Product Description

From one of the most captivating storytellers in American fiction comes a tale of two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, brought up by their two elderly guardian aunts in a world of spells and exotica. As the magical charm of their childhood wears away, they escape from this mystical mayhem - one by running away, the other by marrying. Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust them together again, and once more they are in a place that blends the mundane and mysterious, the familiar and fantastic, the normal and the numinous. Three generations of Owens women are brought together in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching all of them that such perceptions are rare and wonderful and - to be sure - practical.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57761 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 280 pages

Review
Two sisters live with their guardian aunts in an antique creaking house where toads cackle in the backyard and village women call to collect love potions or to learn useful magic spells. The nieces need to get away from their unusual background. One elopes with a villain; the other marries a good man, but there is no escape from magic in this family. A highly original tale of murder, magic and mayhem that is immensely readable and ultimately cheering. (Kirkus UK)

Kate Atkinson, Independent
'A great atmospheric storyteller…Her books are a real pleasure – practical magic’

The Times
‘Like her contemporaries, Carol Shields and Alice Munro, Hoffman has an acute eye for detail…Hoffman writes with heartbreaking clarity’

Customer Reviews

not one of the best
I'm really surprised by other people's reviews of this book. I've just finished it and thought it was very average and the least favourite out of the Alice Hoffman books which I've read - The Probable Future being my favourite.

At one point I thought I was reading a book aimed at teenagers as the language seemed to be so simple but then the swearing made me realise it wasn't. I was really glad to finish it.

fantastic, one to keep and read again...
I accidently watched the film adaptation one evening when there was nothing else on t.v, the film was quite good considering that it had been given the Hollywood treatment so I thought I'd give the book a go, Im so glad I did its one of the best books I have ever read, the author has the ability to make you really visualise the wisteria, roses etc.. and to feel the weather and moods of all the people in the story, some "witchy, magical" books for adults are written in a very childish manner leaving you feeling a little patronised but this one is a big exception !!.

Highly recommend this book its really a feelgood story which is quite different from Hoffmans other tales which are a little on the depressive side to say the least.... 10 out of 10 for this one though..

Feel good magic to leave you smiling
I came to this book after wearing out the DVD I've got of the movie. As with many adaptations, the book is the superior, even if as a result of loving the movie so much, my images of the characters are firmly entrenched. This is a book to make you want to hug yourself at the end, I certainly found myself grinning like a loon when I finished it up on the bus to work. For those who dont know the story, its a tale of two sisters and how they learn to love themselves and each other, and of course their men! To spice it up there is death and curses, mad aunts and magic. The magic is subtle but present throught the book, a bit like the gardens and the weather that also feature. It's just another facet of the character's lives. I'll definetly be reading another Alice Hoffmann book and am looking forward to passing Practical Magic - the book - on to my fellow DVD addicts!