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 love (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’ family. In total, three other 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, allowing us to really get to know them and their family history, and bring the story of the Owens’ witches to a gentle close (well, unless more books come out, of course!). To begin your adventure with this magical series, first decide which order you will read the books in.

In what Order Should I Read the Practical Magic Books?

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, starting with Practical Magic, will first make you familiar with the modern era of witches, provide a touch of family lore, and contextualize the relationship between these women and magic before traveling back in time (in The Rules of Magic) to learn all about the upbringing of the aunts, Jet and Franny. The next book, Magic Lessons, takes you even further back, to learn about the life and trials of Maria Owens, the first witch in their clan. 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 into 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 2000’s. See the chart below for the books listed in release and chronological order!

Many of us either saw the film or read the original novel, Practical Magic, and there is something truly lovely about 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, the aunt’s circumstances, and the story behind Sally and Gillian’s parents and grandparents. On the other hand, chronological order flows seamlessly from the original Owens witches to the modern practitioners, providing a solid foundation and understanding of their family curse and generational patterns. I, however, 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 by Maria. Maria, who was betrayed in love, cast a spell against all in her bloodline in order to protect them from love in the future. This, however, is only a small piece of her exciting life story. While her intentions were good, later generations of Owens witches deal with great suffering and loss due to their family curse. It causes them to make great and heart-wrenching sacrifices; they often lose themselves attempting to reverse the curse, or else 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. We often discover, even in their extended family, that two sisters are born to each family, one with red or blonde hair and one with black, one 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 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 and different.

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 2^nd 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 Owns 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 here. Enjoy!