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directorpurry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
alexschmidt34's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Death and Murder
allymac14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Minor: Murder
itsnotalakeitsanocean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Re-reading this now, I think I'm a bit too old to properly enjoy this book fully but this would be a good book for a teen who wanted to get into reading darker books without smut or overtly graphic violence.
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Slavery, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Body horror
ptork66's review against another edition
5.0
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The worldbuilding makes it clear that magicians have been around for a very long time, with Nathaniel’s home of London being merely the most recent epicenter of magic and magical power. It shows the classism and social stratification which is fueled and perpetuated by magicians through their enslavement of summoned entities. It’s also a system which relies on controlling and conditioning children to think of being a magician and growing up to serve the British government as the only good and worthwhile way to exist, fostering a deep loathing and contempt for commoners (non-magicians). Bartimaeus never lets it be forgotten that his very corporeal existence is an unwanted and physically painful condition of his slavery, that as much as he may or may not develop a rapport with Nathaniel, their relationship is an inherently unequal one which is predicated on Nathaniel summoning Bartimaeus against his will. He's is a witty and engaging narrator, with timely asides to explain various worldbuilding details in a sardonic manner. The narrative alternates between Bartimaeus’s commentary and a third-person view of Nathaniel’s perspective in the past and present.
This is a solid start to the trilogy, setting up things which the later books will build upon.
Graphic: Child abuse and Classism
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Deadnaming, and Blood
lomahongva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Child abuse and Confinement