Magic does not come easy by any means, and it is only for the incredibly gifted, despite being a by-product of mental and physical pain. Instead, it’s difficult hand magic, requiring the use of archaic languages, practiced hand movements, and an incredible discipline. Here is is met with the realization that magic actually exists. One day, while on his way to a college interview, Quentin is met with a strange twist of fate and sent to Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. Grossman does a great job pulling you into Quentin’s mind, which manages to be dreary, observant, unhappy and distracted all at the same time. It’s distracted, and at times, immature, but so are high school students entering college and leaving their parents for the first time. It fits the thought process of a young adult quite well. While I wouldn’t say the writing itself is poor, it’s very juvenile, which in reality, makes it really well done. Lev Grossman really adds to Quentin’s character through his literary style. – excerpt from Lev Grossman’s The Magicians But happiness, like a disobedient spirit, refused to come. He had performed all the necessary rituals, spoken the words, lit the candles, made the sacrifices. Why not? He had painstakingly assembled all of the ingredients of happiness. Toward the end of the novel in particular, his behavior becomes downright depressing, unbelievable, and heart-breaking, especially when you take his life into consideration – he has anything he could ever want and in a single moment, he throws it all away. At times, Quentin’s total disregard for his surroundings and his lack of empathy will make you hate him. As readers, we are often introduced to characters that have experienced a fleeting sadness or moment of anxiousness, but it is not common to be given the inner thoughts and workings of a character that is truly depressed. Quentin’s brooding, dark thoughts may be welcome to those who have experienced anxiety or depression. He also has an affinity for trick magic, in part due to an overwhelming sense of boredom, because he is one of the smartest students in school. His life is made just a bit brighter by the Fillory books, which can most easily be compared to the Narnia books, except they are not as whimsical and happy as they appear to be on the outside. The girl he loves has no interest in him. Instead, he is a depressed high school student that is living a life without meaning. He is not an aspiring wizard that is filled with instant happiness as soon as he realizes that he can perform magic. You will not like the main character, Quentin Coldwater, for a very long time. If you are looking for a light-hearted, whimsical fantasy story, The Magicians is not for you. This review contains quotes and spoilers from the book. In all honestly, it broke my heart all over again, and for that reason, it is still one of the most memorable fantasy series that I have ever read. It’s been at least seven years since I last read the first novel in the series, and I realized that while I remembered quite a bit, there was so much that I forgot about. In that regard, it is unlike anything else I have ever read, and it’s beautiful.Īs we are now in the third season of the television adaptation of The Magicians, I decided to re-read the series. So while it may appeal to Harry Potter fans, it will most likely be enjoyed by the person who understands and experiences anxiety and depression, or the person who has grown up devouring fantasy. Characters gain magic, but are broken because of it. The pacing is lightning fast, the world-building is sometimes lacking, and the characters go through an incredible amount of hardship. The style is also different – early on, the book was compared to Harry Potter, but for adults, which may work as a description, but there’s so much more to it. It’s the sort of novel that you love, but you aren’t quite sure why, because Quentin isn’t the most lovable character. It’s witty and full of dark humor, not to mention incredibly depressing. The Magicians is, first and foremost, a very different sort of fantasy novel. Back in 2009, Rothfuss’ wrote a blog praising Lev Grossman and recommending The Magicians for a few different reasons that appealed to me as someone who reads books that are primarily in the fantasy genre. Shortly after discovering Patrick Rothfuss’ blog, I would regularly check for updates, especially when I was searching for new fantasy and science fiction books to read, as Rothfuss’ often provided readers with recommendations. The Magicians has a very special place in my heart.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |