I just finished reading The Magicians by Lev Grossman. I think I was two thirds of the way through this book before I realized what it was really about, and not until the very end did I realize that the book is brilliant. Described by some as Harry Potter for grown-ups, The Magicians is more of a book that takes a look at the world of fantasy literature from an adult perspective, which is not the same thing as Harry Potter for grown-ups.
Anyone who has ever fallen in love with a novel has probably wished, at least for a little while that they could have escaped into the world depicted there. The protagonist of The Magicians actually gets to live out this fantasy, only to find that it is not the wonderful experience he expected.
This actually made me think of Mr. Popper’s Penguins, the classic children’s novel by Richard Atwater. My third grade teacher read this novel aloud to my class. I don’t know what it was about this book that struck us, but my friend and I spent many an hour in her basement pretending to be penguins, creating elaborate obstacle type courses as we practiced our penguin stunts, all in an effort to bring the world of the novel to life.
Since that time, I have read many a book whose fictional world I have longed to escape into. Who hasn’t wished to spend a year or two at Hogwarts? Who hasn’t wanted to explore the curious world of Wonderland? There’s been more than one spaceship that I’ve wished I could ride as it explored the vastness of outer space. Like the characters in Shannon Hale’s Austenland, there are plenty of folks who have longed to experience one of the greatest love stories of all time.
So, if you could pick a book (or two) to escape into what would it be?
My Books
Your blog is very dangerous… you’re adding too many books to my to-read list!
Have you read The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde? He takes the idea of escaping into books quite literally!
When I was a child, I believed that I would find the door to Narnia (I was too stupid to recognize the religious allegory at the time!). I lived in the mountains of North Carolina at the time, and I wandered through the woods behind my house, determined to find a way there. So, what else could I do? I had to start writing!
Have a great week!
Christina: Good point on the Eyre Affair. I didn’t even think of that, but it’s a perfect example of fictional books becoming reality. I love your explanation of how wanting to into a book made you become a writer. I think that must be true in some small way for all writers.