By then, three generations of Owens women must make their peace with their painful pasts. Practical Magic is almost impossible to summarize, and I wouldn't want to give away any details of its bewitching plot. Suffice to say that both Gillian and Sally find love in unexpected ways that, contrary to their childhood fears, enrich rather than deplete them. In the meantime, the reader is treated to Alice Hoffman's unusual world, where sparrows in the house portend sorrow, and where ghosts haunt the living by causing constant bad luck. The surrealism of the novel is somewhat reminiscent of the cult television classic Twin Peaks, but the tone is much warmer and hopeful.
Strange things happen, but in the end love is triumphant.
Frankly, I can't think of a better way to review this unusual novel than to include several direct quotations to give you a flavor of Alice Hoffman's unique voice. I plan to stay far away from the movie, because even if it is a decent adaptation, seeing it can't approach the special experience of reading the book. Practical Magic is magic, and a definite keeper.