I really enjoyed the dual plot strands here, particularly getting Julia's story, right up until the last few pages. There might need to be a rule about men writing rape scenes. Especially ones where the women end up better off for having been brutally violated. Really, Grossman? Really?

I'm going on to the third book only to see if Grossman redeems himself. And because it is super hard for me to leave a thing undone.

Where the first book was filled with slightly whiny kids finding their place in the magical world and facing the trials of that life, this book is filled with a darker and more fantastic story line. We finally get to see the trials of Julia, which turn out to be a greater struggle than imagined, and we watch as Quentin finally comes to terms with what it means to be a hero in the story.
I felt far less like I was missing details in this story, and ultimately loved seeing more of the magic of Fillory and then doubling back to see how that magic exists in our world. Very excited to see how the third installment goes picking up from the end of this story!

This was better than the first and I really enjoyed the first.

The world created has opened up. Characters developed more; as to be expected. I find Grossman's descriptors very pleasing somehow. I can't truly explain but they are very satisfying. I'm still coming from a point of view of having watched the first four seasons of the TV series and the first few of the fifth but stopped because I find the novels so much more compelling. Yes, the novels don't go as deep in the supporting characters but the world they exist in and how things play feel far more concrete and believable for me.

Without going deeper into characters I do feel they grow greatly. Instead of keeping them all together as they do in the show they grow apart then meet again. Feels more natural and real. I can't wait to dive into the third book.

The story was really interesting in this one, and I mostly loved Julia’s backstory. I am actually marking this review as having spoilers which is something I usually don’t do but I’m not sure how I feel about the Julia rape scene. Like I don’t think it was really necessary for her to be raped by the fox god, but I mean rape is unfortunately a realistic aspect of our world. So like… these books are supposed to be a more realistic take on magic in our world (as opposed to garbage ass Harry Potter by J. K. Terf-ling) but at the same time I don’t think Lev Grossman really had to go there. The fox god could have just taken her “soul” and given her the knowledge. Honestly it kinda soured the book some for me because up until that point it was a five star book. Idk, maybe it was the way it was done more so than it actually having happened but it was just weird.

Otherwise I did enjoy the book, I just really feel weird talking about any other aspect of the book tbh like…. That scene just really through me for a loop

I've given this 3 stars - but its probably more of a 2.5. Like the first book in this series I found the world building and magic quite interesting, but the story is a little flat and just a little pointless. I'm tossing up whether I'll track down the next book.

Okay so I've read the Magician King. Admittedly years after I have read the Magicians, but I felt a sudden urge to finish al the series I've started but never finished.

Let's start with the good. I like this book better then the last. The characters were less unlikable. There was a greater sense of purpose. I still love the fact that this is all set in a twisted version of Harry Potter mixed with a twisted version of Narnia.

Now for the not so great. This book felt oddly disjointed. The bits and pieces in Fillory were great, but the whole thing on earth felt a little of and even a mix between Deus Ex Machina (setting the stage for things to come in a convenient manner) and filler. It had no real consequence and added next to nothing to the story.

Another thing that irked me was the lack of fleshed out characters. Yes we have Quentin en Julia, but even these feel oddly flat. The rest are just there to fill the stage they play their minor part and then they just tag along.

In the end I didn't dislike te book and as such it gets three stars just as its predecessor, but I would probably not read this book and again. So on to the next and final chapter in this tale.

Not my favorite book. The first and third books in this trilogy were much better stories and easier to follow. This one got kind of dense in a few places with some unnecessary dark stuff. After finishing the trilogy, I now understand the reason for some of the dark features of this book, I just didn’t enjoy reading it very much. Clearly I kept reading because I genuinely wanted to know the outcome.

Great book! Loved the ending, and can't wait for book 3.