Book Annotations

[Kim, iReader]

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[Kim, iReader]

Hoffman's "Practical Magic" is a complex and interwoven story about Gillian and Sally Owens who navigate their fears and hopes. After growing up in the home of their strange aunts who are known locally as "witches", Gillian and Sally scramble to distance themselves from their roots and their heritage each in their own way - Gillian runs away and falls into relationship after relationship while Sally sets down iron roots and studiously avoids making connections while raising her two daughters.

After Gillian arrives unexpectedly with a dead man, their careful facades begin to wear down as they are both forced to face all the aspects of their true selves - elements that all women face at some point in their lives: sexuality, loss, ambition, trauma, dependency, confidence, abuse, control, beauty, forgiveness, and love.

Suggested for readers familiar with Hoffman's somewhat blunt tone and complex charactizations and for readers wanting realistic, gritty "human drama" stories. Note: the movie adaption starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock that was adapted from this book is a far more gentle, romantic production and is NOT suggested as a related work.