Book #2 The Magicians

Full disclosure- I read this book a few years back and remember liking it. The book was even better the second time around and I'm really excited to get starting on the second book of the series. 

I was inspired to re-read The Magicians when I noticed the SyFy series was on Netflix. Obviously, before watching the series I wanted to re-read the book, so I grabbed it off of my bookshelf and started reading. Immediately, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed the book the first time. The Magicians was a NYT bestseller a few years back and rightfully so. The book is a real-world fantasy novel- essentially, it takes the Chronicles of Narnia plot and gives it a big dose of realism. The Magicians is sort of a dirty fantasy novel. It's not sparkly, shiny and full of unicorns. Instead, the novel takes Narnia and turns it upside-down. In the best way possible. 

The book tells the story of Quentin Coldwater, a high school student in Brooklyn with a history of being miserable. Quentin has an obsession with the Fillory novels, books about four children who discover a magical land (called Fillory) through their uncle's grandfather clock. After a college interview goes south, Quentin is given the manuscript for a never-published sixth Fillory novel. Wind blows the title page away and while chasing the page of the novel, Quentin walks onto the campus of Brakebills College, a secret university specializing in magical studies. Quentin's five years at Brakebills are not the focus of the book- the important stuff happens after Quentin leaves school. 

After graduating, Quentin moves to the city to begin his post-grad magician life with some old school friends. During this year, Quentin and co. discover Fillory is a very real place and decide to go explore. FIllory turns out to be a much darker place than any anticipated; rather than the sparkly land depicted in the novels, Fillory is filled with dangerous beings, bars, and fallen gods. 

The Magician's describes the transition from college to post-grad life perfectly. Quentin and his friends leave school and feel lost- they're looking for some larger purpose but can't seem to find it. The book confronts the tension between growing up and never wanting to through the manipulation of a familiar tale and leaves readers feeling both uncomfortable and curious. If you're a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia, I'd recommend reading The Magicians. It's a realistic, almost pessimistic, twisted coming-of-age story with a little bit of magic, and it's messages will certainly resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with growing up. 

Book rating- 5/5 stars highly recommend. It's a great read and I can't wait to see what the tv series does with the plot.