The Magicians (The Magicians, #1) in DC Public Library

Dec 27, 2015 Tracy added it · review of another edition

Meh, okay

I wanted to have a read before I watched the tv adaptation of the book. I started before and couldn't get into it. I restarted and got stuck again. Took some time off and I kept going with it.

It uses the story within a story device well and everything wraps up nicely at the end...almost. But I really despised the protagonist. I mean, I have never read a book where I wished bad things on the protagonist. Why? Whiny, self centered, sniveling and weak. Just ugh. It wasn't until he let go a ...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Keets rated it it was ok

Interesting moments, but didn't find it especially original. Definitely not a YA book, as it has some explicit moments. ...more

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Nov 19, 2015 Akiva ꙮ rated it really liked it

Shelves: f-queer, f-scifi-specfic, 3-fmt-f-novel

God. I had issues with this one (male heroes who struggle with hubris and despair and make you want to smack them are the protagonists of about a third of all fantasy novels, from Earthsea to those Young Merlin books I used to read), but it also ate my brain and I couldn't put it down. The manic riffs on Harry Potter and Narnia carry you along at a breakneck pace, but the book doesn't rest too heavily on them; it's also hyperactively original and surprising.

The plot is bizarre, a total rollercoa ...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Jamilla rated it it was ok

A very basic review because so many have commented extensively: The Magicians won't stick with me like certain other fantasy novels have, but I was interested enough to begin reading its sequel, The Magician King (although it has been slow-going). I wouldn't call this a must-read; Quentin, the protagonist, isn't much of a likeable character. He's just not that fascinating. I can identify with him to some extent, but overall he comes across as weak. He begins to redeem himself near the end, but b ...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Christina rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2012

Interesting premise -- a mash-up of Harry Potter and the Narnia books featuring snotty, imperfect real teenagers -- but the first half of the book dragged and the main character drove me crazy. I know his flaws and unlikability were kind of the point, but that's a lot of time to spend with a character you just want to yell at. ...more

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Aug 18, 2014 Richard rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I found this to be a pretty enjoyable read. Good imagination, good pace to the story, and pretty solid characters. I also think I was helped by some of the negative reviews, which provided me with forewarning that the main character, Quentin, wasn't terribly likable. He isn't and I can see how someone looking for an older, edgier, but still likable version of Harry Potter would be upset. That said, if you go in looking for a fairly quick read with all the elements mentioned above, you can't go w ...more

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Sep 02, 2014 Amy rated it really liked it

This is a very fun read--raw, unpredictable, with nods to so many other fantasy books.

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Feb 04, 2014 Sonali rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult

People have strong feelings about this books. I really like it. This sentence is one of the reasons why.

"The others were conspicuously silent, or talked among themselves, elaborately play-acting that they were unaware of the fact Quentin was conversing with a drunk magic bear."

Plus the beautiful trauma of the fox sex. ...more

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