The Magicians (The Magicians #1)
Lev Grossman, 2009
Quentin is a senior in high school, and a genius with his pick of colleges. But he's unhappy. The only thing that brings him any happiness is imagining that his life could be like the series of books that he's been obsessed with since childhood - a Chronicles of Narnia-like tale about children who can enter a magical land called Fillory and go on adventures. So Quentin's life changes - it seems for the better - when he finds himself admitted to a college of magic - real magic - hidden in upstate New York. But learning magic isn't like it is in books - it's hard work, and it brings challenges that Quentin isn't sure he's ready for. But Quentin, it seems, is in for an even bigger surprise than the realities of magic... Fillory is real.
I've heard people describe this as a "grown-up Harry Potter", but I don't think that does this book justice, and will probably just lead to disappointment if that's what you're going into the book expecting. If anything, this book reminds me more of a grown-up Chronicles of Narnia, but set in a school for magic. And no, I don't think that either of those series are for children only - I've read both of them as adults and loved them - but while Harry Potter and Narnia are suitable for both children and adults alike, The Magicians is very much not for children.
I really enjoyed this story, but I think that the book would really have benefited from being divided into two separate books - one book describing (and fleshing out a little more) Quentin's time at Brakebills college, and one book about Fillory. It just felt to me that the story was rushed and that the author tried to cram too much action into one book. I found myself loving the school storyline, felt "meh" about the after school drama, and was fascinated and surprised by the Fillory storyline. And I think if it had been broken into two books, the author could have done each storyline more justice.
That being said, I loved this book. And while it could easily have worked as a stand-alone novel (or a two-parter after being broken up), I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see what happens with these characters.
I've heard people describe this as a "grown-up Harry Potter", but I don't think that does this book justice, and will probably just lead to disappointment if that's what you're going into the book expecting. If anything, this book reminds me more of a grown-up Chronicles of Narnia, but set in a school for magic. And no, I don't think that either of those series are for children only - I've read both of them as adults and loved them - but while Harry Potter and Narnia are suitable for both children and adults alike, The Magicians is very much not for children.
I really enjoyed this story, but I think that the book would really have benefited from being divided into two separate books - one book describing (and fleshing out a little more) Quentin's time at Brakebills college, and one book about Fillory. It just felt to me that the story was rushed and that the author tried to cram too much action into one book. I found myself loving the school storyline, felt "meh" about the after school drama, and was fascinated and surprised by the Fillory storyline. And I think if it had been broken into two books, the author could have done each storyline more justice.
That being said, I loved this book. And while it could easily have worked as a stand-alone novel (or a two-parter after being broken up), I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see what happens with these characters.
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