Like many readers, I have to admit that the movie adaptation outshines the book. This was my first time reading Alice Hoffman, and while I can see why her lyrical writing style has fans, it won’t appeal to everyone. The prose is dense with description and light on dialogue, which often makes it feel fragmented, almost like a collection of loosely connected short stories rather than a cohesive novel. The narrative shifts frequently between points of view and timelines, which adds to the choppy flow and lack of a clear plot. 

I enjoyed the first half more than the second, which takes a darker turn, especially once Sally’s daughters become teenagers. For sensitive readers, it’s worth noting that there’s an attempted sexual assault scene (though nothing explicit happens on the page). The book also includes profanity and suggestive, vulgar language, but no on-page spicy content.

If you’re expecting a rich, witchy story filled with spells and enchantment, this might not be the book for you. The magical elements are subtle, almost secondary to the themes of family, womanhood, and resilience. I’d describe it more as women’s fiction or contemporary fiction with a touch of magical realism rather than a true witchy tale.

While I was disappointed by the minimal magic and the lack of a strong central plot, I did enjoy exploring the characters. I was surprised that the beloved aunts, Franny and Jet, play such a small role here, which makes me eager to read their prequel story. This story primarily centers on sisters Sally and Gillian, and then later on, Sally’s daughters, Antonia and Kylie. Unlike in the movie, we see the girls grow into teenagers, giving the story a coming-of-age feel. I appreciated the themes of sisterhood, family bonds, and women’s empowerment, though at times the feminist messaging felt a bit heavy-handed. I also found the repeated physical descriptions unnecessary and distracting.

There was so much potential for this to be an unforgettable witchy read, especially with the ghostly presence of Jimmy, but it ultimately fell flat. Despite that, I’m glad I read it and plan to continue the series since I’ve heard the later books are better.

In the end, this book didn’t quite live up to its cult-classic reputation for me. I prefer the film adaptation, which focuses more on the warmth, humor, and sisterly magic that I wanted from the book. The movie captures the charm and supernatural spark that the novel only hints at.

If you’ve read the book, definitely watch the movie. If you’ve only seen the film, I’d say you can safely skip the novel unless you’re curious about how it all began. I might revisit it someday to see if it resonates differently, but for now, it was an interesting yet underwhelming read.

****This book is part of a Pages to Popcorn episode, which you can listen to here.