The PrestigeThe Prestige
Score Modern
What it's about
Two young stage magicians in Victorian London compete to be the best illusionist in the city. Each performs a seemingly impossible trick, and their rivalry turns into a deadly obsession whose consequences reach their descendants a century later.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a puzzle-box novel that keeps surprising.
You'll love it if you liked
The Night Circus
Cloud Atlas
The Starless SeaGood to know
Pay attention: the twists depend on the details.
By the numbers
- Readers68 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #131 of the 333 science fiction books we rank
- #201 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #726 of the 1,648 modern books we rank
- #1408 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
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Quick answers
Is The Prestige worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,408 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Prestige about?
Two young stage magicians in Victorian London compete to be the best illusionist in the city. Each performs a seemingly impossible trick, and their rivalry turns into a deadly obsession whose consequences reach their descendants a century later.
How long does it take to read The Prestige?
About 10 hours (404 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Prestige?
If you liked it, try The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell or The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.