.

its a slow start to the book but then it just keeps building to the point that you cant stop

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2 people found this helpful

Brutality honest Brilliant but hard to read.

Brutality honest. Brilliant but hard to read. Get to the end it's worth it. Worth it.

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Not as good as I expected

I enjoyed the book overall, however some of the characters were a little 1 dimensional. The links to modern culture were fun, and the dialogue between the characters was mostly good. If you’ve seen the tv show, and loved it, you probably won’t like this book.

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Save your time and watch the tv series instead

I read this book because I watched the tv adaptation and really liked it. I thought, of course the book must be better. I was wrong. The problem is that the characters are not developed enough. They don't really grow, and there's no nuance. I think the author was going for gritty, but their drunkenness and apathy just put me off. They are one-dimensional. The thing that really got me was that the author can't seem to decide whether the readers should hate Janet or not. She's nice, then she's the worst of the worst, then she's good again. I also didn't connect with the protagonist. He came across as whiny and defeatist.
I will not be reading the sequels.

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3 people found this helpful

rich exploration of fantasy scapes and personality

great. exciting. slow start but worth hanging in for the climactic finish. creative. a rich fantasy.

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1 person found this helpful

Captivating Story

The technical details in this story are fantastic, could do with a bit more though.

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Engaging story, whingeing character

This book started off really well but I really struggled with it once the main character changed into a whingy annoyance. I never finished because he was too annoying.

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Listen to this now mortals

Yer I loved it and if you like magic of any type you will to

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Modern twisted and fascinating

Really enjoyed this modern take on the traditional escapist fantasy theme. Very gritty and the characters are challenging but well worth the effort. Completely original and pleasingly unique approach to an otherwise archaic trope.

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Something for those Childhood dreamers

If you loved to dream about escaping to magical lands or just discovering magic as a child then this is the grown up book for you. This book was the perfect level up from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, which (let's be real) Grossman borrowed heavily from. What he did not borrow however was the magic that he created. I found the years that Quentin and the gang spent at Breakbills to be captivating and so inventive.
Warning for those with little patience, Quentin is a morose and difficult protag to live with and that does not get better as the book (and books) go on.
The narration is pleasant and easy to listen to, Bramhall bringing his own lilts and nuances to each characters portrayal.
This is by far my favourite book in the series. And if you finish this and find the last quarter a little so so, i would recommend leaving the series at just this book.

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