The Magicians

by Lev Grossman

402 pages

English language

Published July 16, 2009 by Viking Press, Penguin Books, A Plume Book.

ISBN:: 978-0-670-02055-3
OCLC Number:: 861326772

(4 reviews)

"Quentin Coldwater's life is changed forever by an apparently chance encounter: when he turns up for his entrance interview to Princeton he finds his interviewer dead - but a strange envelope bearing Quentin's name leads him down a very different path to any he'd ever imagined. The envelope, and the mysterious manuscript it contains, leads to a secret world of obsession and privilege, a world of freedom and power and, for a while, it's a world that seems to answer all Quentin's desires. But the idyll cannot last - and when it's finally shattered, Quentin is drawn into something darker and far more dangerous than anything he could ever have expected."--Publisher description.

6 editions

Michael Gouker reviewed The Magicians by Lev Grossman (Magicians Trilogy, #1)

Review of 'The Magicians' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Really good novel. Magic system is so-so, but the worldbuilding is solid. There is a good story within a story too, and the characters are challenged and changed.

Some great dialogue too:

“I will stop being a mouse, Quentin. I will take some chances. If you will, for just one second, look at your life and see how perfect it is. Stop looking for the next secret door that is going to lead you to your real life. Stop waiting. This is it: there’s nothing else. It’s here, and you’d better decide to enjoy it or you’re going to be miserable wherever you go, for the rest of your life, forever.” - Alice
“You can’t just decide to be happy.” - Quentin
“No, you can’t. But you can sure as hell decide to be miserable...” - Alice