The Magicians ~Lev Grossman
–published 2009
–Viking Penguin
–402 pages
–5/10 stars
From Amazon:
“Mixing the magic of beloved children’s fantasy classics (from Narnia and Oz to Harry Potter and Earthsea) with the sex, excess, angst, and anticlimax of life in college and beyond, Lev Grossman’s Magicians reimagines modern-day fantasy for grownups.”
Lev Grossman’s novel, The Magicians, is a book with a cover image that I have burned with lust for ever since its release, but the premise (the one I gathered from bits and pieces of conversation, not the one I quoted above) was not sufficient enough for me to give in to those desires. On a recent visit to Barnes and Noble I saw several pristine hardcover copies of non-remainder-marked publishers overstock copies for $5.98. I was undone. With my discount I paid a little over $5 for this beautiful book. And it is not just a beautiful cover. The book itself is graced with hand-drawn maps for end pages and has the kind of uneven cut edges that inexplicably excite me. I went right home and started reading it, burning through it in a matter of days.
Somewhere along about the middle of the book, the cover illustration started to lose its luster. While I can still look at it and see its promised beauty, the gorgeous cover unfortunately houses a book that is everything it was advertised to be, this reader was just too far seduced to read the fine print. Had I read that above quote from Amazon.com I would not have heeded the siren call. And you might be surprised to know that it is the words “angst, and anticlimax of life…” that would have told me that this book, while a looker, was not for me.
And that may be the most important message of this review: The Magicians did not work for me. You can take a quick Google-assisted journey around the internet and find reviews both glowing and glowering for Lev Grossman’s “Harry Potter for Adults” fantasy. The problem with a good many of those reviews, in my humble opinion, is that they seem to want to take issue with Grossman for “stealing” inspiration from Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia, the two most oft-cited influences. I use “Harry Potter for Adults” with tongue firmly planted in cheek because I disagree with the spirit of those accusations. I have not taken the time to research Lev Grossman’s own assertions as to the inspirations for the book, I only know what I thought from reading it, which is this: If I were to look at stories like Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia and wonder what it would be like for those stories to be entered into not by young children still in possession of some degree of innocence but instead by disaffected and socially awkward older teenagers, this is the book I would write. If instead of those worlds being everything you always dreamed they would be they turned out to have their own problems, what would that do to you? If you thought going to a magical world would make you supremely happy and yet you still felt empty and lost when you got there, what then?
That is how I read Lev Grossman’s book and with that idea in mind he succeeds and succeeds quite well. His writing is not the best I’ve read, but it is good. Criticisms of his inability to write are far from fair or accurate. At times, especially in the early part of the book, his writing was (dare I say it?) magical. The Magicians is the story of Quentin Coldwater, by all accounts a brilliant teenager who admits to the social awkwardness that comes from generally being much smarter than the rest of the kids at his school. He is an interesting narrator for a number of reasons, not the least of which is his devotion to a set of children’s books set in the magical land of Fillory. Fillory is the Narnia stand in and the comparisons are obvious, and meant to be so. Quentin is fully aware that his affection for these books is not in keeping with his advanced intelligence, but he cannot help it. Fillory is his obsession.
Not long into the story Quentin and a couple of his equally intelligent school mates come across a dead body. This leads to a series of events that find Quentin wandering, seemingly by chance, into the grounds of what looks like an English school in the middle of New York. It is there he discovers that magic is not the stuff of fairy tales but is very real and that with a little practice…okay, a lot of practice and hard work and tough lessons, he might just become a powerful practitioner.
The first part of the book covers Quentin’s school years. During them we meet a gang of equally brilliant and socially maladjusted kids who will become his companions over the years. I won’t get into a lot of details, but I generally liked the majority of this part of the story. The magic system is engaging and interesting and there are some brilliant moments, like when the students were given a chance to fly. But as Quentin’s school days come to a close, so did my enjoyment of the book, although the seeds had been planted some time earlier.
