glitterbomb47's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars. I took it down for its uneven pace: some parts were very exciting, while other parts really dragged. Also I found Nathaniel repellent.
That said, I loved Bartimaeus, loved his snarky footnotes, and I will be reading the second book.
That said, I loved Bartimaeus, loved his snarky footnotes, and I will be reading the second book.
malvvina's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mr Stroud never disappoints 🫡🫡
It was a great entertainment with two great characters, young sorcerer Nathaniel and a djinni Bartimaeus he summoned for his silly little revenge on certain guy and it blows off really fast. Both characters are amazing and there’s amazing shades of grey I would not expect to see in a children’s book. Honestly characters more complex than in many ya novels I’ve read this year. Anywho 100% worth my time. Slightly slower pace than Lockwood and co, especially in the beginning and in the middle of the book but the plot was going fast and GOODÂ
Additionally idk if RF Kuantan read this series because I had such a feeling it’s so similar to Babel especially in the beginning as in: young boy taken from his family raised by a hateful man being cruel to him with the aim for the boy to achieve great position in the British empire etc etc + the feeling of where this series is going: Nathaniel probably will get higher and higher within the structures of the British government ONLY to face some /people/ and /situations/ that would make him join the resistance and in the end of the day he will help taking over the government. Like this looks like it could have been a lil inspiration for babel. Or fiction books like these are just that predictable 😅
Omg I wrote an essay. Ok bye xxÂ
It was a great entertainment with two great characters, young sorcerer Nathaniel and a djinni Bartimaeus he summoned for his silly little revenge on certain guy and it blows off really fast. Both characters are amazing and there’s amazing shades of grey I would not expect to see in a children’s book. Honestly characters more complex than in many ya novels I’ve read this year. Anywho 100% worth my time. Slightly slower pace than Lockwood and co, especially in the beginning and in the middle of the book but the plot was going fast and GOODÂ
Additionally idk if RF Kuantan read this series because I had such a feeling it’s so similar to Babel especially in the beginning as in: young boy taken from his family raised by a hateful man being cruel to him with the aim for the boy to achieve great position in the British empire etc etc + the feeling of where this series is going: Nathaniel probably will get higher and higher within the structures of the British government ONLY to face some /people/ and /situations/ that would make him join the resistance and in the end of the day he will help taking over the government. Like this looks like it could have been a lil inspiration for babel. Or fiction books like these are just that predictable 😅
Omg I wrote an essay. Ok bye xxÂ
hgranger's review against another edition
3.0
Quite clever and witty. Having the djinni as the narrator was an interesting twist. Nathaniel was annoying, but Bartimaus was a good counterweight to the boy. The plot was fairly well executed. A solid first installment in the series.
marshmallowbooks's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good start to a trilogy. I listened to the audiobook, and the reader was pretty good. The story is told from the points of view of Bartimaeus, a haughty djinn, and Nathaniel, a young magician with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. I much preferred the point of view of Bartimaeus over Nathaniel. Maybe because it was in first person, or maybe because the narrator didn't seem to have to work as hard to pull off the voice, or maybe because at times Nathaniel was a bit of a whiny 12-year-old.
The story didn't move quite as fast as I'd expected, but it was interesting enough to keep me listening until the end. It wasn't really until the end, the last few chapters, that I felt like anything really was happening, and then the excitement was over a little to quickly. I would have preferred a little more anticipation building up to it, but in the end, I am wondering what the next installment has in store.
The story didn't move quite as fast as I'd expected, but it was interesting enough to keep me listening until the end. It wasn't really until the end, the last few chapters, that I felt like anything really was happening, and then the excitement was over a little to quickly. I would have preferred a little more anticipation building up to it, but in the end, I am wondering what the next installment has in store.
jenjen's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
deneenernst's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
elle_loves_reading's review against another edition
5.0
I devoured this book and absolutely loved it. What a fantastic little imp that Bartimaeus character is! Looking forward to the next one! :-)
woolfen's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars.
A book from my childhood, which held up really well. Light and easy. Stroud's worldbuilding is really strong, with clearly defined rules which help sustain the world. Some of the subtlety of the critiques of empire were lost on me the first time I read it, so it was nice to revisit.
A book from my childhood, which held up really well. Light and easy. Stroud's worldbuilding is really strong, with clearly defined rules which help sustain the world. Some of the subtlety of the critiques of empire were lost on me the first time I read it, so it was nice to revisit.