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The book of the broken.

As mentioned in my review of The Magicians, I remember far too little of the show to compare it to the novels; that is to say, I vaguely remember some plotlines scattered across the seasons, so I’m going to refrain from comparison (the thief of all joy) in this review as well.

As teased at the end of the last novel, Quentin and crew are back in Fillory, this time as the Kings and Queens of that magical land. Now, they’re joined by the very mysterious Julia, who was only mentioned in the previous entry. Her story takes up the bulk of this novel, providing the grim flipside to Quentin’s validated acceptance, and potentially hints at an alarming path Grossman is seemingly taking with these novels (watch out, Poppy).

The main plotline centers around Quentin’s boredom with the royal life, seeking out adventure in whatever manner he can get it, even if that means collecting taxes from a backwater island long forgotten by Fillory. Of course, this is just the jumping-off point for his true adventure, which will take him back to Earth, the Netherlands, and even the Underworld.

Interspersed throughout is Julia’s story. She wasn’t accepted into Brakebills along with Quentin and crew in the first novel. Anyone who isn’t accepted supposedly has their mind erased of that time and place and is let back into the mundane world. However, Julia’s mind wasn’t erased, and she’s been looking for proof she hasn’t lost her mind ever since. Much like Quentin, she finally found validation that magic was real, but then the rug was pulled from underneath her. This obviously leads down some dark pathways that parallel drug addiction in many ways, which is often hard to read, but reveals another side of this world that I’m glad Grossman shows us. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns.

It’s an entertaining read that is less segmented than the first novel, but also falls into some of the same pitfalls as said novel. Quentin largely lacks emotion. Although he’s trying to break out as an adventurer, he still is no hero, which he proves multiple times throughout this novel. This plays into his nature and arc throughout the novel (and seemingly the series), which pays off in the end to some effect.

Speaking of, this novel felt to me like it just suddenly ended. Our group stands before the door, the quest items gathered. I felt like there had to be some great battle, or demented God, or something on the other side (all hinted at, mind you), but there wasn’t anything. Well, something was there, but no great enemy they had to fight. I guess Grossman wins for subverting expectations, but it felt like the story fizzled out rather than ended with a bang.

On a heavier note, Grossman is creating a horrible track record for women in his novels. I know: men are entitled and get everything handed to them while the women are the true heroes who go through absolutely unspeakable shit to get what the men have, but holy, is it hard to stomach. Julia follows in Alice’s footsteps: she’s way smarter and more powerful (through hard work) than anyone else in the group, turns out to be the hero, and meets her demise. Julia, likewise, plays a crucial role in saving Fillory and dies in her own way during the length of her story. Brutal.

I’m keeping a close eye on Poppy and Janet in the next novel.

If you enjoyed the first novel, you’ll enjoy The Magician King as it further expands on the characters and world. This is a darker story that shows the other side of magic and how it interacts with people and places, but it’s undeniably interesting and engaging.

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