are from a long line of witches and the whole town knows it. Sally, the main character has a real talent for magic but she swears off of it after her husband dies, though she still dabbles in it. That and Gillian’s poor love life are the basis of the story. I love the themes of family, community, love, and magic that are presented in the story.  I especially love this story for the witches and magic that is in it. It makes me feel that anything is possible. I also love the aunts in this, they are great comic relief with their crazy attitudes.

 
Novel: This story still focuses on Sally and Gillian, but add Sally’s teenage daughters, Antonia and Kylie. In the movie they are still children, but the book goes more in to depth with their lives. The changes start when Sally moves away from her aunts’ after her husband’s death.  She moves somewhere no one knows of her or her family. Over the years she earns the respect of the town. Her older daughter Antonia is the queen bee while her younger daughter is a mouse. Their regular life is disrupted when Gillian brings her problems in one visit. Gillian turns things upside down and in the end they all discover who they truly are. There is still a touch of the supernatural, but it’s not as prevalent. Sally actually doesn’t believe in magic here, at least not until the end. Still, the themes of family and love are still there. I do miss the aunts and wished they were in the book more.
 
I have to say that I love both, for different reasons. I recommend reading and watching Practical magic if you haven’t done so already.

Be sure to check out the other Participants in the Alice Hoffman Blog Hop.