The Magicians

Gabi's Review 

Lev Grossman's The Magicians is the first book of a wonderful trilogy. It is a captivating journey into a world that transcends the boundaries of traditional fantasy literature, combining elements of coming-of-age, magic, and the exploration of existential meanings.

The story follows Quentin Coldwater, a lacklustre teenager from Brooklyn, who discovers that the magical world he read about in childhood is both real and accessible. Quentin finds himself enrolled in Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, where he learns to harness the powers he believes will fulfill his yearnings. However, inhabiting this magical world doesn't instantly satisfy his desire for meaning and purpose.

The Magicians is multi-layered and complex. Quentin’s journey initially appears like a classic hero’s quest, with magical adventures and the search for power. However, the narrative takes unexpected turns, delving into the darker aspects of Quentin's psyche. Quentin’s close group of peers grapples with feelings of inadequacy and disillusionment, discovering that the search for authentic purpose isn’t simple, and revealing the characters as flawed yet relatable. Confronting the ethical consequences of their choices and actions, they learn that ultimate freedom is liberating but daunting.

The nature and effects of power are cleverly explored throughout the novel, especially the temptation to misuse magic for personal gain in a world that subverts notions of heroism and fulfillment. Through intricate world-building and vivid storytelling, Grossman paints a nuanced portrait of a magical society with its own rules, hierarchies, and dangers that deconstructs fantasy tropes and challenges the notion of a fairytale ending. For readers 13 and over.

Publishers Reviews

The first book in the bestselling and beloved fantasy series, the Magicians trilogy.

Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. Obsessed with the fantasy novels he read as a child, he finds the real world just doesn't compare.

Then one day it happens- he stumbles unexpectedly into a hidden world and is invited to join a very exclusive college, where he will learn the secrets of magic.

But something is still missing.

And now Quentin will do anything to find what he's always been looking for.