A review by brettashleyyy
The Magus by John Fowles

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

If this book taught me anything, it’s that the concept of psychosexual mind games can definitely be overused and can make for a tedious book. With a truly irredeemable “anti-hero”(?) protagonist and no other really likeable characters, I felt very little about the minds we were playing games with. I also cannot shake how the protagonist views women like they constantly owe him something and how it affects most of his decisions in this book. Following a narcissist trying to keep his pride through 600 pages of this kinda pretentious prose can be a lot, so it ended up taking me the whole summer to read. I thought, “Oh, it’s set in Greece, what a fun summer read!” Nah. Although I believe the writing can shine at times, and I respect the concept, I do not recommend as the end will leave you just as bitter as the protagonist.