The Magicians

The Magicians (2009) by Lev Grossman. A sort of Harry Potter for grown-ups, this book tells the story of Quentin, who follows a piece of paper carried by the wind to the back of a weeded lot and finds himself at Brakebills, a magic school for exceptional teens. At the age of 17, he is enrolled to learn magic, and his years at Brakebills pass relatively quickly. It's a well-told, absorbing story -- until about two-thirds of the way through, when it becomes a magical quest complete with all sorts of strange creatures. The last third of the book involves much casting of spells and killing of evil beasts, and is much less interesting than what came before. Overall, I'd give it a Grade: B