Firstly, I am totally delayed in posting this review as I finished the book over a week ago and it was a Halloween themed read but never mind. I picked this book for Halloween for two reasons:

1. Because I love the film with Sanda Bullock and Nicole Kidman

2. My Texan friends suggested it as our book club read

It actually isn’t particularly accessible in the UK compared to the states and there was no ‘cheap’ place to buy it (by cheap I mean less than £5) so I think I ordered it off book depository.

Anyway, it tells the story of orphaned sisters Gillian and Sally who are sent to live with their witch aunts as children. They are automatically cast out of society, as although all of the locals call upon the sisters’ talents when it suits them, they disagree with the idea of magic and do not want to associate with them. Gillian; who was always like a magnetic to the male species, runs away with a boy as soon as she can and doesn’t look back, however, Sally; who is always more reserved, sticks with the aunts and meets a man who she marries and lives a happy life with actually having two daughters of her own.

When Sally’s husband dies she has a year where she cannot even function. Her daughters become close to the aunts and again begin to suffer as outcasts; despite Sally’s hard work to integrate them into society. She decides they need a fresh start and begins a new life in New York.

Throughout the years the two sisters live their separate lives simply remaining communicated via telephone and letters until one night Gillian turns up into Sally’s new idyllic life with a dead body in the car.

Warning. This book is slow! The last 50 pages are probably the best part of the book. And it’s even harder as the entire book maybe has four chapters. I was actually the only person in our book club to finish it so far; although a few others are ploughing through. Clearly, the film was adapted really well to make it more interesting. But it’s one to tick off and say I have read.

I’d give it 2/5 stars.