Comments on: Book Review: *The Magicians* by Lev Grossman http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/ and it has addled her brain Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:42:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Review: The Magicians by Lev Grossman http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-41477 Review: The Magicians by Lev Grossman Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:21:06 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-41477 [...] Blog | A Novel Menagerie | books i done read | Fyrefly’s Book Blog | Reading the Leaves | She Is Too Fond of Books [...] [...] Blog | A Novel Menagerie | books i done read | Fyrefly’s Book Blog | Reading the Leaves | She Is Too Fond of Books [...]

]]> By: S. Krishna http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28749 S. Krishna Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:00:22 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28749 Great review! I enjoyed this book more than you did, I think, but you pointed out some great flaws. Great review! I enjoyed this book more than you did, I think, but you pointed out some great flaws.

]]> By: sheistoofondofbooks http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28465 sheistoofondofbooks Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:42:22 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28465 softdrink - I don't remember your review, heading back to look for it now .... Steph - you state your assessment so eloquently - I wish I had written it! (I didn't know a series was planned!) Stacy - you might leaf thru it at a bookstore or library to see if it might work for you ... I haven't found many strong defenders, though. zibilee - there were some very positive reviews when it first came out, but that first round has definitely tapered off. Jenners - I don't think I would have finished it, if it weren't our book group pick. Nicole - I agree about the pacing! There were many scenes that didn't add anything to the overall story (but were creative!) Ramona - definitely depressing. diane - I'll look for your review to see what interested you -- always nice to know other opinions. Serena - Harry Potter dulled for me after the first few books, but I felt they were more cohesive, in any case. Ti - I'm now convinced (by other readers), that he was expecting too much of us, that the satire wasn't obvious or well-written. Fyrefly - wow! That whole ring/button, pond/fountain line .... was there any original material? softdrink – I don’t remember your review, heading back to look for it now ….

Steph – you state your assessment so eloquently – I wish I had written it! (I didn’t know a series was planned!)

Stacy – you might leaf thru it at a bookstore or library to see if it might work for you … I haven’t found many strong defenders, though.

zibilee – there were some very positive reviews when it first came out, but that first round has definitely tapered off.

Jenners – I don’t think I would have finished it, if it weren’t our book group pick.

Nicole – I agree about the pacing! There were many scenes that didn’t add anything to the overall story (but were creative!)

Ramona – definitely depressing.

diane – I’ll look for your review to see what interested you — always nice to know other opinions.

Serena – Harry Potter dulled for me after the first few books, but I felt they were more cohesive, in any case.

Ti – I’m now convinced (by other readers), that he was expecting too much of us, that the satire wasn’t obvious or well-written.

Fyrefly – wow! That whole ring/button, pond/fountain line …. was there any original material?

]]> By: Fyrefly http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28310 Fyrefly Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:48:53 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28310 The Narnia parallels were even more overt than the Harry Potter ones - for instance, in <i>The Magician's Nephew</i> (the 6th Narnia book), you reach Narnia by putting on a magic ring, which whisks you away to the wood between the worlds, where you jump into a pond to get to the magical other world. Sound familiar? So, yeah, I'm a big fantasy fan, and I didn't much care for this one at all - I felt like, as in the third quote you listed, that he was taking a knock at people who do enjoy fantasy novels as a bit of escapism... so he alienates the non-fantasy readers by having so much fantasy allusions and background, and he alienates the fantasy fans by pointing up the inadequacies of the genre they enjoy. The Narnia parallels were even more overt than the Harry Potter ones – for instance, in The Magician’s Nephew (the 6th Narnia book), you reach Narnia by putting on a magic ring, which whisks you away to the wood between the worlds, where you jump into a pond to get to the magical other world. Sound familiar?

So, yeah, I’m a big fantasy fan, and I didn’t much care for this one at all – I felt like, as in the third quote you listed, that he was taking a knock at people who do enjoy fantasy novels as a bit of escapism… so he alienates the non-fantasy readers by having so much fantasy allusions and background, and he alienates the fantasy fans by pointing up the inadequacies of the genre they enjoy.

]]> By: Ti http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28267 Ti Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:47:43 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28267 It really bugs me when an author throws stuff in like that and just assumes that the reader will pick-up on the reference. Contrary to popular belief, there are people out there that have not read HP. This would bug me too. It really bugs me when an author throws stuff in like that and just assumes that the reader will pick-up on the reference. Contrary to popular belief, there are people out there that have not read HP. This would bug me too.

]]> By: Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit) http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28259 Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:14:13 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28259 Bermudaonion said something similar about not being for the average reader of fantasy. I'm not sure this is a book I would enjoy. I may need more fantasy under my belt. I haven't even read harry potter. Bermudaonion said something similar about not being for the average reader of fantasy. I’m not sure this is a book I would enjoy. I may need more fantasy under my belt. I haven’t even read harry potter.

]]> By: diane http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28201 diane Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:29:53 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28201 This is not the type of book I would normally read, but I did enjoy it--well done. This is not the type of book I would normally read, but I did enjoy it–well done.

]]> By: Ramona http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28195 Ramona Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:08:52 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28195 I had high hopes when this book came out but I was greatly dissappointed. He ripped off so many other great fantasy books and didn't take it anywhere interesting. Plus one of the most depressing books ever! Big thumbs down from Mama Reads! I had high hopes when this book came out but I was greatly dissappointed. He ripped off so many other great fantasy books and didn’t take it anywhere interesting. Plus one of the most depressing books ever! Big thumbs down from Mama Reads!

]]> By: Nicole http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28162 Nicole Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:50:24 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28162 I think his writing was good and I would be interested to read something else. I think too that this book would definitely have benefitted from being shorter. I wanted the story to move much faster than it did. I think his writing was good and I would be interested to read something else. I think too that this book would definitely have benefitted from being shorter. I wanted the story to move much faster than it did.

]]> By: Jenners http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/11/02/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/comment-page-1/#comment-28109 Jenners Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:09:52 +0000 http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/?p=7695#comment-28109 Hmmmmm...Beth Fish Reads didn't care for this one either. And now with some of your examples, I'm starting to dislike it outright -- even never having read it! Hmmmmm…Beth Fish Reads didn’t care for this one either. And now with some of your examples, I’m starting to dislike it outright — even never having read it!

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