The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Introduction: Wishing I was a magician and could just get rid of this cough, I decided to read this adult fantasy novel hoping for an escape from my reality. It worked!

Title & Author: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Genre: Science/Fantasy Fiction Thriller
Time Period: Modern Day
Location: New York & Fillory (Narnia-like world)
Main Characters: Quentin Coldwater, Penny, Alice, and Eliot

Characters: these are people you want to know, they are complicated, smart, and charismatic
Writing Style: lyrical, descriptive, powerful imagery
Opening: grabs you from the start
Plot/Story: the place where the magic of children’s fantasy stories (Narnia, Harry Potter, etc.) meets with the very adult world of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. Great story!
Action: adventurous, spellbinding, fast moving, dark, urban fantasy
Dialogue: not remarkable but okay
Humor: clever humor, a very fun read
Believability: its fantasy so on most levels not believable
Relatable: the characters are very real and relatable
Originality: imaginative, strange, fanciful, extravagant, and eccentric
Enjoyable: not a light read – complex and compelling though. I liked it.
Ending: thank goodness it wasn’t left open to endless sequels, somewhat unsatisfying but it worked
Recommendation: A good read ***

5 stars = Excellent read – you don’t want to miss this one!
4 stars = Very good – you should add this to your reading list.
3 stars = Good – you could go either way here.
2 stars = Fair - it’s a tolerable read but you should probably skip it.
1 star = Poor – don’t waste your time.