Ratings4
Average rating2.8
I grabbed this at a used book sale because I liked The Magicians, but I assumed from the title it would be science fiction. Instead, what I got was the dull meanderings of a sad white guy with awkward pop culture interjections that might work if this were visual but just come off as jarring interjections as opposed to the layers of meaning Grossman seems to want them to be. There's no real plot, no character development outside of Hollis at all, a manic pixie dream girl who makes no sense, and just everything I hate about Quentin Coldwater without any of the growth that made me like him in the end. I wouldn't really bother with this one. This book wasn't for me, and I also don't know who it was for. I know it's a first effort, and I know Grossman gets a lot better (Magicians is one of few trilogies where I like the last book more than the first), but if you're just looking to read an author's complete works, you can probably skip this.