This book has been touted as Harry Potter for grown ups. Not so much! It is very slow moving and lacks the descriptive details that make you really feel like you are seeing what the author intended. I didn't dislike the book, I just wish I could have liked it more.

For those that grew up reading the Narnia series and Harry Potter series, this can seem like a huge rip off. Most of my members had some problems with the way the story was set up and the drastic change in tone. Others were interpreting it different ways.It was a great novel to discuss why there seemed to be so much reaction.
It was an interesting book on how the magic was used as a backdrop and how much attention was actually focused on the characters.
Just be prepared for some disgruntled readers

When I first heard of this book, it was from a recommendation for fans of Harry Potter. I can see why the person made the comparison, but she should have qualified her statement: Yes, this is a fantasy novel about magicians in a magic school, but it is not an idealistic and light read. There is a cynicism in this book that you won't find in even the darkest of the Harry Potter series. However, this book has it's own special genius. Through his adult fantasy novel, Lev Grossman manages to say things about life that can be applied to every person who lives in the real world. I would say that it is a Generation X fantasy, because it's main protagonist (Quentin Coldwater) is an unhappy and displaced character that definitely fits the usual definition of the a Gen Xer: He's cynical, disaffected, and has a certain egotism (that does not necessarily include a love of himself). Throughout Quentin's struggles the reader is reminded of the elusive nature of happiness and what it was like to learn to take responsibility for their own life. A very interesting and insightful novel, with plenty of magic, sex, and violence to keep even the most avid fantasy reader interested.