Pick a card, any card, Bookworms!
Actually, don’t. I would be a hot steaming pile of horrible if I tried to do card tricks. Depressing though it is that I lack actual magical powers as well as the manual dexterity to perform sleight of hand, I still dig books about magic. If it happens to be October, all the better! I listened to the audio version of The Magicians
Quentin Coldwater is a genius, but at 17, he’s got a serious case of the mopies (I can relate, yo!) He’s obsessed with a series of novels about children who visit a magical land (think Narnia), but he tries to play it off as nostalgia. Quentin is minding his own teen angst business when he finds himself being tested for admittance into a legit, elite, magical college. That’s right. It’s sort of like Hogwarts for the older set. A little less whimsy, a lot more booze, sex, and apathy.
The Magicians had the same darkly mystical tone as The Night Circus
Then? Grossman went full Narnia on me. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the book now. I’m a little less excited to finish the series, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do it. There are a lot of loose ends I would like to have wrapped up, so I’ll probably get to it eventually. It was a mixed bag for me, but if you liked The Chronicles of Narnia
One of the major reasons I related to Quentin and his longing for a fictional world is my own (perhaps unhealthy) obsession with Harry Potter. Is there another literary world you desperately wish you could escape into?
*If You make a purchase through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission. Like magic. Only not.*
Joules (from Pocketful of Joules)
Oooh, you totally had me writing a note to myself to buy this… but now I’m not so sure. I’m going to go ahead and have to ask you to read the rest of the series and let me know if it’s worth it. 😉 I love the idea of magic and I would LOVE to live in Harry Potter’s world.
Words For Worms
Might I recommend checking it out of the library? No risk if you decide you don’t want to finish it :).
JoulesDellinger
Just finished reading all three and LOVED THEM so much!!!!
Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader
You had me at booze. And sex. Really though, the cover of this is so stunning that alone would make me want to read it.
Words For Worms
LOL, there’s a lot of booze and sex, you saucy minx, you.
Quirky Chrissy
How well does he write magic? Asking for a friend (Brian). And how religious? Asking for a friend (Brian). And should I read it? (me).
Words For Worms
Completely 100% NOT religious. I probably should have mentioned that when I dropped the whole Narnia comparison. Yes for Brian. Maybe for you. It’ll depend on your mood.
Megan M.
I think I tried to read this and just couldn’t get into it. It gets so many rave reviews though, so I feel a little better knowing that you didn’t 100% love it.
I don’t know who wouldn’t want to live in Harry Potter world. If my kids don’t lose their minds over HP when they get old enough to appreciate it, I might disown them. 😉
Words For Worms
Yeah, I really wanted to love it, but I had some issues with it, as you know. I wouldn’t be ashamed of DNF-ing it.
Andi (@estellasrevenge)
That whole “tone of the Night Circus” really gets me. Loooooved the atmosphere in that one.
Words For Worms
Yes, the sort of dark and misty thing was going strong in this book. I think you’d like it.
AMB
This sounds interesting! I was one of the few readers who despised The Night Circus, but its tone was tolerable for me (it’s the plot that wasn’t). So, this one might work, particularly because I love the Chronicles of Narnia!
Words For Worms
If you love Narnia you probably won’t get cranky about the last 3rd of the book the way I did. It might be a big winner for you.
Kristen M.
I’ll admit that I read this one right when it came out and then never picked up the sequels. I just didn’t love it enough, I guess. I don’t know if I’ll ever move on. I think there are enough other books out there that I’ll just read other stuff instead. 🙂
Words For Worms
I totally hear where you’re coming from on that!
Becca Lostinbooks
I haven’t had luck with books/movies about magicians. I am not sure why since magic with witches or other magical creatures and such I love. But with it going all full Narnia and being darkly, maybe it will be a good one for me to try out.
Words For Worms
Hey it might be a winner for you! If you try it out, I’ll want to hear all about it!
Jennine G.
I like the Narnia books, but I don’t like when books spend most of their time on reality and then suddenly switch it up on you.
Leah @ Books Speak Volumes
I… still can’t decide whether this is something I want to read.
Words For Worms
Tough call. I’m not totally sure it’s a Leah book. I think you’d be like me, totally into the first 2/3 and then get grumpy toward the end.
Jenny @ Reading the End
For what it’s worth, I was not at all wild about this book, and the second book sorted out A LOT of the problems I had with the first one. I think it’s a much better book, and I have heard from several people whose opinions I trust that the third is even better. In case you want to factor that into your decision to read or not read the sequels.
Words For Worms
That is encouraging to hear!
Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories
I bought an autographed copy of this book and I hope I like it. Glad Jenny said the sequels are better, good to keep in mind when I get to reading it. The salesguy at the indie bookstore said the author is a really nice guy so at least I helped out a nice guy with my purchase 🙂 thanks for sharing.
Words For Worms
Jenny usually knows what’s what, I’m inclined to believe her about the sequels :).
Laurie C
I loved The Magicians and the other two books in the trilogy. Comparing it to The Night Circus is probably better than calling it an “adult Harry Potter” which it was publicized as, at first. Very dark and adult, and gets more so as it goes on.