First and Latest
If Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic had been a first novel, it would've been Sarah Addison Allen's Garden Spells. Both books have the same characters: two orphaned sisters raised by elderly relatives, trying to get along in a town that views them as witchy; the bad boy the wild younger sister shacks up with; and the nice guys they come to love. Both Sally Owens and Claire Waverly are talented gardeners: I like the strong-willed but oracular apple tree in the latter's backyard. Garden Spells is similar to Hoffman's The Probable Future (yes, Hoffman writes with the same characters/devices frequently) in that each member of the Waverly family has her own talent. I like that Allen makes uses non-standard superpowers, like OCD. Unfortunately, it's a first novel, with weaker plotting and dialogue than one could hope for. I like this flavor of magical realism though, so I enjoyed it while waiting for Alice Hoffman to write another novel.
Unfortunately, the more Allen writes, the further she seems to get from what I like. Her latest book, The Peach Keeper, is about 2 generations of women's friendships in a Southern town. Like Allen's third novel, there's a bit of a mystery. I read it in one night shortly after I got it from the library, but ultimately found it a very milquetoast book. *sighs* I wonder if Allen is trying to be more commercial, which is why her writing is becoming less unique.
Unfortunately, the more Allen writes, the further she seems to get from what I like. Her latest book, The Peach Keeper, is about 2 generations of women's friendships in a Southern town. Like Allen's third novel, there's a bit of a mystery. I read it in one night shortly after I got it from the library, but ultimately found it a very milquetoast book. *sighs* I wonder if Allen is trying to be more commercial, which is why her writing is becoming less unique.