My biggest problem with the book, which becomes much more apparent later on, is that the characters that populate The Magicians are not very likable. And while I have read and liked books with unsavory protagonists in the past, there was nothing that was hooking my interest to make me overlook the flaws of Grossman’s characters. I didn’t mind angst-filled teenagers at first, but I wanted to see them grow and instead I felt like they devolved as the pages turned. Quentin makes some very bad choices that annoyed me to no end and he spends much of the last half of the book lamenting the fact that nothing that happens to him makes him happy. Quentin chases happiness in many different forms but happiness proves allusive.
As I hinted before, I largely blame myself for my feelings about The Magicians. Had I read a little more about the story I would have known that it was not for me. Dismal characters who work their way out of it by the end of a story would be one thing, but nothing about this novel gave me hope that the sequel or any subsequent books would be anything but more of the same. There is enough ennui in the real world, I have no desire to read “Oh woe is me, why is nothing making me happy” fiction unless the character eventually grows, regardless of how well written it might be. Time is too short and the fantasy genre is full to overflowing with stellar books to read.
I would of course love to hear your thoughts. I know some of my blog friends have really enjoyed this and others have not. I don’t mind being the odd man out. I would love to know your honest feelings about the novel.
Good, honest review 🙂 I like the premise, but I agree that if it’s miserable all the way through then what’s the point?
That’s what I think, but there are others who just love this book, so keep that in mind.
I can see where you are coming from. While I enjoyed the book in its entirety, I have to admit to liking the school years the best and I totally understand how the later part of the novel might not be for everyone. There were certainly moments I really wished I could kick the protagonist or someone else in the group for how much they put their abilities to waste. Still, I will probably be picking up The Magician King — I like the writing and the world and hopefully there will be a bit less angst this time around.
I hope so too, for your sake Maria. I did read one review of The Magician King recently where the reviewer was praising Grossman’s sense of humor, so maybe the depression lifts some in the next book.
I had to go back to read my review because the details of the book didn’t stick with me — just a feeling of dissatisfaction. I think the borrowings of other books and tales was bothersome for me but so were the characters. I didn’t really like them or understand them. I’ve had no desire to read the next book in the series.
I felt the same way. I went and read your review (should have done so before buying the book) and I agree with your thoughts, particularly about the way the kids acted. As I said, I didn’t mind the borrowing from other books as I think there was a purpose to it and not just a guy who couldn’t think up his own ideas, but I just didn’t find the book worthy of the books he references, nor (if this was the point) did I find it a particularly interesting commentary against those books.
I’d not heard of this book but can certainly understand you lusting after that cover. How beautiful! I did however *really* enjoy reading your thoughts on the story and, from what you say, can understand your reservations about it. If I read this at all it will be because I borrow it from the library, but at least you didn’t pay megabucks for the book. Excellent review.
True, I didn’t pay megabucks for it and I actually sold it on Half.com for what I paid for it, so that made it even better! 🙂
You may have a completely different reaction to it than I did, many have. But at least now you are forewarned about what you would be getting yourself into.
it’s been a long time since I read this book..so I went and searched for my review… the good was: I did read the entire book without giving up. the bad was: I found it boring and upon hearing book 2 was released and listened to many rushing to get it.. I have no intentions on reading the next book. AND until your review every review I read on it people really liked it. So I felt rather odd that it just didn’t click with me. I didn’t find the book awful but I did find I skimmed areas out of it being boring, and maybe the “woe is me” was it, I can’t actually remember.
You are definitely not alone, Deslily, And I did find some negative reviews as I was searching. However there are far more positive ones. I can understand feeling bored by it. The attitude of the kids was almost similar to that you see fictionalized for bored rich kids who get themselves into trouble because of their boredom.
I’ve only read a few reviews of this novel, all positive, so I’m glad to get your view on it. I’m planning to read it for the RIP challenge; frankly, I don’t care how much Grossman “steals” from Harry Potter and the Narnia books, I’m just in love with the idea of Harry Potter for grown-ups.
