Play Book Tag discussion

Practical Magic – Alice Hoffman
Book on CD narrated by Christina Moore
3***

The Owens women have always been known for their beauty and have always had magical powers. But when sisters Gillian and Sally are orphaned, they are taken in by their older aunts and endure years of taunting and teasing in their Massachusetts town. They turn their backs on magic and set out on their own. Years later, Gillian is twice divorced and living in Tucson with a very bad man. Older sister Sally is widowed with two young daughters of her own, settled in upstate New York. Then one rainy night, Gillian appears on Sally’s doorstep … with a dead man in her car. And things get weirder and weirder from that point forward.

I remember the movie starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock – vaguely. I remember I thought little of it and quickly forgot it. I resisted reading anything by Hoffman as a result. But a particular challenge drew me to this work at this time, and I have to say that I’m glad I read it.

Hoffman is a great storyteller and she does a marvelous job weaving this “fairy tale for adults.” Her characters and much more complex that I was expecting. Like all fairy tales there is a lesson here. Hoffman deals with sibling rivalry, with forgiveness, with the pull of family and the desire for independence.

Christina Moore does a splendid job reading the audiobook. I loved being read to by her!





LINK to my review