The Facts
Length: 400 pages.
Publisher: Viking.
This is Grossman's fourth novel. It is part two of two - so far (a third novel is expected).
Quick Summary
Okay. You know the jist of this series, so I'm not going to take up a lot of your time. But this story has two protagonists - yeah. You heard me. For one, you've got Quentin Coldwater (a lot more likeable in this book, but still sad ol' Quentin). But the story also follows the arc of Julia, who's just an example of what happens when Brakebills turns down someone with OCD. Spoilers: you'll be enjoying reading her magical periphery backstory intensely enough that you'll be some kind of disappointed when Quentin (and the main plot) pokes his scronkin' head back in. That's not to say Quentin's storyline is bad, rather the opposite: you'll see old friends, mythical creatures, and really get to the crux of why magic exists, rather than have magic be treated as something with unflappable origin.
The Good
Everything. But, to be more specific: the ending, for one, is just brilliant. This is supposed to be a trilogy, right? And yet I found myself convinced that this was it. The novel ends on such a strong note that the next novel doesn't seem a requirement, but rather an unexpected bonus. I have never felt that about the middle child in a series (excluding, upon growing up, Empire Strikes Back, but hell, that was a movie).
If you're still looking for more stuff to revel in, I'm going to reiterate my feelings for the Julia plot. It grabs you by the soul and never lets you go, because her own search for the dream of magic leads down a path I'm sure you know well: the stale taste of midnight coffee, the mindlessness of surfing the 'net in search of something, the estrangement from the parents and the life you once led...Julia's plot seemed like she was growing up and growing away, but in a way that wasn't expected, and she was finding out different parts of herself that she'd never known before. And unlike Quentin, she does it in our world. It's scary, and leads down some dark paths, but she is who she is.
The Bad
The problem is, though, that Julia in Quentin's storyline is a cardboard figure. Because the Julia plot gives her a large portion of the narrator's time, dedication, and attention, we're allowed to sneak into her world more fully than in Quentin's story. Yeah, Julia went through some pretty weird stuff, so there's a reasoning for it, but it just seemed kind of alien to me, and made her character hard to respond to. I wish we had some more of the narration behind Julia in Quentin's story.
Secondly: the love interest isn't as real as Alice, either. Alice for life.
Final Thoughts
I'm not sure why I even have a "The Bad" category here. I can only tell you to get into this series, because it just keeps getting better.
Arbitrary Score: 4.8 out of 5.
Next book: Out of Oz, by Gregory Maguire (2011)