Though I’m not usually turned off by unlikeable characters, either, I’m curious how I’ll react to Grossman’s characters. There’s a lot of truth in what you write about needing to see some evolution to the characters; if they’re simply unlikeable, then MORE unlikeable, there’s not much to inspire you to continue reading.
I’m in love with that cover too. I don’t usually admit when my interest in a book is sparked, at first, solely by its cover, but for months I knew nothing about this novel’s story; it was just the cover I wanted to read.
I do believe any comparisons to HP and Narnia were intentional and were done to serve the premise of the book, not simple to try to make it on the back of someone else’s work. At the same time if you are going to write a book like this, using those two series as inspiration certainly helps with the advertising and marketing! LOL.
I just read a review of the sequel, The Magician King, which was from someone who both enjoyed and was annoyed by the book and it really sounded like there wasn’t much character growth going on with Quentin.
Before I started book blogging, and even now more often than not, my interest in books by unknown to me authors has always been inspired by the cover. I am a huge fan of book cover illustration and 9 times out of 10 I am rewarded with a good read when the cover strikes my fancy. This just wasn’t one of those times. 🙂
I read this a while ago and did not like it very much myself either to be honest. Like you, it’s the characters I remember distinctly disliking. They are not people I really want to read about, and as you’ve said, they didn’t really develop anywhere. The idea of the book is interesting, but its execution just fell flat for me. It’s a relief to find others who feel similarly – sometimes the love for this book is overwhelming.
You made it further than I did. I honestly didn’t get past 20 pages when trying to read this, because I couldn’t stand the characters and didn’t particularly enjoy the writing either. I felt there was too much “this is fantasy for adults so let me throw in everything I can to make you know for sure this is for ADULTS.” I hate it when authors do that.
Yes Amanda, I can see that and would tend to agree. I especially think there is a fine line when writing fiction featuring teenage protagonists between portraying a realistic version of today’s teenagers and simply putting in a lot of meaningless sex and substance use just to titillate. This at times felt more like that. More of “let’s have the characters have sex because that is what they would do” sort of thing. I’m not a fan of that either.
I’m one of those who loved it, but I can definitely see how people could dislike it – very good point about how there’s not really change or growth, just sorta more angst.
If you ever feel up to it, I’d give the sequel a try – I think it may be slightly more to your liking.
Really, though, I want the actual Fillory novels to exist so I can read those 😉
The Fillory novels did sound fun, and I really liked the maps. This is one of the rare books that I disliked that I can truly see the flip side and see how others can like it. Usually if I dislike a book it is about the writing or what I consider unforgivable character choices or plot choices. This one just didn’t work for me. The interesting aspects of the novel, which were there, didn’t outweigh my growing annoyance with Quentin and company.
I never did understand that cover image…
I loved the book. I don’t think anyone liked Quentin. I started viewing him as the bad guy and Alice became my hero to cheer for. I’d be willing to bet that I’ve read more books with characters that I didn’t care for than ones where I felt, “this guy is awesome! I want him to be my BBF!” Characters are just slave to the story. I loved the story; the actors… not so much.
Ditto what Jenn said.
I did like Alice a great deal, and of course what happened to her just increased my dislike for Q and several of the other characters which didn’t help.
I always use Hunter’s Run as an example of a story where the main character was extremely unlikable, but the story was just so great that I couldn’t put it down. Alfred Bester’s classic The Demolished Man is another great example.
But with this one I didn’t particularly like the story either because I felt like it kept getting derailed, or hijacked, but one snarky situation after the other because of character choices. Her Fearful Symmetry is another great example of this for me, although I thought the story itself was magnificently written, I just hated most of the characters by the end of it and thus didn’t really enjoy the book.
I assume the cover was just meant to be somewhere in Fillory. It doesn’t make sense with the book, but it is lovely.
I’ve stayed away from this book, mostly because of the glowing hype, even though I really enjoyed Grossman’s Codex. But now that you tell me there’s an angst-ridden streak of reality through the magic, I’m actually more interested in checking it out. Thanks for this review.
