[If you have been living under a rock for the last couple of decades, that's Harry Potter I'm alluding to here. While I have seen a lot of comparisons to other stories (some of which are quite intentional by the author) this book is certainly ITS OWN BOOK. is it appriopriate for an 8th grade...an avid reader, See all 48 questions about The Magicians…, Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies, Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes. The star rating reflects overall quality. Her novel Girl In Disguise, also an Indie Next pick, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called it "a well-told, superb story." Searching for streaming and purchasing options ... Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. “The Magicians is a spellbinding, fast-moving, dark fantasy book for grownups that feels like an instant classic. “If there's a single lesson that life teaches us, it's that wishing doesn't make it so.”, “I got my heart's desire, and there my troubles began.”, The Kitschies Nominee for Red Tentacle (Novel) (2009), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction & Fantasy (2009). The world they find isn't what he carried with him from the books he'd read and it was the presence of humans that had added to the evil and rot that they found. No, I'd say not. I was ready to love this book, it's supposed to be Harry Potter like but more gritty, more realistic, more substantial, and I guess it is and I still like the idea of it. There's too much mature content--sex and drugs, but also very complex emotional issues that I think an 8th grader isn't likely to understand. Cult vampire series has witty bite and strong role model. Our ratings are based on child development best practices. Almost any review of these books will mention that they are derivative. Mimic all you want, just make the story interesting and magical. Clever con schemes distinguish New York City fantasy. Pretend Harry Potter was a bit of a narcissistic douchebag, and all of his friends were whiny a-holes who drank too much. Imagine how he feels when a seamingly routine college interview drops an undiscovered Fillory book in his grasp and leads him to Brakebills, a college of wizardry, and worlds beyond... (Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. How would magic change your life for the better? . With Stella Maeve, Hale Appleman, Arjun Gupta, Summer Bishil. The several parts of the book had a schizophrenic quality which didn’t always seem to have much to do with preceding sections or what came after. From the very beginning of this story, I got the distinct feeling that Grossman was going to be taking "the less travelled path" in his fantasy novel. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. “The Magicians” series is a superlative fulfillment for those desires. The Passion for Magic. This is a cold and sterile book for people who think themselves too sophisticated for genre fiction, a sub-section of the reading public that, I suspect, includes the author. What changes were made, and why? The Magicians shouldn’t be a good TV show. Welcome to The Magicians. The several parts of the book had a schizophrenic quality which didn’t always seem to have much to do with preceding sections or what came after. . I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.). Negative behavior has catastrophic consequences, and this resonates with Quentin and his magical contemporaries. After making my video about Episode 1 of the Magicians TV show, I had to make a quick video about the book. All rights reserved. Back at Brakebills, Quentin flourishes -- but also unwittingly helps a malevolent force known only as the Beast gain entry to the magical campus, leading to the murder of a teacher. The world of magic is revealed to be inventive and unpredictable. After flunking it, she desperately seeks to hone her magic outside the Ivy leagues. Your privacy is important to us. What about perseverance and teamwork? Mimicry is the highest form of flattery, right? Update 3/1/16: A world of magic should be unbound by the rules and conventions of the natural world. Read 22,808 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Makes sense, given that these genres are... A thrilling and original coming-of-age novel for adults about a young man practicing magic in the real world. And it’s true that the books could be subtitled “The Famous Five become geeky teenagers, study at Hogworts and then visit Narnia”. THe Magicians a book review By Lead Astray. I know this is a thing us bibliophiles really shouldn't say EVER, but: This book has been hard-pedaled as an adult Harry Potter and it is-but with a soulless little git like Draco Malfoy as the main protagonist. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). “The Magicians by Lev Grossman is a very entertaining book; one of those summer page-turners that you wish went on for another six volumes. . The quality of the show’s source material lays a solid foundation for the series to contrast well-worn concepts with a more adult treatment of these themes. Start by marking “The Magicians (The Magicians, #1)” as Want to Read: Error rating book. The ensuing fallout will test Quentin and his new Brakebills compatriots. What do you think of the book vs. the tv show, particularly the first season? Overly lauded by megastar writers because, as book critic for TIME, Grossman has been pivotal to an extent for some of their fame & $. Quentin Coldwater is an unhappy teen, eyeing up an uncertain future in college. The series serves as a promotional vehicle for the books. But the answers they land on, and how they make those determinations, are full of flawed logic and shortsighted thinking. © Common Sense Media. 