This week on Magnolia Street, we’re diving deep into the woman who started it all: Maria Owens.

From abandoned child, to healer, to accused witch, to the ancestral matriarch of the Owens bloodline, we trace Maria’s journey across all four books in the Practical Magic series and unpack how one broken heart shaped generations of Owens women to come.

We explore:
• Maria’s relationship with John Hathorne and the true origins of the curse
• The emotional and symbolic meaning behind her sapphire necklace
• The evolution of her legacy across Magic Lessons, The Rules of Magic, Practical Magic, and The Book of Magic
• The grimoire, the black mirror, Magnolia Street, and the enduring symbolism of blue throughout the series
• How Maria transformed from folklore and ghost story into one of the most emotionally tragic and misunderstood characters in the Owens universe

We also discuss the deeper themes Alice Hoffman weaves through Maria’s story:
inherited trauma, feminine power, forbidden knowledge, survival, grief, and whether the Owens curse was ever truly about magic at all… or simply fear disguised as protection.

So light a candle, pour yourself something warm, and join us as we unravel the woman whose heartbreak haunted an entire bloodline.

Because before Sally, before Gillian, before Jet and Franny…there was Maria Owens.

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QUIBEY SOURCESDISCLAIMER:

The Magnolia Street Podcast intends to discuss the movie, “Practical Magic” in its entirety. This will evidently result in spoilers and it is recommended that you watch and or read the following. Alice Hoffman’s: Practical Magic, Rules of Magic, Magic Lessons, Book of Magic.

The Magnolia Street Podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional or medical advice. Do not attempt any of the discussed actions, solutions, or remedies without first consulting a qualified professional. It should be noted that we are not medical professionals and therefore we are not responsible or liable for any injuries or illnesses resulting from the use of any information on our website or in our media.

The Magnolia Street Podcast presenters, Kristina Babich and Justina Carubia are passionate fans of Alice Hoffman’s work and the Practical Magic word she has created. There is no copyright infringement intended, all characters and story lines are that of Alice Hoffman. We do not own any of that material as well as any of the move score music shared within the podcast.

All intellectual property rights concerning personally written music and or shared art are vested in Magnolia Street Podcast. Copying, distributing and any other use of these materials is not permitted without the written permission from Kristina Babich and Justina Carubia.

As Practical Magic 2 approaches this September, we’re beginning a special lead-up series here on Magnolia Street—revisiting all four books (chronologically) in the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman to help freshen up the Owens family story before the next film arrives.

In this first installment, we start with Magic Lessons, the origin story of the earliest Owens ancestor, Maria.

Together, we’ll walk through the major characters, family connections, timelines, emotional threads, and the moments that matter most moving forward into The Book of Magic—the novel that inspired the upcoming sequel film.

In this episode:

✨ Character breakdowns

✨ Timeline & story structure

✨ A note from Alice Hoffman

✨ Full summary of Magic Lessons

✨ Connections that carry into the rest of the series

Next month, we move into The Rules of Magic—following Jet, Franny, and Vincent Owens in the 1960s as the family curse begins tightening its grip.

So grab your Midnight Margaritas and settle in… we’re heading back to Magnolia Street!

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DISCLAIMER:

The Magnolia Street Podcast intends to discuss the movie, “Practical Magic” in its entirety. This will evidently result in spoilers and it is recommended that you watch and or read the following. Alice Hoffman’s: Practical Magic, Rules of Magic, Magic Lessons, Book of Magic.

The Magnolia Street Podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional or medical advice. Do not attempt any of the discussed actions, solutions, or remedies without first consulting a qualified professional. It should be noted that we are not medical professionals and therefore we are not responsible or liable for any injuries or illnesses resulting from the use of any information on our website or in our media.

The Magnolia Street Podcast presenters, Kristina Babich and Justina Carubia are passionate fans of Alice Hoffman’s work and the Practical Magic word she has created. There is no copyright infringement intended, all characters and story lines are that of Alice Hoffman. We do not own any of that material as well as any of the move score music shared within the podcast.

All intellectual property rights concerning personally written music and or shared art are vested in Magnolia Street Podcast. Copying, distributing and any other use of these materials is not permitted without the written permission from Kristina Babich and Justina Carubia.

This week, we’re unraveling the mystery of Amelia Bassano—a poet, court insider, and one of the first Englishwomen to publish her work… who some believe may be connected to the writings of William Shakespeare.

Was she the “Dark Lady” of the sonnets? A muse? Or something more—a voice hidden behind one of the most famous names in history?

With special guest Mallory Trunnell of Crimson Calamity, we explore Shakespeare authorship theories, poetic parallels, and the broader history of women whose contributions were erased or reassigned—also known as the Matilda effect.

We also step into the world of The Book of Magic, where Alice Hoffman reimagines Bassano as part of the Owens lineage, weaving her into the magical history through a fictional grimoire known as The Book of the Raven—a text that preserves women’s knowledge, power, and stories across generations.

Because sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones history tried to forget…and sometimes, they’re the ones that refuse to stay buried.

SOCIALS:

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Sources

DISCLAIMER:

The Magnolia Street Podcast intends to discuss the movie, “Practical Magic” in its entirety. This will evidently result in spoilers and it is recommended that you watch and or read the following. Alice Hoffman’s: Practical Magic, Rules of Magic, Magic Lessons, Book of Magic.

The Magnolia Street Podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional or medical advice. Do not attempt any of the discussed actions, solutions, or remedies without first consulting a qualified professional. It should be noted that we are not medical professionals and therefore we are not responsible or liable for any injuries or illnesses resulting from the use of any information on our website or in our media.

The Magnolia Street Podcast presenters, Kristina Babich and Justina Carubia are passionate fans of Alice Hoffman’s work and the Practical Magic word she has created. There is no copyright infringement intended, all characters and story lines are that of Alice Hoffman. We do not own any of that material as well as any of the move score music shared within the podcast.

All intellectual property rights concerning personally written music and or shared art are vested in Magnolia Street Podcast. Copying, distributing and any other use of these materials is not permitted without the written permission from Kristina Babich and Justina Carubia.