The Magicians Trilogy (The Magicians, The Magician King, and The Magician’s Land) by Lev Grossman
Reviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Reference Assistant
Genre: Fantasy(ish)
Suggested Age: Definitely Adult
What is the book about?: It’s hard to talk about one of these books without talking about all of them. I will do my best to avoid spoilers. This trilogy is about Quentin Coldwater, a regular kid in Brooklyn who happens to also be a genius. His senior year of high school, he gets invited to test into Brakebills, a secret college that teaches magic. Real magic. Quentin is obsessed with the idea of a magical “other” land. He thinks he’s found it at Brakebills, until he actually does find the kingdom of Fillory (a stand-in for Narnia). The Magicians is largely Quentin’s journey. The Magician King focuses on Julia, Quentin’s high school friend who did not get into Brakebills and had to learn magic on the streets. The Magician’s Land goes where few fantasy series dare to tread: adulthood. It explores what life is like for the magical adventurer after the fun and games are over.
My review: These books have been called “Harry Potter for adults,” but I think that does a disservice to both series. First, Harry Potter is already for adults. It’s for everyone! Second, the Magicians trilogy is so vastly different in so many ways. There’s a magical school, but it’s definitely not Hogwarts. Grossman breaks the fourth wall on a number of occasions with Harry Potter references. Where Harry is your typical Chosen One, Quentin is the anti-Chosen One. Quentin is a jerk. He whines. He drinks too much. He hides from danger. He cheats on his girlfriend. He gets everything he wants without much effort, and for a while, it doesn’t seem like he learns much of anything about life. A lot of readers really hate Quentin, and I don’t blame them. I kind of hate him, too, but this is one of those few stories where the narrative trumps the characters involved. I hate Quentin, but he’s real. If we weren’t him at that age, we knew someone like him. Quentin’s journey is only epic on the surface – it’s actually very insular. Yeah, this book is full of magic and swords and talking sloths and clockwork boats, but it’s about the journey into adulthood. And really, that journey is hard enough without also being asked to save the world.
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each Tuesday at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!