The Magus
- 656
- Pages
- about 12 h
- Reading time
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About the book
The Magus (1965) is a postmodern novel by British author John Fowles, telling the story of Nicholas Urfe, a young British graduate who is teaching English on a small Greek island. Urfe becomes embroiled in the psychological illusions of a master trickster, which become increasingly dark and serious. Considered an example of metafiction, it was the first novel written by Fowles but his third book to be published. A revised edition was published in 1977.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.8 across 137 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 43% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Rankings average of 7.8. That is how 7.9 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.5 | 12 | 9% |
| Hardcover | 7.8 | 125 | 91% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“I've never read a story like this before, I've never read a book like this before. This is an incredibly engrossing and yet incredibly off-putting work. More than anything else it makes me want to read Fowles' other books. ”
Frequently asked
What is The Magus rated?
7.9 out of 10, from 137 reader ratings across 2 independent sources.
Is The Magus worth reading?
Readers give it 7.9/10 from 137 ratings in open sources.
How long does it take to read The Magus?
About 12 hours at an average reading pace — 656 pages.