TV - Movies
Book's Big Change
In Hocus Pocus 2
Explained
By CAMERON ROY HALL
Warning: This article contains spoilers for "Hocus Pocus 2."
SPOILER WARNING!
29 years after the original, Disney has released "Hocus Pocus 2," a sequel that brings the Sanderson sisters back for one more nostalgic adventure, but the new offering does change things up a bit. While not technically a character, the book of spells (fully entitled "The Manual of Witchcraft and Alchemy") gets something of an emotional makeover, so let's break it down the best we can.
In the first film, The Manual of Witchcraft and Alchemy was presented as a mostly inanimate object that would interact with its user through evil magic, not personality. But in "Hocus Pocus 2," Book is shown to experience emotions, such as fear and sadness, presenting the book as a thinking, sentient creature.
"Hocus Pocus 2" shows power passing to a new generation, represented by the book of spells changing hands. By giving the Manual of Witchcraft and Alchemy a personality, the sequel lends weight to the cyclical exchange by suggesting that it fosters a bond with each user.