The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Magicians is the first book in a trilogy which has been advertised as "Harry Potter for Adults". It follows a clinically depressed protagonist, Quentin Coldwater, through a journey to discover a magical world. Lev Grossman's writing is readable and occasionally engaging, which is honestly the only reason I finished this book. 

The beginning of the story is quite boring. Quentin apathetically muses about high school, applying for college, and how jealous he is of his best friend. At this point he is a very grey, boring character. He briefly mentions the fantasy novels he rereads every year, and how he wishes he could be one of the characters in those books (which you would think would make him more interesting!).

After you slog through the set-up, you are rewarded with a trip to Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. This is by far the best part of the novel. During this section, you can see why the comparison to J.K. Rowling's work was made. Although Grossman's writing doesn't hold a candle to Rowling's at any point, this is where it gets closest. He describes the tedium of studying magic, the friendship and competition between classmates, and the bad habits - drinking, chain smoking, and one-night stands. This could actually be what Hogwarts would be like if it were a college rather than a prep school recruiting eleven-year-olds. If you're really into the magic/fantasy genre, the book may be worth reading just for this section. Fair warning though, the other half of this book reads like an unfunny parody of the fantasy genre, written by someone who thinks he is far too cool for this genre. 

Without spoiling too much of the ending, I'll say that this entire book feels like an opportunity missed, but the ending is heartbreakingly bad. The only semi-developed character who isn't a insufferable narcissist dies, because of course she does, and Quentin sinks back into depression after realizing his dream. The book basically ends exactly as it begins, and leaves you feeling like you've wasted your time.  Instead of reading this book, pick up a book by an author who embraces the genre they write...Grossman is just too cool for school, and it kills this book. 

The Shadow of the Wind (and Sequels!)

Carlos Ruiz Zafon has become one of my absolute favorite writers. He writes like a spider makes his web...weaving a beautiful, intricate, and interconnected story that draws you in and doesn't let you go until it's damned well finished with you. I first read this book about three years ago, and I remember being heartbroken that there were not any sequels. Well, since then, there are two!  I was lucky enough to stumble on the second book at a local library's used book sale, giving me the opportunity to fall in love with Zafon's writing all over again! The first of the three, Shadow of the Wind, will be reviewed here. I'll only mention the second and third briefly after reviewing the first, to avoid spoiling anything in these plot-twist rich books.

The second in the series The Angel's Game, actually takes place before Shadow of the Wind, and reveals some interesting backstory about Daniel Sempre's father, and introduces an entirely new character who sells his soul for the sake of writing. Who/what he sells it to... I'll leave that for you to decide.

The third, Prisoner of Heaven, delves into some backstory for Daniel's loveable sidekick Fermin Romero de Torres, including his time as a political prisoner, his connection to the Sempres, and his marriage. We also learn a lot about Daniel's mother Isabella and the circumstances surrounding her death. As always, Zafon weaves a complicated web between characters.Though it doesn't seem as well developed as the previous two books, Prisoner of Heaven is definitely worth the read.

Now, onto my review of the Zafon's first book, Shadow of the Wind, which has drawn me back in three years later. Zafon is a Spanish writer, and he sets his novels in gothic Barcelona, around the civil war years. Zafon handles this setting perfectly - describing it richly enough so that you can lose yourself, but not lose track of the overall plot.

Sidenote - I hated Steinbeck's intercalary chapters in Grapes of Wrath, because they totally interrupted the plot thread. I generally read books to avoid the commercial breaks! Just to give you a sense of my feelings on flowery language - if you're describing a certain rose outside the court house for almost a whole page (I'm looking at you Nathaniel Hawthorne), then that's too much, but if you're able to expertly weave details into the course of the plot (describing the streets as the character walks on them, following a mysterious figure), then you'll hold my attention.

Anyway, the setting is mysterious and dark - richly described throughout the novel without taking away from the flow of the plot. You'll fall in love with the protagonist, Daniel Sempre, as he unravels the mystery of the demise of his favorite author, Julian Carax. Daniel acquires one of Carax's books from the cemetery of forgotten books, a large, secretive shrine guarded by a gruff character named Issac, whom you will grow to love as the series progresses. Zafon's characters are so well-developed that you will end up sympathizing with the villains too - and the plot twists might give you whiplash! Please read this book!

review on goodreads