For this post, I decided I wanted to read a book that was recommended to me. Asking for a recommendation from my trusted co-worker and campus librarian, I was introduced to "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman. I desperately wanted to like this book, I didn’t want to tell the person who recommended it to me that I think it’s the best example of a Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia fan fiction gone wrong. While it certainly offers a unique take on the concept of magic and the coming-of-age story, it falls short in several key aspects that ultimately hinder its ability to be considered a true classic.
One of the major issues with "The Magicians" is its pacing and structure. The story often feels disjointed, with abrupt shifts in tone and pacing that can leave the reader feeling disconnected from the characters and the plot. It's as if the novel can't decide whether it wants to be a coming-of-age story, a magical adventure, or a deconstruction of the fantasy genre. As a result, the narrative lacks cohesion and fails to fully engage the reader in the way a well-structured story should.
Furthermore, the characters themselves are not particularly likable or relatable. The protagonist, Quentin Coldwater, is a self-absorbed and often whiny character who is difficult to root for. The first few pages of the book illuminate us to his ‘pick-me’ attitude, his raging jealousy for his best friend, and how he wishes his best friend's girlfriend would sleep with him. I could understand the attitude if he was actually in love with his best friend's girlfriend, but then two minutes later, he wondered why a pretty paramedic didn’t want him as well. He even gets mad that his gay friend doesn’t find him attractive, even though Quentin isn’t remotely gay. He’s constantly bemoaning how he’s special and how that makes his life soo hard. His friends and fellow magicians are equally flawed, and their actions and motivations can be frustrating and at times irrational. While character growth and development are important in any story, it's difficult to invest in characters who seem to make the same mistakes repeatedly without learning from them.
Now, I can put up with a lot, but I draw the line at weird Arctic-wolf furry sex. Throughout the magical training process, for some reason, the students undergo challenge after challenge that involves being turned into animals. Our main character (Quentin) and his friend (we rarely see them act friendly and instead just see him pine about how pretty she is and oh-god-the-friend-zone) are turned into wolves who retain their human consciousness but with overwhelming animal instincts. And then they have sex.
Why?
Outside of how weird it was reading about the particulars of wolf sex; I just don’t understand why this was necessary. It doesn’t seem to be part of any plot outside of violating the main characters and causing drama. I’m just saying, if you write two characters that are interesting enough and make us root for them… you won’t need questionable animal sex to make it interesting.
Even if I could somehow ignore the wolf intercourse, I still wouldn’t have enjoyed this book.
The world-building in "The Magicians" is also lacking in many ways. Grossman's vision of magic is intriguing, but it often feels underdeveloped and inconsistent. The rules and limitations of magic are not well-defined, which made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the magical world he created. Additionally, the novel's portrayal of the magical school Brakebills is often shallow and fails to capture the sense of wonder and discovery that is a hallmark of the best fantasy literature.
One of the most controversial aspects of "The Magicians" is its treatment of the fantasy genre itself. While Grossman clearly aims to deconstruct and subvert many of the tropes and conventions of fantasy literature, some readers may find his approach to be overly cynical and even dismissive. The novel's portrayal of Fillory, a fictional fantasy world within the story, can be seen as a critique of the escapist tendencies of fantasy literature, but it ultimately comes across as heavy-handed and lacking in nuance. The characters never do anything. They just sort of respond to things the people of authority decide for them, and none of it is very interesting. There’s a whole chapter dedicated to the students morphing into geese and just flying around for days and days. These chapters make reading the book very tedious and boring.
In conclusion, while "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman has its moments of creativity and originality, it falls short in several key areas that prevent it from being a truly exceptional work of fantasy literature. Its pacing and structure are uneven, its characters are often unlikable, its world-building is underdeveloped, and its treatment of the fantasy genre itself may alienate some readers. While it has garnered a dedicated fanbase, it may not be the best choice for those seeking a more traditional and satisfying fantasy reading experience. To give my overall unfiltered opinion, it’s a Harry Potter school without the magic and fun, in a Narnia-esque land without the God Lion. This book is meant to appeal to high-school boys who feel so different, so special, and do nothing more than rage about the friend zone.