Jessica Baxter's Reviews > The Magus

this book fucked me up. i suppose it could be defined as a "psychological thriller" but its very jungian, steeped in metaphor and symbolism and eroticisim and mythology and shakespeare. its also an intense love story of sorts, the main character is a completely fleshed out, real, flawed person who you relate to and fear for and empathize with. the premise is that this british guy gets a teaching job on a small island in greece soon after WWII ends and becomes intwined in the lives/mind games of this man and his crew...just when you (meaning the protagonist) think you know whats really going on with these people, it all changes and youre left more baffled and curious and invested than ever. in addition to being all of those things its a really fast read (despite its 700 pages) and a really interesting commentary on europe after the war (especially brits).