A review by cooldwaters
The Magicians by Lev Grossman

adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Honestly this is complicated because these characters (especially Q) are so hateable but I can't really bring myself to hate them? Maybe it's because they're bad people on purpose - as in the author wrote them as bad people or at least I hope that's what he did - but there is also something so strangely relatable about them. The quick passing of time, the existential dread, the desperation for happiness and trying to find it in an escape from reality but realizing every time you think you made it, it's still not enough. The way it captures depression in adolescence really speaks to me.