You are welcome. I mentioned that I don’t think Grossman is a bad writer. If anything he created teenagers that are all too real, or at least are as real as the ones you see on these reality shows who have the world and are bored and disaffected and unhappy. I personally don’t want to spend time with people like that, and thankfully when those people exist in fiction I can just close the cover and leave them to their wallowing in self-pity and disillusionment.
appreciate your review.
Sean read this some months back…and was feeling like the odd man out, as it didn’t work for him either and for the same reason: unlikable characters–which become entirely too much as they (especially the protag)do not experience change, despite the things they go through. this book should have been up his alley and ultimately proved dissatisfying. It had its moments, but they were not enough. Will have to reassure him he wasn’t the only one who wasn’t aglow after this read.
Happy to help Sean out, please do let him know that he is not alone. “Dissatisfying” is a perfect one word description of my own experience with the book.
I’m always baffled by the “Harry Potter for grown-ups” line. Sure, the first two (maybe three) HP books were childish, but the latter volumes definitely weren’t, at least in my opinion. Unless by childish people mean that the characters in them were children/teens, but that makes no sense to me.
Nevertheless, I’ve thought about this book a few times. It’s polarizing reviews have me both intrigued and wary. Angst and misery are generally okay by me, even in large doses, if I feel like there is a chance for some sort of message throughout everything. That doesn’t necessitate a “happy ending,” and too often “happy endings” are frustrating in themselves, but I still want some sort of happiness for a character at some point, even if it’s only temporary.
Great review, Carl. I’m still unsure whether or not I’ll ever read it, but you’re right about the cover art: it’s seductive.
I think that kind of stuff is done by publishers to sell books. I doubt Lev Grossman would have considered that his tag line, but publishers do that kind of thing all the time, trying to climb on the back of another book’s popularity. I get very annoyed by that and often don’t want to read books that are advertised that way, which is unfair to the author.
I personally think we can choose to be “happy” (not sure I like that word) in the midst of most circumstances, and I initially liked the idea that just because you get something great doesn’t mean you are going to be happy. I just kept expecting the character to make that realization and then seize happiness for himself out of his despair. But instead he just kept chasing things to make him happy. That is too much like real life for me to be entertaining.
Yep. Such a fine line between Realistic entertainment and Reality. A reader can only suspend their disbelief for so long before throwing a book at the wall and setting it afire. And if Quentin didn’t somehow change, then what’s the point? Stagnant characters make stagnant stories.
On some level Quentin might be too realistic. He might be exactly like folks act in real life. But again I don’t find that very entertaining over the course of one book, let alone an ongoing series. 🙂
hm… After seeing your rating I am not going to read your review. I have the book on my TBR pile and I don’t want to not read it because you have me worried! I will try to read it soon so I can come back and see why you didn’t like it so much.
Yes, don’t let me sway you one way or the other. I did say that I believe at least part of the fault of my not liking it is me and it not being the kind of book I would normally like anyway. I should have done a bit more research and then Grossman wouldn’t have this one more negative review added to the list (as if he would care, his books are very popular). 🙂
I haven’t read this, but I was intrigued when I first heard of it, until I read reviews and decided to pass. Oh, but I love roughly cut pages too! There’s something very attractive about them.
It is a beautiful book. There are plenty of great, raving reviews about it out there, so there is always the chance that this book would be as lovely to you on the inside as it is on the outside.
Interesting the responses that this book gets. I’m with you–I wanted more growth from the characters which would have made the last part of the book work for me.
It was hard to review, because I felt like I was reviewing a book that isn’t awful in and of itself but was not a good experience for me. If that makes any sense.
Yeah, it’s that cover thing, isn’t it? I buy – or even get at the library – far fewer books due to their covers these days than I once did, but things like this truly are tempting sometimes. Thank goodness for reviews, and thanks for yours.
It is really tempting when it is a pristine hardcover for only $5! 🙂 And you are welcome.
I have heard mixed things from a lot of different people about this book. Not sure if I would like it or not.
It seems to have a wider range of reviews than I am used to with the books I read.
