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theplanthouse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
hippokly's review against another edition
this book was so written by a man. like its so hard trying to be edgy harry potter but its just boring. i know that the main character is supposed to be unlikable but ive eaten communion crackers with more flavor that mc.
halthemonarch's review against another edition
I don't know why I just can't slog through this one. I love the show a lot and it pains me that I can't get through the book. I've picked it up and put it down so many times; I think it's time to admit I just don't like it. Quentin in the show is great because in the early seasons he IS a presumptuous pig-faced little turd but he eventually learns how to be a decent human being and goes on some pretty cool magical quests with his found family! It's wonderful and fantastic but in the book.... woof. I guess seeing it on screen it's faster than reading through a whole book's worth of presumptuous pig-faced little turd behavior and introspection.
I'm giving it three stars though, even though I never finished it because I actually do like Grossman's writing! I just hate this main character :(
I'm giving it three stars though, even though I never finished it because I actually do like Grossman's writing! I just hate this main character :(
markproxy's review against another edition
5.0
I just loved the writing in this book. The language, the feel. Analyzing the story rationally, I'm inclined to withhold five-star status, and in some respects even four stars seems like too many; the final chapters spun out of orbit a bit, and I felt the author was rushing, painting with broad strokes, leaving me feeling more detached than I wanted to at the end of a book I'd been so into. But my ability to sustain distanced analysis proves short-lived with "The Magicians", and I find myself wanting to return to the it, to re-read favorite passages and keep my thinking brain from distracting me from all the reasons I fell in love.
I felt at times that this tale was aimed at a younger audience; I'll be forty next year, and I've outgrown most of the twenty-something themes. But I wouldn't say my enjoyment of the book was reduced by this awareness. In fact, I caught myself experiencing some of that pleasurable relief you feel while hearing of others suffering through a struggle that's history for you. I was also glad to be reminded by a good storyteller of some of the trials of young adulthood -- helps give context to the lives of my nieces and nephews. Reading about college-aged kids screwing up their lives and coming to terms with identity, purpose, selfishness, jealousy, and love can be painful and unfulfilling when you feel like you're beyond all that (mostly), but something about this particular telling rang true for me.
The woman who recommended this book to me (and bought me my copy) loves it, but her brother didn't much care for it. Among his complaints: Grossman's attempts at humor missed the mark. Not true at all, for me. I laughed out loud many times, and smiled many more, and found myself wanting to read aloud to share the book's more inspired comedic moments with a friend.
Would I recommend this book? Selectively. But I can't wait to read more by Grossman.
I felt at times that this tale was aimed at a younger audience; I'll be forty next year, and I've outgrown most of the twenty-something themes. But I wouldn't say my enjoyment of the book was reduced by this awareness. In fact, I caught myself experiencing some of that pleasurable relief you feel while hearing of others suffering through a struggle that's history for you. I was also glad to be reminded by a good storyteller of some of the trials of young adulthood -- helps give context to the lives of my nieces and nephews. Reading about college-aged kids screwing up their lives and coming to terms with identity, purpose, selfishness, jealousy, and love can be painful and unfulfilling when you feel like you're beyond all that (mostly), but something about this particular telling rang true for me.
The woman who recommended this book to me (and bought me my copy) loves it, but her brother didn't much care for it. Among his complaints: Grossman's attempts at humor missed the mark. Not true at all, for me. I laughed out loud many times, and smiled many more, and found myself wanting to read aloud to share the book's more inspired comedic moments with a friend.
Would I recommend this book? Selectively. But I can't wait to read more by Grossman.
asarahguslol's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
slow-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
3.0
To my surprise, I didnt like this book as much as I thought I was going to.
agnesonutter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ophara's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kerameia's review against another edition
2.0
I just finished the book and haven't had time to draft a proper review. However, my impression of the story as I read/now that I've finished is something along the lines of:
(Narnia + Harry Potter) meets Looking for Alaska.
Not quite sure that I really like it, though I did enjoy it as I read. There are some great (well-crafted, perfectly descriptive, hilARious) phrases & scenes. Ex.
(pg. 50) "The other students stared at him with the cold indifference of the gratefully spared."
(pg. 108, describing a professor) "He had the stiff, wounded dignity of the deposed intelligentsia."
(pg. 300, when they see/follow a walking Birch tree) "After the first five minutes of magical wonderment passed it began to be socially awkward, blatantly following the tree-spirit-thing like this, but it didn't seem to want to acknowledge them, and they weren't about to let it go."
Lines such as these kept me laughing out loud to myself, but as a whole it seemed like a patchwork kind of story. I would say that it's more character-driven, told closely from Quentin's perspective, and yet I didn't get the sense that Quentin really underwent much character development. It seems as though he came full circle. At any rate, what I take away from this book is a hilarious, sarcastic take on the idea of one's childhood fantasy world being real and a world into which fall 8 worldly young adults.
(Narnia + Harry Potter) meets Looking for Alaska.
Not quite sure that I really like it, though I did enjoy it as I read. There are some great (well-crafted, perfectly descriptive, hilARious) phrases & scenes. Ex.
(pg. 50) "The other students stared at him with the cold indifference of the gratefully spared."
(pg. 108, describing a professor) "He had the stiff, wounded dignity of the deposed intelligentsia."
(pg. 300, when they see/follow a walking Birch tree) "After the first five minutes of magical wonderment passed it began to be socially awkward, blatantly following the tree-spirit-thing like this, but it didn't seem to want to acknowledge them, and they weren't about to let it go."
Lines such as these kept me laughing out loud to myself, but as a whole it seemed like a patchwork kind of story. I would say that it's more character-driven, told closely from Quentin's perspective, and yet I didn't get the sense that Quentin really underwent much character development. It seems as though he came full circle. At any rate, what I take away from this book is a hilarious, sarcastic take on the idea of one's childhood fantasy world being real and a world into which fall 8 worldly young adults.
groundpepper's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
strigine's review against another edition
3.0
Has probably been described as "a grown-up Harry Potter". Interesting premise, but I found main/viewpoint character often unlikeable. I think my favorite thing about the book is how well it captures being young and very school-smart, and the ways that experience shapes you -- for better and for worse. I also liked the pastiche of the Narnia books that all the characters have read, which becomes more important later on.