The Magicians

Fantasy novels wisp readers away to another world, a world of magic and wonder that can sometimes make the world we actually live in seem dull and colorless. They brighten our childhood and gull us into a sense of wonderment and awe, and provide for memories and ideas that we carry with us well into adulthood. The Magicians is a surprisingly good novel that pays homage to the magical and fantastic stories of so many fantasy writers before him, and provides a haven to those seeking another outlet after the epic conclusion of Harry Potter. The book follows Quentin Coldwater, a young man rejected from the college of his choice and cast into the world of magic and sorcery he seems to be so obsessed with since reading "Fillory and Further." He has lost all sense of wonder in his life and in the world around him, and that passion is reignited with his induction into Brakebills, a college for magic extremely reminiscent of Hogwarts. Grossman's piece has been labelled "Harry Potter for adults," and in so many ways this is true. I love the fact that he takes a childish and popular theme, magic and sorcery, and ties in adult and mature elements, injecting stories of sex, drugs, and apathy among other things into this daring book. This story takes the reader into a world that is a bit more believable, introducing real world problems and themes into this fantasy realm of life and magic. I have always had trouble getting into the genre of fantasy, as far as reading goes, mainly because everything associated with it seems immature in so many ways, and I find it difficult to relate. The Magicians broke that barrier, providing a healthy does of reality with each drop of magic and fantasy, breaking the barriers of what I thought this genre was about, and working to appeal to some of our most basic desires to bring enchantment and wonder to a world that has become dull and oppressive in so many ways.