Olivia asked Lev Grossman:

Hi! I love love love The Magicians! During your process of writing the whole story (all three books) what inspired you most to keep writing? Did you have anything special to help the ideas from your mind be realized on paper?

Lev Grossman Good question. I had a lot of things to inspire me:

1) Books: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell; Cryptonomicon; The Corrections; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Mrs. Dalloway; The Night Circus; American Gods.

2) Pictures: Didier Massard (he did the tree on the cover of The Magicians), Caspar David Friedrich (I don't know why, he just puts me in the right mood)

3) Music: Metric, The Mountain Goats, Aimee Mann, The Smiths

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Thank you so much for this wonderful series! I have enjoyed each and every word! The characters and their relationships are what make these books really come alive for me. I have to ask: In all the years covered in the trilogy... why didn't Eliot ever find a boyfriend? :(

Melissa Griffith asked Lev Grossman:

Hi! After reading all three books, I definitely have my favorite characters. I'm curious if you, as their creator, have a favorite character? Either a favorite character to write or a character that you're most proud of?

Corey asked Lev Grossman:

Did you set out to make Quentin such a singularly unlikable character, or did he evolve that way? I still enjoy reading about him, don't get me wrong, but I was struck from the beginning of the series by his self-involved and occasionally victim-like view in the world.

All answers from Lev Grossman…

Lev Grossman

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Hi! I love love love The Magicians! During your process of writing the whole story (all three books) what inspired you most to keep writing? Did you have anything special to help the ideas from your mind be realized on paper?

More Answered Questions

Thank you so much for this wonderful series! I have enjoyed each and every word! The characters and their relationships are what make these books really come alive for me. I have to ask: In all the years covered in the trilogy... why didn't Eliot ever find a boyfriend? :(

Hi! After reading all three books, I definitely have my favorite characters. I'm curious if you, as their creator, have a favorite character? Either a favorite character to write or a character that you're most proud of?

Did you set out to make Quentin such a singularly unlikable character, or did he evolve that way? I still enjoy reading about him, don't get me wrong, but I was struck from the beginning of the series by his self-involved and occasionally victim-like view in the world.

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