Dreaming

In their prime, Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie, had no problem conjuring up spells, causing chaos, fighting off evil, and sometimes creating alittle evil of their own. Now, as the trio travels back to their home town of Eastwick, their past seems to be a dream-like fantasy. Nothing they do when they return seems right or normal to them. To these three women, the new town of Eastwick, invaded by hockey moms and househusbands, goes against everything they know. It is like they are in a virtual reality and a dream like trance trying to fight their way out, but keep getting trapt in its grasp. The hold this town, their past memories, and their new memories have on them is a hyperreality. The line between what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen has been blurred and you dont know which way the story will go or if it will take a turn for the worst. This imagination twist makes it feel like you are there with Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie as they try to "counterspell conformity."

Time

Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie were brilliant witches and in their prime in the 1970s. Time change and the passing of time is a major factor in the essence of this book. The three witches believe that by conjuring up their husbands and leaving their home town was a huge mistake on their part. As they wander back to their homely town, they realize how much the times and values of life have changed. They then realize that they arent afriaid of sin and neglect. They were neglegant mothers to their children and now see how little time they have for their grandchildren. These three witches are coming to grips with the fact that they are deteriorating and won't be around much longer and want to make amends, but nothing they do seems right to them and their old ways: forgiveness is a foreign concept to them and don't know how to start. As they try to change their ways, they realize that nature is beginning to turn against them and time seems to stand still while they revisit and work out the kinks of their past lives in this little town, as time dwindles on.