Reviews

I enjoyed this book but I can see why it has so many negative reviews. I might have rated it higher except for how relentlessly unlikeable the main character is. The concept and execution of the story is very well done.

karenholmes's review against another edition

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3.0

This is not a typical fantasy book. In a certain way, it feels like an old story, something that could be published in the 60s or the 70s. It doesn't pay much attention to the showing, as most of the story is entirely done by telling. You don't really feel inside of the book, and you are rushed through different periods of life of the protagonist that could have been expanded and told in a way that pulled you more inside of the book.
It's not that I didn't like the story, but it really needs some working on the scene level. It would improve a lot if scenes were more fleshed out.
Anyway, interesting story, and willing to know what happens next to Quentin and the rest of the gang.

m_rut's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ddaypunk's review against another edition

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5.0

I must say I had been wanting to read this book for a while and it became the display picture for my book club composed of family members and friends...however, whenever read this. I had purchased it from a Borders going out of business sale for less than $5 and it sat on my shelf a while. This book is like taking Harry Potter and adding a R rating to it. I love the sarcastic writing style that Grossman uses in the book and how it takes small stabs at other works such as the Harry Potter and LOTR series as if they exist within the world he has created. Overall I loved this book and it has been one of my favorite reads in the last 2 years.

laurenasuzano's review against another edition

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unfortunately i am not in the headspace for reading right now but also i strongly dislike being in quentin’s perspective. i can appreciate that he is a teenage boy, but i cannot will myself to care to see through his coming of age maturity IF it comes. not in my interest right now, may return, but i’d rather focus on my physical tbr right now

meginsanity's review against another edition

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I really don't want to review a book I didn't manage to finish but I feel like I invested so much into it I really ought to at least let it have a spot on my Goodreads shelves. Unfortunately I got to page 230 or so and just couldn't finish it. I really enjoyed the first part, Book 1. Lev Grossman took the concept of a magical boarding school, like Harry Potter, and really went very in-depth and logically into it and fleshed it into something very different than JK Rowling but still just as excellent. The concept was great, the spooky stuff was really spooky and the characters were good. Maybe a bit one-dimensional and unchanging. But good.

But where I'm at now, where I'm putting down the book - the characters have changed and not in a way that makes them readable. I can't stand... really can't stand... the type of stuff Quentin and his alcoholic buddies are getting into right now. Narcotics and alcohol and cheating on the girl he supposedly loves. It's stupid. And the magic is totally gone.

amanda_abbate's review against another edition

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2.0

dnf

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