Welcome, book friends!
To listen to my real-time reaction to this book and movie, you can check out the full episode on The Bookmarks ‘n Blankets Podcast on your favorite podcast platform or listen below.
I’d love to know your thoughts on the book if you’ve read it, or the movie if you’ve watched it. I invite you to leave a comment on X (Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram.
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Welcome back to another Pages to Popcorn episode, where I dive into both the book and the movie to see how they compare. This time, I explored Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, a story filled with sisterhood, love, loss, and a hint of magic. I read the novel first, then watched the beloved 1998 film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman to see how the two stack up against each other.
While both versions share the same enchanting premise, they tell the story in very different ways. One leans into realism and family drama, while the other embraces cozy witchy charm and cinematic magic. In this post, I’m breaking down what worked, what didn’t, and which version cast the stronger spell.
Author Spotlight
Alice Hoffman has been enchanting readers for more than 50 years with her signature blend of lyrical prose, emotional depth, and touches of magic. Now in her seventies, Hoffman began her literary career with a short story published in a magazine, an opportunity that led to an unexpected question from an editor: “Do you have a novel?” She didn’t yet, but that challenge inspired her to write one.
At just 21, while studying at Stanford, she penned her debut novel Property Of, which launched an extraordinary writing career. Since then, Hoffman has become one of the most distinguished novelists in contemporary fiction, publishing over 30 novels, three short story collections, and eight books for children and young adults.
Her work often explores themes of family, love, loss, and resilience, always with a touch of wonder. Her novels have been selected for Oprah’s Book Club and Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club and have frequently appeared on The New York Times bestseller list. They’ve also been named notable books of the year by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, Library Journal, and People Magazine.
Hoffman continues to write across genres and age groups, from adult and young adult fiction to middle grade stories. Her most recent release, When We Flew Away, is a World War II historical fiction novel for middle-grade readers, proof that even after five decades, she’s still finding new ways to inspire readers of all ages.
You can learn more about Alice Hoffman, follow her on GoodReads, and on social media here.
Learn more about the cult-classic 90s movie here.
Listen to the Practical Magic soundtrack on Spotify.
