The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It could be said that Grossman’s MAGICIANS trilogy is as much in conversation with the fantasy genre as belonging to it. If the first novel, THE MAGICIANS, is a take on the portal fantasy, with its last third taking place in a magical land outside of our world, and the second novel, THE MAGICIAN KING, is a take on the quest fantasy, with its mission to collect seven golden keys, then THE MAGICIAN’S LAND, the third and final volume in the trilogy, takes on urban fantasy with its magical heist of a mysterious briefcase.
But like the two novels before it, there’s much more to THE MAGICIAN’S LAND than that. There are new characters (I found myself taking to Plum a lot faster than I took to Poppy in the second novel), new insights into Brakebills and Fillory, and also, most gratifyingly, the return of old characters that I had hoped to see again but was worried Grossman had forgotten about (he hadn’t).
I won’t spoil anything with too much detail. The fun of novels like these — indeed, of most narratives, I’d say — is taking the journey along with the characters. Grossman wisely leaves the ending open for further adventures should he want to write any, but there’s no pressing need for them. THE MAGICIAN’S LAND is a beautiful, satisfying, and perfect ending to one of the best fantasy trilogies I’ve read.
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