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wyatt_troutman 's review for:
The Magicians
by Lev Grossman
A slow start that I almost gave up on, but I stuck with it and did not regret my choice.
I think this book is fairly polarizing and not well suited for many people. You can see evidence of that through the other reviews here. The truth is that many people think this is "Harry Potter for adults," and it isn't. It really isn't. It is an original story about some dysfunctional kids that get pulled into a magical world and have to work through their own issues while trying to fight off the bad guy.
Coming into the book with an open mind helps to prevent some comparative disappointment, but the beginning of the book doesn't make it easy. I found the story to have a very slow start that I barely made it through. However, once I got over the hump, something "clicked" and I have enjoyed the rest of the trilogy since.
Some people complain that this is a book written by a smart guy for other smart people to show how smart the author is. Maybe. That doesn't necessarily make it a bad book if it is true. I think this ties back to many people expecting Harry Potter, which was written for children.
Some people complain that the characters and themes are too dark and unlikeable. They are dark and unlikeable, certainly. In my opinion, this is a major component of the story. If the characters where another way, the story wouldn't have worked as well or unfolded the way it did. Each character's issues lend themselves to their actions. Maybe a happy-go-lucky Quentin wouldn't have made it to Brakebill's to begin with.
Also - I like the show more than the books, too.
I think this book is fairly polarizing and not well suited for many people. You can see evidence of that through the other reviews here. The truth is that many people think this is "Harry Potter for adults," and it isn't. It really isn't. It is an original story about some dysfunctional kids that get pulled into a magical world and have to work through their own issues while trying to fight off the bad guy.
Coming into the book with an open mind helps to prevent some comparative disappointment, but the beginning of the book doesn't make it easy. I found the story to have a very slow start that I barely made it through. However, once I got over the hump, something "clicked" and I have enjoyed the rest of the trilogy since.
Some people complain that this is a book written by a smart guy for other smart people to show how smart the author is. Maybe. That doesn't necessarily make it a bad book if it is true. I think this ties back to many people expecting Harry Potter, which was written for children.
Some people complain that the characters and themes are too dark and unlikeable. They are dark and unlikeable, certainly. In my opinion, this is a major component of the story. If the characters where another way, the story wouldn't have worked as well or unfolded the way it did. Each character's issues lend themselves to their actions. Maybe a happy-go-lucky Quentin wouldn't have made it to Brakebill's to begin with.
Also - I like the show more than the books, too.