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alisarae's review against another edition
This book is like Narnia + Harry Potter + The Goldfinch, for adults. I really liked it even though all of the characters are awful people and terrible things happen.
amyapple's review against another edition
3.0
2.75
Pretentious anti hero characters that don’t do very much but behave like young adults that are hollow inside.
The start moves at a nice pace to get Quentin into the school but then it sorts of starts repeating and pacing get inconsistent… and then last last few chapters took me out of my boredom.
I felt the book tried really hard (too hard) to point out how their magic system is different to others instead of just being its own thing.
I wish there had been more of a plot and characters I cared about that weren’t miserable wealthy kids.
Pretentious anti hero characters that don’t do very much but behave like young adults that are hollow inside.
The start moves at a nice pace to get Quentin into the school but then it sorts of starts repeating and pacing get inconsistent… and then last last few chapters took me out of my boredom.
I felt the book tried really hard (too hard) to point out how their magic system is different to others instead of just being its own thing.
I wish there had been more of a plot and characters I cared about that weren’t miserable wealthy kids.
glowfish36's review against another edition
3.0
Right off the bat, the magical entrance test sparked some pure, childlike joy in my heart. I was thoroughly enthralled by a world where a drawing of a rabbit could come to life and cause shenanigans while you’re still desperately trying to finish drawing it. The world building was exciting, intriguing, complex. The writing style was lovely and flowed well.
However, once the main character enrolls and embarks on his magical journey, I lost my interest with the book. The author is a terrific writer, unfortunately the depressed lens with which he writes the main character seemed to bleed through the entire story. The plot seemed to become mundane and boring... the characters uninteresting... and my interest withered away.
I sort of skimmed through a majority of the book and most likely won’t pick up the next one. Maybe I’ll test out the TV show since people say it’s pretty decent.
However, once the main character enrolls and embarks on his magical journey, I lost my interest with the book. The author is a terrific writer, unfortunately the depressed lens with which he writes the main character seemed to bleed through the entire story. The plot seemed to become mundane and boring... the characters uninteresting... and my interest withered away.
I sort of skimmed through a majority of the book and most likely won’t pick up the next one. Maybe I’ll test out the TV show since people say it’s pretty decent.
emilycsmith's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
2.0
Such a depressing book. I should have listened to the negative reviews.
vhgunter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
venla_reads's review against another edition
2.0
I absolutely love the show and I already knew the book wasn't going to be as good. But I sure as hell didn't expect it to be this bad.
Okay, maybe bad isn't the right word here. The book is just weird. There is basically no plot: the story either drags or moves really fast. And it covers wayyy too much time! Seriously, I feel like I've been reading this for years (probably because it actually covers over five years) although it only took a few days.
I understand Grossman's plain, a bit boring writing style (and surely it is also bc of the main protagonist), but I think the style could've been a bit more magical, vibrant. I'm all for melancholy and self-pity and dark (academia) vibes, but this is categorised as fantasy, right? Sometimes it didn't even feel like a fantasy book.
And all the characters, oh man. I love all of them in the show, even Quentin. Now they were mostly flat and annoying. I don't think I would've finished this, but having already seen the show and being able to replay it in my head helped me make it through.
Okay, maybe bad isn't the right word here. The book is just weird. There is basically no plot: the story either drags or moves really fast. And it covers wayyy too much time! Seriously, I feel like I've been reading this for years (probably because it actually covers over five years) although it only took a few days.
I understand Grossman's plain, a bit boring writing style (and surely it is also bc of the main protagonist), but I think the style could've been a bit more magical, vibrant. I'm all for melancholy and self-pity and dark (academia) vibes, but this is categorised as fantasy, right? Sometimes it didn't even feel like a fantasy book.
And all the characters, oh man. I love all of them in the show, even Quentin. Now they were mostly flat and annoying. I don't think I would've finished this, but having already seen the show and being able to replay it in my head helped me make it through.
graciegrace1178's review against another edition
4.0
So imaginative and unique. Truly the Irish whiskey counterpart to the “weak tea” Harry Potter. The characters are so flippant and blunt I can’t believe I actually liked them, but my god I did. Pretty different from the SyFy series too so lots of surprise twists and turns I was not expecting.
I gotta admit, I liked the beginning a lot more than the end. The set up to the universe was so creative! The middle/end lost my attention a bit, but it was definitely still a good read overall!
I gotta admit, I liked the beginning a lot more than the end. The set up to the universe was so creative! The middle/end lost my attention a bit, but it was definitely still a good read overall!
ylbirda's review against another edition
1.0
I wanted to like the book, I really did. I've seen first three episodes of the series (by SyFy) and I though "what a nice show, let's try the book". So I found the book and started reading, wanting to be able to compare the show afterwards. But, well, it kinda breaks my heart, but I don't like it. I couldn't even finish it. I managed to read about 50 pages and then I gave up. There was something about the book, which made it unlikeable, eventhough I really don't know what it was. Surely the part where "he starred at his yellow-acid piss" didn't helped. Maybe it was the teenage world filled with idiotic annoying teenagers, compared to adult-looking actors in the series. Maybe it was the slow story-telling, which was somehow boring. Maybe there is just something in my brain which doesn't allow me to read YA stuff.
I don't know, and I'm really sorry, because I wanted to like it, but I stick with the series.
I don't know, and I'm really sorry, because I wanted to like it, but I stick with the series.