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ronan_lesh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Suicide
restless's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Ableism
mieshka's review
Didn't think this would be my first (quasi)review on this site, but I guess this one disappointment is louder than the many beautiful moments I had with other books.
I DNF'd this many years ago because the main character annoyed me. Then, I watched the TV adaptation and enjoyed it. As part of that experience, I realized that most of my complaints about Quentin were actually intentional character flaws that were the whole point of the story.
So I decided to give it another shot. I went in with the intent to interpret every ick in the narration as belonging to the main character, but so much feels like it's been summarized that it's hard to think of it as anything but a prose problem. The narration is somehow both pretentious and dull, and all the characters feel absolutely flat.
I was planning to finish this book and just not continue the series, but then I realized I was dreading my regular reading time and decided to call it instead.
I DNF'd this many years ago because the main character annoyed me. Then, I watched the TV adaptation and enjoyed it. As part of that experience, I realized that most of my complaints about Quentin were actually intentional character flaws that were the whole point of the story.
So I decided to give it another shot. I went in with the intent to interpret every ick in the narration as belonging to the main character, but so much feels like it's been summarized that it's hard to think of it as anything but a prose problem. The narration is somehow both pretentious and dull, and all the characters feel absolutely flat.
I was planning to finish this book and just not continue the series, but then I realized I was dreading my regular reading time and decided to call it instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
robynsuchy3's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I really wanted to like this book but I just really didn’t. There were some interesting elements but I didn’t really find a plot to latch on to; we were just following a fairly self-centered teenager through his magic school. I kept waiting for there to be a twist or hook, and it looked like there might be for a minute, but it’s barely a blip at the end of the day.
Additionally, I know this is a slightly older book but there were several moments or word choices that had me raising my eyebrow (not in a good way). Overall, the book doesn’t really go anywhere, doesn’t dive very deeply enough into any secondary characters to feel like they develop significantly beyond troupes, and there’s no real conflict of purpose to the story for me.
Additionally, I know this is a slightly older book but there were several moments or word choices that had me raising my eyebrow (not in a good way). Overall, the book doesn’t really go anywhere, doesn’t dive very deeply enough into any secondary characters to feel like they develop significantly beyond troupes, and there’s no real conflict of purpose to the story for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism and Sexual content
alaris's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I think few people would turn down a chance to check out a favorite fictional place, even with a strong chance that it'd turn out to be wildly different than you'd imagined. But the sexist, racist and ableist streams running through this make it super tedious to read.
There are interesting moments in this, until they're done with school. The characters are just so unlikable and spoiled and immature. I understand they're all early 20s when they go to Not-Narnia and most people are making very stupid choices then, and a lot of "well how do I actually live as an adult?" missteps are understandable. But every main character seems set up to be as unlikable and un-interesting as possible - which is actually difficult to achieve. Quentin's misogynistic, everyone's arrogant and bored, it was just impossible to care about any of them after they finished with the school. (And they weren't interesting before they finished.)
The writing quality seemed super inconsistent. I'm glad the author apparently got help for his own depression after writing this, but it would be hard to find a book that makes obvious depression in characters less sympathetic than this does - which is sad, as a reader struggling with that. I'd suggest avoiding this entirely, if you also struggle.
There are interesting moments in this, until they're done with school. The characters are just so unlikable and spoiled and immature. I understand they're all early 20s when they go to Not-Narnia and most people are making very stupid choices then, and a lot of "well how do I actually live as an adult?" missteps are understandable. But every main character seems set up to be as unlikable and un-interesting as possible - which is actually difficult to achieve. Quentin's misogynistic, everyone's arrogant and bored, it was just impossible to care about any of them after they finished with the school. (And they weren't interesting before they finished.)
The writing quality seemed super inconsistent. I'm glad the author apparently got help for his own depression after writing this, but it would be hard to find a book that makes obvious depression in characters less sympathetic than this does - which is sad, as a reader struggling with that. I'd suggest avoiding this entirely, if you also struggle.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Sexism
kimber017's review against another edition
I tried. I love the concept and enjoyed the Harry Potter and Narmia vibes, but absolutely cannot stand the main character it the author’s ignorant writing style. To refer to a character’s actions being done “autistically” is not only ignorant, it’s also incredibly lazy writing. What does it look like to do something “autistically,” Lev? Would love to know. Because you sure didn’t actually describe anything.
Then, to have the main character cheat on his girlfriend because he’s bored and expect us to make her the bad guy in the scenario? Wtf? 🙄 This some bullshit fanfic of what it would’ve looked like if Snape had actually gotten with Lilly. 🤢🤢
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
cadefritz's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Homophobia, and Sexism
niff_the_nerd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Sexism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Ableism
tbd24's review
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I rather like this series, this is the second time i’ve read it and there are just really great turns of phrase in the prose. I love world building and this book embraces that times three, the magic system is cool and complicated and the characters are never just good people. Quentin is shitty and obnoxious but like what 17 yr old “gifted kid” isn’t? There’s a few questionable moments, the author loves to make women suffer viscerally a little too much in my opinion, but at least he still remembers to make them people. Overall, it’s a good read and an interesting series
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Injury/Injury detail
writererinm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Minor: Ableism and Fatphobia