The Magicians

This is an odd book for me to begin this blog with.  I do not usually read fantasy novels.  This one caught my eye for three reasons:

1. It was on the racks of three stores that I went to during one week.
2. It has a beautiful cover.
3. It was written by Lev Grossman, which reminded me of Les Grossman and made me laugh.

So, I bought it…and read it. 

It was easy to read.  The fluidity of Grossman’s words easily paints images in your mind.  In fact, it is more like watching the book, than actually reading it.  Wonderful! 

The book is about Quentin., a genius high school student who discovers he is magic when he is accepted into a very elite college for magicians.   Sound like another book series to anyone???  That is because Grossman loved the Harry Potter series (and other fantasy novels which he refers to in The Magicians), but he wanted to take ‘Harry’ a step further.  Put him into an adult setting where there is no omnipresent adversary out to destroy humankind.  Then, what?  What would a young adult magician do with his knowledge and power?  As Grossman says, “(Quentin is) trying to figure out…what the %#&$ magic is for.”  (View interview here).

Quentin, like so many other young people, is always looking for the next best thing.  He is disillusioned into believing that his school acceptance will make him happy, then his eventual graduation, and his playtime in New   York.  But, everything loses it’s newness and he is just as disappointed as ever.   When an opportunity for an adventure to his favorite ‘fictional’ universe comes up, he believes that he will truly and finally be happy. 

Good premise, right? 

So, good premise and good writing=good book.

Not always. 

The character development was just not there.  Grossman would begin to delve into what made Character X CHARACTER X and then stop short.  He would describe parts of the book in high detail, yet Quentin’s last year of school took up only a couple of paragraphs.   Maybe Grossman got bored writing this section or that section and cut it off.  I don’t know, but it was like reading short summaries instead of a novel.   I hope Grossman fixes this in future novels.  This is his first, but not his last.  He is a really great writer, now he needs to become a really great storyteller. 

This is not recommended for those who dislike reading about drugs and sex as Grossman went a little over the top—so much over the top, that even I felt a bit uncomfortable.

This is recommended for those who really love Rowling, Lewis, Tolkein, and Waugh and for those who wish to be magic.

Did I like it? Yes

Would I read it again? No.

Food Equivalent:  gluten free, dairy free chocolate chip cookies--looks good, but no substance.

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READING: J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings, Part I