Review: #573
Title: The Amulet of Samarkand
Series: The Bartimaeus Trilogy - 1st book
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Read Before: yes
Comments: An absolutely fantastic novel. Set in an alternate version of London, with magicians in power, we follow Nathaniel, an apprentice magician with talent but ends up getting himself into trouble. The plot is a lot more complex than you would expect, diving into politics, conscience, morality and more. It is told through the perspective of Nathaniel and the djinni he raises, Bartimaeus, who has a wisecracking personality. Bartimaeus is the soul of the book, his sarcasm and witty humor makes every page enjoyable. The author has done a brilliant job of fleshing out the backstory of this world, from how the magicians use their power, to how the world is structured, it refreshingly detailed and well constructed. The plot slowly builds up from a simple theft to Nathaniel making huge mistakes and uncovering a massive plot to plan a coup on the magician government. The climax did not disappoint with a great turnaround in how Bartimaeus outsmarted the magicians. Well worth reading and simply amazing.
Rating: 8.5/10