The Bookshelf

I enjoyed Lev Grossman’s (a book critic for Time) The Magicians, but, then again, I am exactly the type of reader that would.

Grossman’s The Magicians is a play on C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, and even a little of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. But instead of wild-eyed youngsters being taken to magical worlds, it is brilliant and depressed recent high school graduates.  Instead of the students exploring and outwitting evil doers, they memorize, study, and drink too much booze (much like other college students– minus the studying and memorizing of course).

Quentin Coldwater, a high school student from Brooklyn, is the main character.  He experiences the tedium of studying, girls that are not interested in him, and magic.  Following graduation from magic college, Quetin and his friends discovery the world of Fillory (a Narnia like universe) which they had all read about as children.  Quentin has always been especially devoted to the the Fillory series. However, the story Fillory and the real Fillory are very different.

This book may sound like a Terry Pratchett like comedy but it most certainly isn’t.  It does have some comedic moments, but it is much grittier than anything in the comedic fantasy realm.

I recommend checking this book out.