The Practical Magic series
The Practical Magic series is beloved in my family, and rightfully so. These books are all about womanhood, sisterhood, coming-of-age, and magic of course! In recent years, more books have been added to the series to extend the storyline and allow readers to gain a more intimate understanding of the characters, their lives, and the history of the Owens witches.
In total, three books have been added to the series to accompany the original book, Practical Magic, which was released in 1995. The recent additions to the Practical Magic series add a great amount of depth to the characters we know and love. The new books allow us to really get to know their family history and bring the story of the Owens witches to a gentle close. If you have been thinking about starting this series, you may have been wondering which order you should read the books in.
The Practical Magic Book Series
Release Order VS Chronological Order
Before you start reading, consider which order you would like to read the books in! Release order is based on the year each book came out. Chronological order, on the other hand, starts with the earliest Owens witches and follows to the modern generation. There are benefits to reading the books in either order, so read more below to find out which order you would prefer!
Release Order
Practical Magic (1995)
This book, set during the late 90s, is all about the modern era of Owens witches, Sally and Gillian!
The Rules of Magic (2017)
Set during the 1970s this book is about the aunts, Jet and Franny, and their childhood in NYC.
Magic Lessons (2020)
This book explores the life of one of the earliest Owens witches, Maria Owens, in the 1600s.
The Book of Magic (2021)
Set during the 2000s, this book is about the coming-of-age of Sally’s daughters, Kylie and Antonia.
Chronological Order
Magic Lessons (2020)
This book explores the life of one of the earliest Owens witches, Maria Owens, in the 1600s.
The Rules of Magic (2017)
Set during the 1970s this book is about the aunts, Jet and Franny, and their childhood in NYC.
Practical Magic (1995)
This book, set during the late 90s, is all about the modern era of Owens witches, Sally and Gillian!
The Book of Magic (2021)
Set during the 2000s, this book is about the coming-of-age of Sally’s daughters, Kylie and Antonia.
what Order Should I Read the Practical Magic Books In?
You can read the Practical Magic books in the order the books were released or in chronological order. If you read the series in release order, starting with Practical Magic (1995) and ending with The Book of Magic (2021), you’ll have a very exciting and surprising reading experience. Reading the books in this order will first make you familiar with the modern era of witches, provide a touch of family lore, and contextualize the relationship between the Owens women and magic.
The next book in release order, The Rules of Magic, travels back in time to explore the upbringing of the aunts, Jet and Franny. The third book, Magic Lessons, takes you even further back, to learn about the life and trials of Maria Owens, the first witch in their clan. Then, the final book, when reading in release order, is The Book of Magic, which returns to the present-day witches and is a continuation of Sally and Gillian’s lives, but is more heavily focused on Sally’s daughters coming-of-age.
Reading in chronological order is an equally exciting approach. This reading order starts with the life of Maria Owens in the 1600s, then goes on to detail the lives of the aunts during the 1960s-70s and ends with the final two books focused on Sally and Gillian in the modern era during the 90s and early 2000s.
About Release Order VS Chronological Order
Many of us either saw the film or read the original novel, Practical Magic, and there is something truly lovely about reading the series in release order–knowing the modern generation of Owen’s witches and then tracing their lineage back. Release order allows you to first have some investment in the generation of witches that the series is mainly focused on and then learn about their family history. It sets the stage for you to understand the family curse, it makes learning about the aunt’s history more exciting, and makes the story behind Sally and Gillian’s parents and grandparents far more surprising. On the other hand, chronological order flows seamlessly from the original Owens witches to the modern practitioners. This provides a solid foundation for understanding their family curse and generational patterns. Personally, however, I find release order to be the most fun!
What are the Practical Magic Books About?
The Practical Magic books follow the lives of the descendants of a witch named Maria Owens while they navigate a family curse placed on them by Maria. Maria, who was betrayed in love, cast a spell against all in her bloodline in order to protect them. While her intentions were good, later generations of Owens witches deal with great suffering and loss due to this curse. It causes them to make great and heart-wrenching sacrifices; they often lose parts of themselves attempting to reverse the curse; or else they reject their magic and love altogether.
The witches we are most familiar with, Jet and Franny, and Sally and Gillian, share some striking resemblances that continue through the bloodline. Even in their extended family, there are usually two sisters born to each couple, one with red or blonde hair and one with black. One sister is very rational while the other is more free-spirited, and they most always suffer a tragic loss early in life. While Maria’s curse causes them great pain, we also see the strength and resolve that the curse brings out of them. They are each forced to face deep truths about their patterns and emotions in order to heal; they learn to embrace their true power; and ultimately come to acknowledge the strengths that come from being powerful, different, and accepting love into their lives.
There is no remedy for love but to love more.
-Henry David Thoreau
Final Word
This beloved book and film series is rumored to have a 2nd movie in the making, so be sure to brush up on your knowledge of the Owens witches, or wait to be pleasantly surprised when the new film is released. Here we will discuss some of the differences between the new film and recent books, but in the meantime, check out our article all about Maria Owens herself (Spoilers Ahead!). You can also check out our Practical Magic Hub, which houses individual articles discussing each book, articles on characters, and other topics relating to the series.
The Practical Magic Hub
Here you can find articles on all things Practical Magic, from book reviews to character analysis to comparisons between the books and films!
