I had not seen Practical Magic since the movie first came out in 1998, so I didn't really remember the characters at all - or really even what it was about. Since this is a prequel, that really didn't matter. This book is about the three children of Susanna Owens, a descendent of Maria Owens who was accused of witchery hundreds of years earlier.
Susanna's three children are Franny, Jet (Bridget) and Vincent. Susanna tries to keep her children away from anything "magical" and from learning about who they really are. They all know of the "Owen's Curse", which is that if they fall in love, the person they love will die. It's pretty difficult to keep people away from who they really are, especially when they have special powers like reading people's minds, seeing into the future and moving objects with your mind. The Owens children each have their special gifts and since they have been "denied" them, it seems to make their lives worse. They are struggling with their lack of knowledge - or too much knowledge that they don't understand, especially Vincent. Vincent has a glimpse into his future and since he doesn't understand many things about himself he doesn't understand what it all means. He is deeply unhappy in the present.
Franny and Jet are busy falling in love at a young age, which they know is terrible because their loved ones could die from that love. So they spend a lot of time trying to deny their love, or disguise it into a different feeling. Eventually they go to visit their Aunt Isabelle in Massachusetts, where everyone knows the Owens family and their history. The Owens are basically "shunned" out of fear - UNLESS someone wants one of Isabelle's special magical concoctions for whatever ails them. At Isabelle's home they meet their cousin April. April's middle name is "trouble". She, also, is unhappy because she isn't free to be the person she wants to be. She is very successful fighting against the restraints however.
So, these four young people develop a strong bond, although April, and eventually Vincent, go their own ways. (April actually falls in love with Vincent, but Vincent doesn't share the same feeling. It is their brief "union" though, which carries us into future Owen generations and into the time of Practical Magic.) There is certainly a lot of tragic events (mostly deaths), so it isn't necessarily a feel-happy book. All four of them spend a lot of time just trying to get by financially and emotionally. They deny who they really are for too long. But once they each let some of their preconceived notions go, they all find a sort of happiness.
After I finished this book, I popped Practical Magic into my DVD player to continue the story. Franny & Jet are the older sisters in that movie. I think the theme of these stories is: accept who you are and you will be happier. Be true to thine self. ;)
Wendy's Rating: ****
