Happiness is
You guys, today I read The Magicians by Lev Grossman.
Well, I started it yesterday, on my favourite beach, but I read most of it today. I loved it - really really enjoyed reading it.
If you haven't heard of it, it's a book that's kinda like -- what if you were really into (obsessed with, in the fandom of) Narnia, and spent your whole time wishing you could go there, and then unexpectedly get a Hogwarts letter, and go there for college. And have a life and feelings and insecurities and stuff. And then plot occurs too, of course. Awesome, hysterical, heart rending, sarcastic plot.
I heard about it in a newspaper article, and thought - that sounds like a book I absolutely have to read. And, also, it is the book for September of bookdeyada, so there will be discussion of it soon! Which is why I wanted to write at least a short note now, before I hear anyone's views or opinions on it at all.
I thought it was great. It reminded me what it was to feel so happy and drawn to actually reading a book. It wasn't that I couldn't put it down. but spending hours reading it - setting aside time to just read it and focus on nothing else and not feel pressured to stop reading (because I ration my books out here, lol) or anything was just wonderful.
It really spoke to me. Some of it was sad, some of it was farcical, but behind everything this book sort of felt like it was written with me, and people like me I suppose, in mind. I identified with different characters to different degrees, but really found the whole of it resonated with me, like, a lot. I particularly liked how it raised thoughts and problems and feelings, and kinda discussed them or demonstrated them or whatever without presuming to answer all the questions it raised, without feeling the need to impose some sanctimonious or saccharine "correct answer".
God, it made me laugh so much, and it nearly made me cry.
The characters are really well formed. The main group of friends really felt like a real group of friends, which may sound like a kinda stupid thing to say but it's true and all too often these sets of friends you get in fiction don't. The banter was seriously awesome.
It didn't really surprise me exactly, as in, the actual plot twists, though I'll admit what did surprise me was the way the book was laid out, what the author decided to spend time on, how many parts to it there really were. I did that weird panicky thing I do, where I check how many pages there are in the book and then end up counting down and worrying that there aren't enough pages left for the story to be completed and wound up properly, which makes me become more unable to stop reading the closer I get to the end. I figured out what could be called the plot twist, or the reveal, or whatever, but I loved that in fact that wasn't really all that important to the book as a whole, IMO, so didn't detract from it. Essentially, I really really liked it, it gave me that unbeatable walking on air feeling that I get from being very happy and satisfied and content from reading and really enjoying a book.
The one thing that bothered me was the number of thrones. Maybe I missed something? I'll reread it a whole bunch. Maybe I'll do a post with actual discussion of what happens in a couple of days.
Anyway. Put it on your "to read" lists people! It rocks.
Well, I started it yesterday, on my favourite beach, but I read most of it today. I loved it - really really enjoyed reading it.
If you haven't heard of it, it's a book that's kinda like -- what if you were really into (obsessed with, in the fandom of) Narnia, and spent your whole time wishing you could go there, and then unexpectedly get a Hogwarts letter, and go there for college. And have a life and feelings and insecurities and stuff. And then plot occurs too, of course. Awesome, hysterical, heart rending, sarcastic plot.
I heard about it in a newspaper article, and thought - that sounds like a book I absolutely have to read. And, also, it is the book for September of bookdeyada, so there will be discussion of it soon! Which is why I wanted to write at least a short note now, before I hear anyone's views or opinions on it at all.
I thought it was great. It reminded me what it was to feel so happy and drawn to actually reading a book. It wasn't that I couldn't put it down. but spending hours reading it - setting aside time to just read it and focus on nothing else and not feel pressured to stop reading (because I ration my books out here, lol) or anything was just wonderful.
It really spoke to me. Some of it was sad, some of it was farcical, but behind everything this book sort of felt like it was written with me, and people like me I suppose, in mind. I identified with different characters to different degrees, but really found the whole of it resonated with me, like, a lot. I particularly liked how it raised thoughts and problems and feelings, and kinda discussed them or demonstrated them or whatever without presuming to answer all the questions it raised, without feeling the need to impose some sanctimonious or saccharine "correct answer".
God, it made me laugh so much, and it nearly made me cry.
The characters are really well formed. The main group of friends really felt like a real group of friends, which may sound like a kinda stupid thing to say but it's true and all too often these sets of friends you get in fiction don't. The banter was seriously awesome.
It didn't really surprise me exactly, as in, the actual plot twists, though I'll admit what did surprise me was the way the book was laid out, what the author decided to spend time on, how many parts to it there really were. I did that weird panicky thing I do, where I check how many pages there are in the book and then end up counting down and worrying that there aren't enough pages left for the story to be completed and wound up properly, which makes me become more unable to stop reading the closer I get to the end. I figured out what could be called the plot twist, or the reveal, or whatever, but I loved that in fact that wasn't really all that important to the book as a whole, IMO, so didn't detract from it. Essentially, I really really liked it, it gave me that unbeatable walking on air feeling that I get from being very happy and satisfied and content from reading and really enjoying a book.
The one thing that bothered me was the number of thrones. Maybe I missed something? I'll reread it a whole bunch. Maybe I'll do a post with actual discussion of what happens in a couple of days.
Anyway. Put it on your "to read" lists people! It rocks.