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A review by canaanmerchant
The Magician King by Lev Grossman
4.0
This book is able to build on the strengths of The Magicians while completely adding in a new story at the same time about the sacrifices others have made just to feel whole.
Part of Quentin's problem in the magicians is that he is never satisfied with what's in front of him even as he is threatened with losing everything in TMK he still struggles with this but he is at least more aware of the costs. Meanwhile we learn about the price Julia had to play as she learned magic not in the academic confines of Brakebills but rather on her own and often without guidance. Julia's schooling is much more intense and visceral than anyone at Brakebills but this allows Grossman to tell a much more compelling story and allows him to simultaneously build the magical and fantastic world on earth while as fillory becomes more mundane to the characters as they learn more about their new home. In this novel there are more talking animals featured on earth than fillory.
Much like The Magicians the real quest isn't revealed until well into the book but it works better here as it gives time for Quentin to really work out what it is that he wants. In the magicians he never really finds out because of the price he pays for his mistakes but TMK allows him the maturity to see and plan what it is he means to do and by the end of the book he is able to reflect more clearly. It's the same for Grossman who was able to write a book that does an excellent job deconstructing how we typically view fantasy and narrative at large while writing an even more compelling story that is able to show real growth in its returning characters.
Part of Quentin's problem in the magicians is that he is never satisfied with what's in front of him even as he is threatened with losing everything in TMK he still struggles with this but he is at least more aware of the costs. Meanwhile we learn about the price Julia had to play as she learned magic not in the academic confines of Brakebills but rather on her own and often without guidance. Julia's schooling is much more intense and visceral than anyone at Brakebills but this allows Grossman to tell a much more compelling story and allows him to simultaneously build the magical and fantastic world on earth while as fillory becomes more mundane to the characters as they learn more about their new home. In this novel there are more talking animals featured on earth than fillory.
Much like The Magicians the real quest isn't revealed until well into the book but it works better here as it gives time for Quentin to really work out what it is that he wants. In the magicians he never really finds out because of the price he pays for his mistakes but TMK allows him the maturity to see and plan what it is he means to do and by the end of the book he is able to reflect more clearly. It's the same for Grossman who was able to write a book that does an excellent job deconstructing how we typically view fantasy and narrative at large while writing an even more compelling story that is able to show real growth in its returning characters.