09-14-2009, 11:23 AM
I read this book because a lot the fantasy authors who I followed rhapsodized very eloquently about this book. If you took the Hogwarts scenario and mixed it with Narnia chronicles, you would have this book. Only it's a lot more grittier. Which I guess makes it a more realistic fantasy novel? Which begs the question: Do we really want a realistic fantasy novel? The charm of the Potter Books was that it was supposed to be set in our world. But Mr. Grossmans adds in all the drinking, sex, debauchery and despair that he thinks are missing from the Potter books.
In the first half of the Book, we spend time at Brakesbills academy where are teenage hyper competitive nascent magicians learn spells. They cram for tests. They party. They hate their studies. They have one tense moment. They form cliques. Everything you would find in an exclusive prepartory school. Only the subject is magic. And the lead character is full of ennui.
In the second half of the book, or maybe final third, the students travel to Fillory which is the stand in for Narnia. Throughout the course of the story, they talk a lot about how enchanted they were by the Fillory books and the adventure the Chatwin children had in Fillory. What they find there is adventure and adventure they don't like. There is real killing against magical animals. They go on a quest. They hate it.
It's tough really enjoying a book about a miserable character. I wasn't up to the challenge. It's more like the book was written as a dare and this was the result.
It was the most depressing book I've ever read.
In the first half of the Book, we spend time at Brakesbills academy where are teenage hyper competitive nascent magicians learn spells. They cram for tests. They party. They hate their studies. They have one tense moment. They form cliques. Everything you would find in an exclusive prepartory school. Only the subject is magic. And the lead character is full of ennui.
In the second half of the book, or maybe final third, the students travel to Fillory which is the stand in for Narnia. Throughout the course of the story, they talk a lot about how enchanted they were by the Fillory books and the adventure the Chatwin children had in Fillory. What they find there is adventure and adventure they don't like. There is real killing against magical animals. They go on a quest. They hate it.
It's tough really enjoying a book about a miserable character. I wasn't up to the challenge. It's more like the book was written as a dare and this was the result.
It was the most depressing book I've ever read.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit