A review by poultrymunitions
The Magicians: Alice's Story by Pius Bak, Lev Grossman, Lilah Sturges

3.0

Maybe a fungus. Yeah: it grew on me like a fungus.

Read mark: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/99635164

Read Kelly: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/807874806

Read Khanh: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/463025702


Read me:

I had fun. I think the author and his doppelgänger MC have issues. The writing is pretty good, and the universe produced by Mr. Grossman's various preoccupations is compelling.

My cousin thought it was boring as fuck, though—and I think it's because you have to be a certain kind of American fantasy nerd to see how the author is mischievously strumming the tropey fantasy strings to be engaged long enough for the mostly unlikeable characters to grow on you.

As would a kind of lichen, perhaps. Or moss.

I gave this five stars when I finished it; two after I thought about it a bit; three when I read other reviews; and now four three again, now that I've had a chance to sort out which is worth more: the author's neuroses, or the story made possible by them.

It's a mix, but I'm leaning towards the latter.

Give it a go.