The Magicians (The Magicians #1) by Lev Grossman

"Little bit Hogwarts, little bit Narnia, little bit Jessica Jones, throw in a vague but believable idea of magic and this is the result. It was gritty and dark and I both liked and disliked it. I'm intrigued enough to need to know what happens next so, I'll have to find The Magician King soon."

3 Stars

Pros: Grossman made his magical system esoteric enough that it was halfway believable which I liked/I like Eliot better than Quentin, I hope the plucky comic relief lives to see the end.

Cons: They're all a bit nasty to one another, it seemed unnecessary/Alcohol + kids with immense power with no responsbility and no barriers = chaos/All the lying, cheating, drinking, drugs, sex, revenge. It was all so unnecessary but then, there would be no conflict.

Full Review

Magic is real. Quentin Coldwater finds that out when he's randomly transported out of Brooklyn and to Upstate New York, just in time for the exam to start. He's swept into a room with 99 other people, all of them in perfect rows, at identical desks. It's all Quentin can do to just hang on for the ride. He sits down and is given the same book as everyone and they begin. He takes the test.

And he passes.

He's accepted into Brakebills, essentially Hogwarts for adults. It's a land of magic, power, greed, knowledge, loneliness, inferiority. All the melodramatic, teenage insecurities and scornful silences. It's a land just like ours only with immense power and no responsbility, so the chaos that ensues is entirely avoidable and a bit cringe worthy. I'm intrigued enough to want to know what happens so I'll be picking up a copy of The Magician King soon.

Comments

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

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The Glutton by A. K. Blakemore

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Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

"Obviously targeted to writers but honestly, anyone could benefit from Bradbury's practical yet poetic advice, this was a collection of esasys by Bradbury about his writing process and reflections on some of his greatest works." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pros: Bradbury, duh, though I'm biased, to me, the man's prose is pure poetry, every word beautiful/Since writing is not my career, it was an interesting way to view Bradbury's life. Writing was his job and he was the only income. If he did not produce material, he would not get paid. It help put things into perspective. Cons: The man can go on for a bit 😂/Bradbury's insane work ethic and endless endurance to just produce story after story seems insane and overwhelming but then again, this was his livelihood, so I'm sure it was insane and overwhelming. If he didn't write and get paid, they'd starve, so, it was a life or death situation. Full Review: This was essentially a collection of essays written by Bra...

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