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nicola4e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Grief
Minor: War
aislinn_mcd_harrison's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Questions to ask book club:
Is the curse real?
What do you think Alice Hoffman’s writing about youth and beauty and age?
Do you think Franny is consistent?
What do you think of how she portrayed real events like the Vietnam war and the stonewall riots?
Did you like the siblings? Who was your favourite?
This book is a prequel and the ending fairly unapologetically has nothing to do with the book you’ve read and is a preamble to practical magic - did it make you want to read the next one and why?
Graphic: Blood, Cancer, War, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual content
saltycoffee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Cancer, Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Adult/minor relationship
martamae77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Car accident
Moderate: War, Sexual content, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide attempt and Animal death
shel_bay11's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Cancer, Death, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, and War
scam_lark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Car accident, Homophobia, and Sexual content
taylorjayne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Minor: War, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
jacquelynjoan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Mental illness, Death, Homophobia, and Drug use
bunchofbeereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Death, Child death, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
allyhoo811's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
My Issues:
2. I wanted more resolution to what the "curse" really was. Towards the end of the book, it seemed like the author was trying to get across the message that the curse had always just been in the minds of the family members, but then when Sally and Gillian's parents died it was written as if the curse had caught up with them. Doesn't ruin the story, but I didn't like feeling that you could actually trick the "curse", by doing things like changing your name or by living separately and not marrying.
Note: This story is told by a third person, omniscient narrator. There is a lot of head hopping. I found it worked fine for me (when it usually doesn't), but just know that going in.
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Terminal illness, and Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt