The Magicians: A Novel Kindle Edition

It’s hard to know where to start with a book like Lev Grossman’s The Magicians. I have never read a book that has given me such mixed feelings. And by mixed feelings, I don’t mean “meh, it was ok”. I mean parts of it were absolutely brilliant, so brilliant that I find the main character Quentin is still hanging around in my head. And parts of it made me so mad that I wanted to put the book down and never pick it up again.The people and relationships that Grossman describes are probably the most realistic I’ve ever seen in the context of a fantasy novel. The main character, Quentin, is moody, depressed, selfish, and a genius who gets to fulfill the average fantasy reader’s greatest dream: Attending a school for magic in place of a normal college. Make no mistake, this is no harry potter tale, because the twist (which isn’t really a spoiler to anyone who is old enough to have graduated from college) is that even though his most secret and unrealistic dream comes true, Quentin is still depressed moody and selfish thereby exposing the myth that circumstances can dictate long term happiness.Grossman subverts the standard “going to magic school for training” narrative in a way that can only be compared to what Alan Moor to does to the standard super hero narrative in The Watchmen. That is, Grossman flips it on its head a tells it in a way that fulfills a lot of the tropes associated with the narrative but because Quentin is so very opposite of Harry Potter a weird upside down sort of tale forms that in the end feels way more realistic. Quentin finds all the magic he could possibly dream of, and it still he can’t be happy, or not for long, then he finds his way into the secondary fantasy world he has always dreamed of, and after the shine wears off he is still not happy, not fulfilled, feels a lack of purpose. The hero is supposed to live happily ever after, not get everything he/she ever wanted and then be unsatisfied. It is made even worse from the reader’s perspective because you can see the real, meaningful things in his life that Quentin just cannot, or will not, recognize. The unwritten refrain in Quentin’s head through the whole novel is “this is not how the story is supposed to go” so he continues searching, thinking there has to be more somehow, somewhere there must be a place where the world is not screwed up, or where Quentin has not screwed it up himself. But by waiting and hoping for that single non-existent something, everything else slips quietly away from him in a bleary haze of booze, and self-pity.There are a number of brilliant scenes interspersed throughout the novel that show just how deep Quentin’s issues go. These scenes, most times, depict Quentin catching one of his friends or acquaintances in their own moments of quiet despair, wrapped in their own self centric narratives. But Quentin is so inwardly focused that he cannot see it. It would force him to recognize that he is not the center of every story. I think these few scenes carry an extra emotional punch because other than this, they seem to have no purpose in the book whatsoever. And so the reader reacts in the same way Quentin reacts, with a little bit of confusion and a lack of understanding, until of course, unlike Quentin, the reader does eventually understand if they are paying attention.This strikes a number of personal chords with me, and maybe that is why I think this novel is so brilliant. I could almost forgive any writerly sin (and there a few in this book) for the unexpected vitality, and sheer weight and realness of the characters. However, I am not sure I can forgive him for the simple, unsubtle way he has ripped out some major chunks of The Chronicles of Narnia’s world and to a lesser extent the Harry Potter universe and plunked them down in his story barely altered. I won’t go into too much detail here, but basically Brakebills is the same as Hogwarts with less of a sense of wonder about it, and Fillory basically is Narnia. I would say Fillory is Narnia, but darker, however I think the actual Narnia can be pretty dark on its own in places.In speculative fiction, it is an often used practice to pull bits and pieces of setting or world building from The Greats and twist them around a little bit before use by an author in a new story. This is fine because usually you can sense that the authors have treated the source material with reverence, and by doing so treats the fandom with respect as well. This comes off to the average genre reader as a nod of respect and gratitude to “those who have gone before”. I can’t count how many times I have found references to Kurt Vonnegut, or Harlan Ellison, or any of a hundred other men and women who have made genre what it is today, hidden in some new book that I have recently picked up. And I love it when I find those Easter eggs. It gives me sense of belonging in a way.I say all of this I guess because if giving a nod to Harry Potter and Narnia is what Grossman did, I would have been absolutely fine with it. Instead, especially with Narnia, Grossman made a blatant copy of it. Right down to the “in between” place as a stopping point on the way to “Fillory”, and only two girls and two boys from our world can be kings and queens of “Fillory”. Fillory just feels very irreverent to the original Narnia, and for some reason makes me feel very protective of the original. I get what Grossman is doing, at least I think I do: If you went to Narnia, it wouldn’t be at all the way you imagined it would be. However, I feel that he could have shown this just as easily by making up a world that diverged from Narnia in a significant way.Anyway, in summary: It’s easy for me to see why most of the reviews for this book are either five stars or one star. I am on the fence as well, but I think that in the end, Grossman’s skill as a writer wins out.

Syfy has recently begun showing their adaptation of Lev Grossman's The Magicians. I'm extremely fond of it so far and very interested in sharing my review of it. Heck, I even considered reviewing all of the individual episodes but don't have the time for it with all of my current projects. However, in anticipation of the first season ending, I've decided to review the original novel which inspired it all. I have mixed feelings regarding the story and its sequels but I think you'll enjoy my thoughts on it. The premise follows Quentin Coldwater, a seventeen-year-old prodigy who is suffering (mild) a case of arrested development. Despite having a bright future ahead of him, he's obsessed with the children's books Fillory and Further. These books are transparent stand-ins for the Chronicles of Narnia, books I can't begrudge Quentin for being since I was similarly obsessed with the Wizard of Oz books at his age. Quentin is disaffected by living a privileged life devoid of want or need but lacking in magic. He's, in fact, very much like plenty of the white upper-middle class kids who went on to become Goths or roleplaying game fanatics to get a taste of a life with inherent meaning. Quentin believes he's given the answer to his prayers when he receives an invitation to a Hogwarts-like university called Brakebills. Quentin just barely passes the entrance exams to enter but it opens him up to countless new worlds. His closest friend doesn't but Julia's story remains untold until the sequel. Brakebills proves to be an astonishing place which can keep the attention of Quentin Coldwater for a time but in homage to Hogwarts, the kind of occasional horrific happenings are traumatizing. Likewise, being college-age students, they make stupid decisions which result in them ruining friendships that never recover. Sometimes, the events of the story dwell a little too much on the parody: "Welters" serves as the world's equivalent to quidditch and doesn't really add too much to the story. Quentin, honestly, is a character I didn't much care for. Lev Grossman successfully captures how narcissistic and unlikable privileged students can be in college. Quentin is completely devoted to himself and his own understanding of magic with no real desire to do anything with it but have it. He's also a terrible boyfriend, not much better of a friend, and generally completely up his own posterior. Adult readers with actual responsibilities will also be less-than-sympathetic to the whining of a young adult who has magic and never really had to work for anything in his life, complaining about how life just isn't awesome enough. Experiencing the setting through his eyes is sometimes trying as Quentin is, again, not that likable of a protagonist. Thankfully, I really enjoyed Quentin's supporting cast who are all more interesting characters than the lead. It should come as no surprise the protagonists eventually reach Fillory, which is real alongside every other fictional location in the Multiverse. Quentin is initially overjoyed but this quickly turns to dismay as it turns out the land is haunted by a mutated Slender Man-like humanoid called "The Beast." The Beast stalked and murdered people inside his classrooms at Brakebills and is very much ready for Quentin's group in Fillory. Worse, Quentin and his group have been served up like lambs to the slaughter by a woman who has decided they are the Chosen Ones. As deconstructions go, it's not really all that great of one for Narnia as it manages to lack all of the gonzo world-building which made Narnia great. This is intentional according to Lev Grossman but it weakens the connection to Lewis' creation. The fact he contrives a rather nasty reason for the Beast's mental degredation and attributes it to the Lewis stand-in also irritated me a great deal. I did, however, like the fact dangerous situations actually get unprepared and untrained youths killed, though. That was a nice bit of reality in the book's mostly played-straight genre conceits. The fact this is a version of Narnia with no relationship to Christianity or not even a nod to the idea the Fillory books were preachy is a bit surprising as well. You might argue taking issue with Narnia's moralizing would be going for low-hanging fruit but the fact it wasn't addressed at all is surprising. I also felt the character of Jane Chatwick was underdeveloped even as you'd think Quentin would be as stunned to meet one of his childhood heroines as actually arriving in Fillory. There's some really good moments spread throughout The Magicians and I love the handling of the magical system. Magic requires the finest brains and the keenest intellects to use but it's also something which defies reason. There's no way of properly define it and so it always remains, well, magical. Unfortunately, the books felt a bit too lilly white and somewhat underdeveloped on the implications of what magic is actually used for. Everyone who gains magic seems to use it for nothing in particular. You'd think we'd at least have magical stockbrokers or foreign aid workers or something. In conclusion, The Magicians is a decent enough book which is weighed down by an unlikable protagonist as well as some parts which threw me. Some might decry the transparent use of a Hogwarts and Narnia stand-in but I think the deconstruction was pretty well done for the most part. It was good enough I wanted to return to the world after this volume, even though Quentin kept making me want to punch him in the face. Try it and see if you like it.7.5/10

I'm not going to say much about this - just enough, hopefully, to convince future would-be readers to save their time and money, I hope.Basically, everything my fellow 1 * reviewers said is accurate. For some odd reason that I can't explain, I read all of this and I'd resolved some time ago to go with my gut when I suspect I'm reading dross and stop before wasting any more of my time. The only explanation I can come up with is that the pace does kind of sweep the reader along - the only problem is, it doesn't really sweep you to anywhere. It was like reading a Narnia-set novel for young adults complete with all the unpleasant arrogance, angst and awkward sex, but missing any real action, empathetic characters or dynamic and interesting storyline - a real conundrum, but seriously - leave it - it's dross.

