Imagine this: Dominick Dunne and Bret Easton Ellis team up to rewrite the Harry Potter series, culminating in an existentialist crisis which takes place in Narnia. Fortunately, Lev Grossman's The Magicians pays homage without becoming too derivative. Brakebills is no Hogwart's; its students are deeply flawed and the school itself is ominous.
Unresolved questions abound: Who is the beautiful paramedic? Why do the fourth-year students disappear for half a year (and why are they so emaciated when they return)? How was the fabric of our dimension punctured, allowing The Beast to enter? Will Quentin ever feel fulfilled?
Grossman's characters are brilliant and bored. Instead of exploring the clash between good and evil, Grossman asks how one can find satisfaction when success and fortune come too easily. The theme is not as grand as Tolkein or Lewis, but the taut narrative and magical settings will still resonate with many readers.The Brentwood Library has one copy of The Magicians. Place a hold on it today!
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