by Lev Grossman
First published 2009
Quentin Coldwater is a brilliant but discontented high schooler obsessed with a series of fantasy novels about the magical land of Fillory. When he unexpectedly gains admission to an exclusive college of modern sorcery, Quentin discovers that magic is not the simple adventure he imagined. As he and his friends graduate and uncover the shocking truth that Fillory is real, their childhood dream becomes a nightmare of power, darkness, and difficult choices.
Genres: literary-fiction, coming-of-age, fantasy, contemporary
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: New York (State)
488 pages · Paperback · Arrow Books