At first it seemed fun but then it degenerated into a misanthropic and slightly unbelievable (even within this imaginary world) meat-tale. The lead characters are initially ones you can feel sympathy for but then they become twisted and unconvincingly hardened. So, if you like a bit of Highsmith in your fantasy that's ok... It also had too many moments of unnecessary whimsy. Less would definitely have been more whatever the other fans of Grossman say. Just trying to do too much in one novel and I won't be reading more.

This is a book I’ve been meaning to read for ages, but which I’ve heard very mixed things about. From what I’ve seen, people seem to either love it or hate it. I was closer to the love end of the spectrum, but I definitely didn’t think it was a perfect read.The premise is straightforward but intriguing: a mash-up of Harry Potter (wizard school) and Narnia (portals to other worlds) but with modern, American, adult protagonists. On the whole, it delivers quite well on this, with a nice blend of magic and realism. It definitely kept me engaged.For me, the main problem was the plotting and pacing. The two homages took up about half the book each and had little to do with each other, which made it feel a bit disjointed and made it harder to suspend disbelief. And then certain plots points seemed to be rushed over – most strikingly, four years of magic school in half a book – while others were lingered on. And for a book with so much going on, there was a surprising lack of plot, though I did enjoy the way that several elements were ultimately wrapped up and brought together.Overall, I would recommend this, and I plan to read the sequel in due course, but I’m not rushing to pick it up.

I loved this book. It's full of adventure, magic and magical beasts. The story is engaging and I read into the early hours to finish just one more chapter. I'm not fond of some of the characters faults. They are not needed really, they just make the characters slightly less likeable, in my opinion.Quentin is not a happy man. Nothing in his life makes him happy, even the thing he has wanted since he was a child. When he gets a chance to change everything, he jumps at it. Leave his old life behind and start a brand new adventure with new friends and adversaries.Will being a Magician make him happy?

Every lover of fantasy books is looking to immerse themselves in a world rich with imagination, peopled with memorable characters, a plot that satisfyingly balances action with description, and where serious concerns are leavened with a light touch of well observed humour . “The Magicians” series is a superlative fulfillment for those desires.Almost any review of these books will mention that they are derivative. And it’s true that the books could be subtitled “The Famous Five become geeky teenagers, study at Hogworts and then visit Narnia”. But just because something is a remake or a homage, doesn’t make it bad art. Picasso reworked Velazquez’ “Las Meninas” and created a masterpiece. Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Jerome Robbins updated “Romeo and Juliet” to 1950’s New York and so created the powerful and enduring musical “West Side Story”. E. L James wrote fan fiction for the Twilight series and, well, created a whole new genre.The references that Grossman makes to other giant works of fiction only underscore one of the key themes – which is the role that beloved works of fiction can play in a reader’s life – from being a source of inspiration to acting as a ever-dependable friend and support in difficult times. The Fillory stories not only provide the central character, Quentin, with entertainment in his youth, but in times of despair he turns to them as a source of comfort, a mental blankie under which he can take refuge against the world. One can only assume that Grossman bases Quentin’s profound love for the Fillory books on his own experience of being transported by similar fantasy works.The premise of the books is “what would happen if a modern urban teenager suddenly entered Hogwarts / Narnia, with all his modern teenage neuroses and limitations”. The internal journey that Quentin undergoes is as important to the plot as the adventures that the characters experience – finding peace with himself and acceptance of his place in the world. The books can be seen as a metaphor for the experience of many real life generation X-ers – the world they find themselves is extraordinary, rich, full of opportunity, and compared with the world of say, 100 years ago, full of magic. The ability to communicate with someone miles away through a small handheld device, to search for information on almost any topic, to hold a video conference call, to find directions to your destination from wherever you are, with accuracy down to scant metres – these technologies are nothing short of magic if one can imagine viewing them through the eyes of a person living 100 years ago. Quentin’s personal difficulties should resonate with everyone who has felt unfulfilled while ostensibly living a comfortable life: even with all the gifts and wonder in the world available to you, why does happiness elude you. Quentin’s complaint that “it wasn’t what thought it would be” may sound frighteningly familiar. As Quentin discovers, blaming external circumstances does not solve the problem. Quentin only truly comes into his power when he accepts things, and himself, for what they are. The message here is that happiness comes from our internal journey and acceptance of ourselves, not our access to external wonders, now matter how magnificent.The subtle genius of this series is that the combination of influences is NOT an obvious one. It just seems that way because of Lev Grossman’s incredible imagination and the strength of his writing. The world he conjures is rich in detail and ideas, which, while riffing off the masterpieces that have gone before, nevertheless transports you to a new and vibrant universe. His writing is so strong that it disappears and allows the reader to fully enter the story without the distraction of poor prose or clunky similes. And what a world! Grossman launches off the base idea of “a school for magic” and “a world of talking creatures” to create a world so inventive and coherent that you have to make an effort to step back to appreciate just how imaginative it is. The plot and pacing are tight, and there is an acerbic humour that works like a slice of lemon in a gin and tonic.