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A review by ronan_lynch
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
3.0
3.5 stars
First of all, people should stop expecting that this will be Harry Potter.
Second of all, people should stop comparing this to Harry Potter .
I realize that when it comes to books about magic, Harry Potter has become like a bible of the genre, but that doesn't mean that every book needs to use the same character prototypes. Both are meant for two different age groups, some tend to forget that. Harry Potter is for our inner child, who believes in magic and power of friendship, Grossman's Magicians is for those who have come across ruthlessness and pain in their life and/or know how to empathize with book characters.
Quentin isn't soulless, selfish turd, though to some he may come off that way. He's unhappy. He's depressed. He's searching for a purpose. And it's not always easy. He's not in therapy, so don't expect him to suddenly get better just because something good happened in his life.
Every character has visible flaws, but that's one of the hardest things to write and keep consistent. Instead of creating plot and then wondering how do I explain why the character acted completely opposite to his/her personality, no, the flaws are well integrated in the development of the plot. (This is basics of writing, duh!)
Plot-vise - this is the kind of fiction I like to read - not soppy, childish books where magic is granted just because and miracles happen just because, but where one has to work hard and it doesn't always lead down a pleasant road.
Story comes to action sequence only later in the book, which to me felt forced, since most of the story had less violent conflict.
It has a more serious tone than one might expect in fantasy genre, so it might not be for all. Though it is still an interesting read and you shouldn't give up on the book, because some reviewers can't imagine reading anything that isn't Harry Potter.
First of all, people should stop expecting that this will be Harry Potter.
Second of all, people should stop comparing this to Harry Potter .
I realize that when it comes to books about magic, Harry Potter has become like a bible of the genre, but that doesn't mean that every book needs to use the same character prototypes. Both are meant for two different age groups, some tend to forget that. Harry Potter is for our inner child, who believes in magic and power of friendship, Grossman's Magicians is for those who have come across ruthlessness and pain in their life and/or know how to empathize with book characters.
Quentin isn't soulless, selfish turd, though to some he may come off that way. He's unhappy. He's depressed. He's searching for a purpose. And it's not always easy. He's not in therapy, so don't expect him to suddenly get better just because something good happened in his life.
Every character has visible flaws, but that's one of the hardest things to write and keep consistent. Instead of creating plot and then wondering how do I explain why the character acted completely opposite to his/her personality, no, the flaws are well integrated in the development of the plot. (This is basics of writing, duh!)
Plot-vise - this is the kind of fiction I like to read - not soppy, childish books where magic is granted just because and miracles happen just because, but where one has to work hard and it doesn't always lead down a pleasant road.
Story comes to action sequence only later in the book, which to me felt forced, since most of the story had less violent conflict.
It has a more serious tone than one might expect in fantasy genre, so it might not be for all. Though it is still an interesting read and you shouldn't give up on the book, because some reviewers can't imagine reading anything that isn't Harry Potter.