Why can’t I ever find overstock copies for $5.98??? Well even if you didn’t get that much out of it, the cover and hand-drawn maps were worth the price 😉
They were, especially since I was able to enjoy that part of it and then resell it for the same price to someone else who will hopefully enjoy it much more than I did.
I agree with your review, I didn’t like The Magicians for the same reasons. The MC was so self-absorbed and whiny, it made me want to stab myself with a fork. I wrote a review on Goodreads, and have to admit it was as snarky as Quentin was dissatisfied.
Ooo…I’ll have to check that out Stacey! 🙂
A Heads-Up for you Carl: DOWN THE MYSTERLY RIVER by Bill Willingham, illustrations and maps by Mark Buckingham, is just out. YA adventure, with touches of fantasy including talking animals (Boy Scount can speak the bear, badger, cat he accompanies on the journey). (Starscape 2011 hardcover). Since Willinghams’ Fables is a favorite, and his Peter and Max was also quite enjoyable, I think I can recommend this though I just got it in the mail yesterday. Oh, did I mention maps on the endpapers?
Thanks Richard. I went to the bookstore looking for three books yesterday and came home with two. One of the ones I wanted to pick up was that very book but they didn’t have it in yet. I’ll probably try again tomorrow. Really looking forward to it. Peter and Max was great.
Interesting, honest review! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Though your review is not too kind, it seems this books is something of a combination of genres? Adult and juvenile fiction combined in a book? I’m not sure whether the author thought it should be written like that, but combining of genres is what almost any author should do too?
Actually, I would say many books’ stories deserve to be amongst those that combine genres. For example in The Lord Of The Rings, along with the many battles, fierce creatures and glorious sights, there are a lot of philosophy, drama and problems that will probably be always actual in our history. There is much of philosophy too and a lot of the criminal genre along with the amazing sport of the wizards and all the breath-taking events in the books about Harry Potter. No one can deny there’s a lot of romance in Twilight series, along with all the nasty or kind-hearted vampires. Many of Terry Pratchett’s books are a perfect combination of humor, philosophy, fantasy and sci-fi. I guess there are a lot of other books that “follow” the same rule?
All these I mentioned are well-known bestsellers all over the world. I guess one of the main reasons for that is exactly the combining of genres. Which “provides” not only the excitement of the fantasy, sci-fy worlds, but also the wisdom , quotes and seriousness of the modern fiction, drama, or philosophical works.
I would also claim all these books follow Buddhists’ quotes that the middle way is the best. There is balance between genres in many of them, balance which even Buddha himself would appreciate. Well, many people would say almost all books (especially fantasy and sci-fi works) include more than one genre. When I had a “closer look” at my stories, I realized too that involuntarily I did a good job many times combining fantasy and sci-fi with romance, drama, philosophy, suspense, even humor or interesting facts about animals, plants, space (i. e. some science). I guess everyone know what a great influence books could have on our minds, behavior, way of life, etc. (just for example, one of the main reasons why the ozone layer is still whole was Flesh, a small book of about 180 pages). That’s why I guess every author must combine genres to create better stories?
I read this book when I was going through radiation treatments for cancer. Those treatments were less grim than this book. When I finished it (in the radiation waiting room), I left it there … felt a bit bad about it, but I didn’t want any more to do with it. Blech.
Yes, I can imagine that Janet. Way too much of a downer in that terrible downer situation.
If for some reason you get an email from me with a different quote, ignore it. I forgot for a second that you weren’t talking about the book version of Jane Eyre, LOL!
I had a mixed time with this book, too! I read it pretty much straight through, but I was so disappointed by the time I finished. I think my biggest problem with the book is how all over the place it is. If he had stopped before Fillory, and started the next book with that part, I might have been more interested to continue.
It is a bit all over the place, Alison. Or at least it seems to want to go all over the place. I’m just disappointed that it was so disappointing, so I understand your mixed feelings.
I might have to read this book, but it is going to the bottom of the TBR pile. I can’t decide if I’ll like it and there are too many good things to read.
I feel the same way, Amanda, which is another reason why I am unwilling to see for myself if things improve in the sequel.
