Title: The Magicians: Alice’s Story
Author: Lev Grossman & Lilah Sturges
Illustrator: Pius Bak
Publication Date: July 10, 2019
Publisher: Archaia
Pages: 208
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THE MAGICIANS: ALICE’S STORY is an all new chapter set in the world of The Magicians trilogy of novels by New York Times bestselling author Lev Grossman that retells the events of the first novel through fan-favorite character Alice Quinn.
Alice Quinn is manifestly brilliant, and she’s always known that magic is real. During her years at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, she rises to the top of her class, falls in love with Quentin Coldwater, and witnesses a horrifically magical creature invade their dimension.
It’s not soon after graduation when Alice, Quentin, and their friends set their sights on the idyllic setting of Fillory—a place thought to only live in the pages of their favorite children’s books—where magic flows like rivers . . . But in this magical realm nothing is what it seems and something darker lies behind the spellbinding facade. It is in the darkness where Alice will discover her true calling and her life, and those friends, forever changed.
I read The Magicians in 2017 and, although I had some mixed feelings about the characters, I really loved it. Although I did enjoy it, I was never very eager to read book two. Then, when I did want to continue the series, I realized I really didn’t remember much about the story. When I saw Alice’s Story was being published, I was really excited to dive into it and get a refresher and a fresh perspective!
This graphic novel is essentially The Magicians retold from Alice’s perspective. Many of the major events from the book are there, but from a new point of view and with several new storylines as well. Alice was one of my favorite characters in The Magicians so it was wonderful to see her journey to Brakebills and especially the way the book wrapped up.
I can definitely say that if you haven’t read The Magicians, this probably is not a story you’ll enjoy. It moves along very quickly and leaves out some key elements of Brakebills and the magical system of this universe. But if you have read the source material, this is a great addition and a fun way to see what was taking place when Quentin was not around.
I loved the art of Alice’s Story! Getting to see the characters and Fillory come to life was amazing and made me eager to (finally) jump into the second book of the series. If you’re a fan of this series, Alice’s Story will definitely be a fun read.