2. Quentin suffers from depression and doesn't want to take his medications. Maybe that's a sign of a great book, though. Quentin's devotion to his fantasy life is scholarly but also obsessive in a way that allows him to disassociate. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. However it does get a bit of a feel of the lion the witch and the wardrobe part … by Viking. Created by Sera Gamble, John McNamara. There's a magic school and a lot more sex and booze than poor old Harry ever had. The well-worn trope of young people finding themselves at the center of grand magical battles has a great amount of power in today's fantasy-favoring landscape. I passed on reading this book when it first came out because I was underwhelmed by the author's first book Codex. Nail-biting, violent fantasy has elements of mystery. The Magicians Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. Fast-paced, fun adventure about kid magician finding home. Rape is threatened and pedophilia is alluded to. Strong sexual innuendo, including simulated sex acts (while clothed; no nudity is shown.). Add your ratingSee all 28 parent reviews. Find more TV shows that help kids build character. There's an emphasis on self-reliance, and the characters ask hard questions of themselves regarding what it means to be an adult and strike out on your own. 2.5 Stars rounded up. Although I am late to the party I must say I am glad that I overcame my initial reluctance because I loved this book. Reviews "Beyond the Book" articles; Free books to read and review (US only) Find books by time period, setting & theme; Read-alike suggestions by book and author; Book club discussions; and much more! Moments where I loved the WRITING, but others where I kind of wanted to stab the book in the heart. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! Ever wanted to read a fantasy series where the protagonists aren't weirdly gifted with suitable talents. The positive reviews confirmed my growing suspicion that I should read this book. We won't share this comment without your permission. I've watched season 1 & 2. "Never give up!" Science fiction and fantasy have spawned some of the most imaginative plots and settings in existence. The story of a quasi-sociopathic high school cretin who mouth-breathes his way into an exclusive fantasy club of anhedonic wizards - replete with bad writing and worse story-telling. Terrifically horrible, a gonorrheal mess. At the age of 12, he performed his first magic show, which was held at a neighbour’s birthday party. Jane Chatwin specifically chose Quentin for the task of vanquishing the beast, yet he isn’t the one who winds up killing him. Some episodes feature people snorting lines (of presumably cocaine), others feature characters admitting to lots of drug use. After finishing it I stared at the glowing blurbs on the back, looked up some positive reviews online, and thought. [I would have rated this book a lot lower had Quentin not had his epiphany near the end of the book. After allowing my son to see it based on reviews for 15+. But since I'm a sucker for fantasy, so I was willing to let that go. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. So I listened to this on Audio from the library and I laughed my arse off for most of the book! The Magicians by Lev Grossman is one of the most frequently reviewed fantasy novels of the last few years, which isn’t surprising because the author is a well known writer (and book reviewer) for TIME Magazine, and the book was very effectively hyped as “Harry Potter with college age students.” The end result of all of this is that lots of people who don’t regularly read fantasy have picked up this novel, and many of them had their expectations severely challenged. Quentin and his friends all have both positive and negative attributes. 5.0 stars. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Obvi. After being recruited to a secretive academy, a group of students discover that the magic they read about as children is very real-and more dangerous than they ever imagined. Parents need to know that The Magicians is based on a trio of bestselling novels by Lev Grossman concerning a group of young adults and their years living dangerously at Brakebills, an elite school for the magically gifted. Use these free activities to help kids explore our planet, learn about global challenges, think of solutions, and take action. So, is The Magicians also wort. ISBN-13: 9780452296299 Summary Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. I was immediately drawn into Lev Grossman’s The Magicians, but then spent most of the remainder of the book wondering why I was reading it. It has been optioned for film by Jessica Chastain's Freckle Films. Families can talk about why people like to imagine worlds like the one in The Magicians in which magic is real. . The aspect of keeping your passion within and letting it consume you is not an easy job. Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning, The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials, Book 1, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Her debut novel The Magician's Lie was a USA Today bestseller, an Indie Next pick, and a Target Book Club selection. I read it in a niffin-blue blaze of page turning, enthralled by Grossman’s verbal and imaginative wizardry, his complex characters and most of all, his superb, brilliant inquiry into the wondrous, dangerous world of magic.” , I was ready to love this book, it's supposed to be Harry Potter like but more gritty, more realistic, more substantial, and I guess it is and I still like the idea of it. Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell. The misfits-turned-wizards premise is grounded in solid fantasy footing in this series; devotees of the genre will see much from Harry Potter and Narnia. 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