It’s nice to read your honest, intelligent review. I too was interested in this book after reading some glowing reviews of it but when I dug a little deeper into things, found people firmly entrenched in the “love it” or “hate it” camps. A little bit more research had me conclude that this wasn’t for me – and now your review has confirmed that for me. It did get me thinking about the power of reviews though. I went from “Sounds really interesting and something I should get” to “Definitely not” based on other people’s opinions.
I don’t know about intelligent, but I did try to be honest with my feelings. 🙂
I haven’t seen to many middling reviews either, most of them that I’ve read are either “for” or “against”.
I think reviews are really powerful. I’ve picked up books many time because of blogger thoughts without ever bothering to consider what a “professional” critic/reviewer thought. And most of the time, better than 90%, the blogger has done me right and recommended a book I was very pleased to have read.
I agree – glad to know I’m not the only one! Seems like everyone was loving this book.
My post on it is here: http://wellreadfish.blogspot.com/2011/07/magicians-or-harry-potter-as-self.html
Thanks for the link Jen, I’ll check it out. You are not alone.
I always learn something when I come to your blog Carl. I had no idea what “ennui” meant, till I saw it here. 🙂
Anyway, yeah I think I wouldn’t like this book very much either. I really dislike when the protagonists are jerks and don’t grow. Man “anticlimax of life” what a phrase…lol.
I’ll pass along the thanks to L and her daughter and husband, who were discussing Edward Gorey’s delightfully dark book The Gashlycrumb Tinies and opining as to which of the deaths they would prefer. I had forgotten all about that word. Oddly enough a few days later I believe I heard it used in a Midsomer Murders episode.
Great review, very well put. I checked this book out before but the reviews scared me off (despite its beautiful cover). As you say, some people seem to love it but the reasons people didn’t sounded too close to my own thinking about books.
I hate scaring people off of books but there was no way I wasn’t going to be honest about my feelings and while I don’t always review books that I had a negative experience with, this was one I really did want to discuss.
So I was another one of those who didn’t like The Magicians, mostly because of the characters. That and the fact that I couldn’t come to grips with Grossman allowing Harry Potter to exist in his world, but then making up a Narnia replacement in Fillory. It bothered me, kind of like he was glorifying one and teasing the other (which is legit, but it didn’t sit well with me personally…).
Regarding the characters, I was frustrated because in addition to being all-around not likeable, they were all described as so clever. They were all so pretentious, so convinced in their own cleverness. It bugged me. Really bugged me. Other than being obnoxious pretentious […]holes, are they bad at anything? All we’re told is how talented and clever and amazing these characters are. That doesn’t give them depth, it just makes them all the more annoying.
It should also be noted (if I’m already rambling) that I didn’t like most of the school-year part. Obviously it went downhill afterwards, but I’ve never been that big a fan of the boarding school angst/drinking/hangin’-round-chilling-being-totally-awesome thing in books. Just saying. That probably added to my general dislike of the book. I mean, it was fun to read at times (and like you say, Grossman’s writing was good, not great) but other than occasional sparks of entertainment (and one single character who didn’t get nearly the stage-time he deserved) it was pretty much… meh.
I am with you all the way. This is the same way I felt. I don’t know that I had much of an opinion about whether or not he was poking fun at Narnia as I felt it wasn’t a bad idea to make a Narnia-like world but make it more gray, I just wasn’t thrilled with the execution of that part of the story.
In the end I could have put up with a lot of it if at least one of the characters would have connected with me. If instead I wasn’t annoyed by all of them to the point of wanting to slap them. And you are right, I got tired of hearing how smart/clever they were when their actions belied that, showing how truly stupid they were with their choices and how ignorant they were in assessing what was going on around them.
Been debating on whether or not to pick this one up. Reviews have been mixed and while it seems intriguing, I’m not sure I’d dive into it right away. Too bad it didn’t carry through on expectations! 🙁
You might love it, many other people did. I wouldn’t spend any money on it, check it out from the library if you are curious.