Literary Exploration discussion

Final thoughts on The Magicians

Total knock off of Harry Potter and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Overall story was ok it was readable but my jaw was on the floor at some of the "similarities". Did any one else feel this way?

I'll admit that this book did nothing to change my normal distaste for fantasy novels. On the positive side, the story unfolded in a way that kept my interest. But couldn't there have been at least a couple of likeable characters? What a bunch of spoiled narcissists!

The biggest disappointment to me was the author's neglect to explore the morality (or amorality) of the character's lifestyles and their magical acts. In short, The Magicians is a nice story, but devoid of soul.

This is a huge rip off. A rip off hybrid between Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia. At first the similarities just seemed like a nice tribute to both of those series, but Grossman steps way over the line from tribute to bad imitation without a backward glance.

I won't be reading the next book in the series. And I would recommend skipping this novel and finding something with much more originality.

Jeff said: The biggest disappointment to me was the author's neglect to explore the morality (or amorality) of the character's lifestyles and their magical acts. In short, The Magicians is a nice story, but devoid of soul.

This is my argument with the book also. Putting aside all of the comparisons to the other two series, Grossman never achieved what he set out to do which, according to the flyleaf, was to delve into the lives of real magicians and how they survive in the real world, thereby differentiating his book from the Harry Potter series and the Chronicles of Narnia. The only glimpses of that reality were the tedious lives of Alice's parents and the "hedonistic" period following graduation when they weren't motivated to do anything with their lives. Otherwise the book centered around Hogwar - I mean, Brakesbill and Narn - I mean, Fillory. Grossman tried again at the end of the book when Quentin gave up magic altogether and became a hermit socially and a totally ineffective business man but magic blasted in through the window and trumped real life yet again.

And why, oh why, would Grossman model Quentin after the least likable portrait of Harry Potter - was it the fourth book when Harry became such a whiny and self-centered adolescent? Enough already with the teenage angst, self-loathing, and the ennui.

I gave the book three stars but it was hard not to give it two. I am not interested in the rest of the series which, ultimately I feel this book was nothing but a set-up for.

I thought Grossman modelled Quentin after the Holden Caulfield archetype. An anti-hero that is full of angst and self-loathing; you know a normal kid :P

Michael wrote: "I thought Grossman modelled Quentin after the Holden Caulfield archetype. An anti-hero that is full of angst and self-loathing; you know a normal kid :P"

Well, it is presumptuous of me to assume that he modeled him after anyone as, indeed, he is a normal kid, but he just got tiresome to me after awhile, as did Harry in that particular book. Quentin was also a very conflicted character which was also either normal for his age or character development issues. He was a leader one minute and a sickening coward the next; he was very perceptive or completely clueless; he was hard to pin down.

Behind similarities with other characters, I find that something hardly happens as the story develops itself and the pace of events it's a bit slow for me.
I am not really a fan of long descriptions and I'm struggling a bit with it.
I will definitely not manage reading till end of April :/

I just finished. I will be the odd one out, and say I loved this book!

I didn't see it as rip off at all, but rather an homage, an extension, a tipping of the hat, and then building so much more, onto all of those titles previously mentioned.

Definitely going to read the next one in the series!

I totally did not expect Julia to show up like that, in the last chapter! I wonder if James will make an appearance too.