Gillian's love life

In both the book and the movie, Gillian runs away from home and embarks on a series of failed relationships, ending with the abusive Jimmy. She returns home to ask Sally for help, and, in a dangerous situation, she kills Jimmy. His death and the subsequent return of his malicious spirit form the bulk of the movie's plot. Gillian is uninterested in finding love after Jimmy, focused instead on keeping herself and her sister safe. In the book, however, she does fall in love again, with a man named Ben. Both sisters get happy romantic endings in the novel.

Sally's love life

In both the book and the film, Sally's husband and the father of her children dies suddenly, due to the Owens family curse. Much of the film is about her grieving this loss while she's falling in love with Gary, the investigator working on the case. While the book follows this same basic plot, it's not as prominent, as Gary doesn't appear until close to the end of the novel.

Jimmy's storyline

Gillian returns home after years away with the dead body of her abusive boyfriend in her car, and begs Sally for help. From here, the movie and book diverge significantly. In the book, Sally helps Gillian bury his body, but his vengeful spirit comes back from the dead, threatening them both. Eventually, the aunts help them put his spirit to rest. The film version is a bit more dramatic and high-stakes: Jimmy's spirit returns to possess Gillian's body. Sally, the aunts, and the women of the town form a coven and, together, banish Jimmy from Gillian's body, breaking the curse forever.

How do the characters differ in the Practical Magic adaptation?

Gillian and Sally

Though their relationship with one another differs between the book and film, their personalities in the film are true to the novel. Gillian is the more wild, free-spirited of the two, and Sally is more even-tempered and risk-averse. The biggest differences between the characters in the book and the film have to do with their families, love interests, and attitudes toward magic.

The Aunts (Frances and Jet)

Gillian and Sally's aunts, Frances and Jet, play a much larger role in the movie. Played by Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest, the two eccentric and lovable witches are almost synonymous with the Practical Magic movie—it's impossible to imagine the film without their humor, charm, and candor. In the book, the aunts have less developed personal backstories.

Sally's Daughters (Kylie and Antonia)

In the movie, Sally's daughters, Kylie and Antonia, are much younger than they are in the book, and they play a relatively small role. They get into some harmless trouble in their quest to set their mom up with her love interest, but they don't have much in the way of their own stories. In the film, they're much older (Kylie in her early teens and Antonia in her late teens), and have fully developed coming-of-age storylines, as well as their own love interests. In some ways, the book reads like a double coming-of-age novel, as readers witness both Sally and Gillian, and later, the next generation in Kylie and Antonia, wrestle with their magical heritage and come into themselves.

How does the movie differ in tone from the novel?

There's a reason the Practical Magic movie became the beloved cult classic that it is: It's lush, romantic, and full of cozy fall vibes with just the right amount of atmospheric spookiness. In general, the film is a lot lighter in tone than the book. There's an edge of danger, of course (the tension has to come from somewhere!), but at heart, it's a story about witchy sisters who live in a beautiful old house with their aunts. Quite a few humorous scenes scattered throughout offset the darker storyline about Gillian's abusive boyfriend.

The book is much darker and more contemplative, with a more intense focus on Gillian and Sally's tumultuous coming-of-age. There's less comedic relief and a more potent sense of danger. Adding to the novel's overall darker tone is Gillian and Sally's relationship, which is very strained. Their eventual reconnection is a large, emotionally significant part of the book, but it is entirely absent from the movie.

Is the ending of Practical Magic different in the book?

There are lots of small differences in the ending between the book and the film. In the book, Gillian ends up with Ben, who doesn't appear in the film. The sisters have an emotional reconciliation in the book that isn't in the film because their relationship hadn't frayed in the same way.

The biggest difference has to do with Jimmy's spirit and how the sisters end up putting it to rest. The film ends on a triumphant note, with the women of the town coming together in a coven to banish Jimmy's spirit. In the process, the Owens family curse is finally broken. The ending of the book is quieter: Sally and Gillian team up with the aunts and Sally's daughters to brew a potion that disappears Jimmy's restless body forever. There's no mention of whether the curse is broken, but everyone appears to live happily ever after.