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nwordsmith 's review for:
The Magicians
by Lev Grossman
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love the world that Grossman has created in the magicians. The blending of and poking fun at popular fantasy worlds and tropes is well done. The setting of Brakebills and the culture of the school is delightfully dark and academic. It’s the type of world I want to crawl into. There is a mixture of ridiculous excess and belief in immortality that only the young or magically gifted can truly embody.
I think that Grossman attempted to push back against the idea of overarching narrative and quest in fantasy books. Quentin regularly bemoans how real life is not like that. It wove an undercurrent of melancholy and depression through the doldrums of the book. However ultimately there was a quest, however accidentally it was stumbled upon.
Quentin is thoroughly unlikeable character. Self absorbed and alternating between being an overpowered god-like being to being utterly useless, he maintains a terrible sense of confidence or actual sense of self. Everything happens to him and he never takes any responsibility for the supposed woes that befall him. Quentin feels disdain for everyone else that isn’t actively serving him. Also the internalized homophobia is not well veiled.
The rotating cast of Quentin’s friends never feel fully developed with their motives and actions remaining less than clear. The scorn that Quentin feels for others colors all the other characters to the point it becomes hard to really see any of them.
The plot meanders largely without direction for far too long. I think this book could have been divided or heavily edited to better effect.
This was a rare book that I found the show to be vastly superior. The show places Quentin not as the center of the magical universe. The diversity and character development is top notch. I love and hate the characters in equal measure instead of feeling frustrated and disappointed. Highly recommend the show.
I think that Grossman attempted to push back against the idea of overarching narrative and quest in fantasy books. Quentin regularly bemoans how real life is not like that. It wove an undercurrent of melancholy and depression through the doldrums of the book. However ultimately there was a quest, however accidentally it was stumbled upon.
Quentin is thoroughly unlikeable character. Self absorbed and alternating between being an overpowered god-like being to being utterly useless, he maintains a terrible sense of confidence or actual sense of self. Everything happens to him and he never takes any responsibility for the supposed woes that befall him. Quentin feels disdain for everyone else that isn’t actively serving him. Also the internalized homophobia is not well veiled.
The rotating cast of Quentin’s friends never feel fully developed with their motives and actions remaining less than clear. The scorn that Quentin feels for others colors all the other characters to the point it becomes hard to really see any of them.
The plot meanders largely without direction for far too long. I think this book could have been divided or heavily edited to better effect.
This was a rare book that I found the show to be vastly superior. The show places Quentin not as the center of the magical universe. The diversity and character development is top notch. I love and hate the characters in equal measure instead of feeling frustrated and disappointed. Highly recommend the show.