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A review by hanxiety
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Updated re-read review: 4/5
25 year-old me liked this book much better than 19 year-old me.
3.5/5
So I definitely have mixed feelings about this book. I was recommended it by a friend who LOVES it, and we like similar things, so I thought, why not? When I finally decided to start reading it, it took me about 3 months to read 150-some pages before I practically DNF'ed. Then last month, I decided to start it over and found it far more engaging. However, this book is still sort of boring. Lev Grossman's way of writing is so depressing and wordy that it takes a while to get into. Even once I got into the book again, it still took me a long time just to read a few pages.
If you're looking for high action fantasy, this is not a book I would recommend. There's a lot of world-building, and while the world is actually really interesting, it kind of gets in the way of plot. The book is also a little disjointed in that probably the first half is devoted to Brakebills and then the rest happens in a couple different locations. The time span of the book is around 6 years which is kind of a lot for one novel.
I also wouldn't go into this book looking for "college Harry Potter mixed with Narnia", which is sort of what my understanding of the book was. It really isn't much like HP at all, except that it also involves a wizarding school, though Brakebills is far more cold and unwelcoming than Hogwarts. Fillory does shared some similarities with Narnia, but it's more nightmarish. Basically The Magicians takes the innocence and happiness of childhood fantasy-lands and makes them grotesque.
Despite all the complaints above, I actually did enjoy the book. It isn't a favorite by any means, but it was still enjoyable. I would say the last quarter or so of the book is the most interesting, though there were other moments when I was really engaged as well. I think the best part was the characters. They were interesting and well-developed. Quentin is an unlikable, yet likable protagonist, who does things that you will hate but yet somehow make him more relatable and human. More than anything, this is his story. It's more character-driven than plot-driven and I think I was thrown off by that at first.
So yes, I would recommend this, but know what you're getting into first.
25 year-old me liked this book much better than 19 year-old me.
3.5/5
So I definitely have mixed feelings about this book. I was recommended it by a friend who LOVES it, and we like similar things, so I thought, why not? When I finally decided to start reading it, it took me about 3 months to read 150-some pages before I practically DNF'ed. Then last month, I decided to start it over and found it far more engaging. However, this book is still sort of boring. Lev Grossman's way of writing is so depressing and wordy that it takes a while to get into. Even once I got into the book again, it still took me a long time just to read a few pages.
If you're looking for high action fantasy, this is not a book I would recommend. There's a lot of world-building, and while the world is actually really interesting, it kind of gets in the way of plot. The book is also a little disjointed in that probably the first half is devoted to Brakebills and then the rest happens in a couple different locations. The time span of the book is around 6 years which is kind of a lot for one novel.
I also wouldn't go into this book looking for "college Harry Potter mixed with Narnia", which is sort of what my understanding of the book was. It really isn't much like HP at all, except that it also involves a wizarding school, though Brakebills is far more cold and unwelcoming than Hogwarts. Fillory does shared some similarities with Narnia, but it's more nightmarish. Basically The Magicians takes the innocence and happiness of childhood fantasy-lands and makes them grotesque.
Despite all the complaints above, I actually did enjoy the book. It isn't a favorite by any means, but it was still enjoyable. I would say the last quarter or so of the book is the most interesting, though there were other moments when I was really engaged as well. I think the best part was the characters. They were interesting and well-developed. Quentin is an unlikable, yet likable protagonist, who does things that you will hate but yet somehow make him more relatable and human. More than anything, this is his story. It's more character-driven than plot-driven and I think I was thrown off by that at first.
So yes, I would recommend this, but know what you're getting into first.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Alcoholism
Minor: Pedophilia