When the World is Everything

I recently re-watched Practical Magic to get in the Halloween mood. It’s one of those comfort movies for me that’s also fun to watch at a specific time of year. I love the witchy elements, the beautiful New England house on a cliff, the constantly roaming black cats, and the dynamics of the small New England town.

I realized that it was a book first and thought, “I should really read that!” But when I read a few reviews I realized the book was very different than the movie. Apparently it’s set in Long Island and it has very little to do so with magic. Additionally, the two sisters don’t live with those fun, magical aunts! So, while I do find the dynamic between the sisters interesting (the bad girl versus the good girl, basically), I realized that, along with the plot, those elements didn’t hold a lot for me. Meaning, it wasn’t the characters or the plot that drew me in, it was entirely the world. 

I love that they dress as angels as girls and eat brownies for breakfast. I love that the aunts are on the witch committee so they must go to the annual conference, which includes dancing under the full moon naked (nudity optional). I love the outfits they wear and the knickknacks and candles around the house and the old spell book that’s passed from generation to generation. 

And who wouldn’t want to live somewhere where midnight margaritas was a tradition!

Do you have any books or movies like that, where the plots and characters aren’t why you re-watch or reread them, you simply like vicariously being part of that world?