Let’s go, witches! It was announced earlier this year that a sequel to the beloved cult classic movie Practical Magic, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman with some of the best hair ever captured on film, is officially happening.
And though no release date is set yet for Practical Magic 2, fans of the beloved film can expect it sometime next year.
As we eagerly anticipate this film, and with Halloween right around the corner, now is the perfect time to revisit the original Practical Magic book series by author Alice Hoffman. Break out the tipsy chocolate cake and midnight margaritas, we’re ranking the four books in this series from best to worst.
1. Magic Lessons
Magic Lessons is the third book Alice Hoffman wrote in the series, but it’s the earliest chronologically.
A prequel, this book gives readers the origin story of the Owens family matriarch Maria Owens, that mystical ancestress whose portrait still keeps watch over the generations of Owens who reside in the house on Magnolia Street.
Hoffman, who is well known for her magical realism, tells a spellbinding story of an orphan girl in 1600s England who is taken in and raised by Hannah Owens, a local healer woman long rumored to be a witch. Hannah and Maria reside in a cottage on the outskirts of a forest, where Maria shows promise with skills and talents of her own.
Magic Lessons takes Maria on an emotional journey from England to Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island, and finally to Massachusetts. Will she forsake love, or give in to its power? After all, this book also delves into the infamous Owens family curse.
Not only is this a great book in the Practical Magic series, but it’s a stunning work of historical fiction, detailing three pivotal times and places in history, from witch burnings in Europe to the beginnings of the witch frenzy in colonial New England. Each setting depicted in this book was lush and wonderfully written.
And not only does it detail Maria Owens’ life, but we get to know her daughter, Faith, as well. Whereas Practical Magic deals with sisters, this features a great mother-daughter relationship.
It has it all: romance, tragedy, magic, history, and well-rounded, strong female protagonists. It even works well as a standalone.
2. The Rules of Magic
Practical Magic—both book and movie—captivate fans with two standout characters: eccentric sisters Franny and Jet Owens. In The Rules of Magic, Hoffman tells us their origin story, growing up in New York City.
Unbeknownst to us readers up until this point, Franny and Jet have a younger brother, Vincent. He quickly steals the show in this book, becoming as much of a fan favorite as his sisters.
Like Magic Lessons, The Rules of Magic is full of emotional twists and turns. It’s also a bittersweet coming-of-age story for three Owens siblings. It’s magical to read about how they discover and come into their individual power.
The Rules of Magic is layered, with many interwoven plots and stories playing out throughout the novel. It’s full of heart, romance, love, and the bonds of family and siblings. The plot is slow and mellow, a gentle dance through NYC and into the iconic Owens family home on Magnolia Street.
Hoffman’s own brand of magical realism truly shines here. But be warned: her choice to end this book happily for some characters and not others is a little off-putting.
3. Practical Magic
The OG of the series, first published in 1995 with the film following three years later, Practical Magic started it all, introducing the world to Sally and Gillian, two orphaned sisters who go to live with their mysterious aunts in Massachusetts.
As they grow, they realize there is more to them than meets the eye. Black cats constantly follow Sally around town, and many townspeople avoid the family altogether—unless they are in desperate need of a love spell.
But Gillian grows restless and leaves to find love and adventure outside of their cozy little town. Sally stays, and her life follows a very different path.
Even though the book and its movie adaptation vary differently, both are worth the experience. It’s not easy ranking the book that started it all as number three on this list, but that goes to show how much more magical its prequels are!
Alice Hoffman, as always, writes beautiful prose, but if you’re looking for a heart-pounding plot, this is probably not the book for you. It’s also not nearly as witchy as the other books in this series. Most of this book takes place in summer, so it’s not the coziest or best to curl up to read each October.
It’s a beautiful tale about sisterhood, with two sisters and their relationship taking the forefront. Hoffman certainly worked out some kinks with her later books.
4. The Book of Magic
Each additional entry in the Practical Magic series was highly anticipated. But while the two prequels delivered and then some, the direct sequel, The Book of Magic, was a bit of a disappointment.
Hoffman seems to have lost some of her magic touch. It’s still worth the read to see what becomes of our beloved Owens family and how they try to thwart the curse that’s been following their family for 400 years.
Characters from multiple Owens generations are back in this book, returning to the beloved house on Magnolia Street. They also journey to Europe, to try and find a cure for the curse Maria Owens placed on her bloodline. Will they succeed and be able to fall in love without fear of the curse?
Overall, this book just does not feel nearly as remarkable as the rest in the series. The plot becomes jumbled and the characters almost feel like caricatures as opposed to their old selves that we know and love.
There are quite a few plot holes and inconsistencies, which may bother some detail-oriented readers. We spend so much time on minor characters and their backstories, which doesn’t add to the book.
There is still some of Hoffman’s trademark beautiful language and magical realism, but that’s this book’s strongest point.
While each book in the series deals with its share of heartbreak and loss, The Book of Magic’s feels the most unfair. The very book description gives away that this book begins with the death of a beloved character, which doesn’t really bode well.
And much like how it begins, The Book of Magic sadly ends with the death of another beloved character.
Here’s hoping the movie sequel, Practical Magic 2, will be a bit better.
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Amanda Larch Hinchman
Amanda Larch works as a writer and editor when she’s not in the middle of a good book. Learn more about her work and view her portfolio at www.amandalarchwriter.com/ and keep up with her on Goodreads @_groovyginger_.
