This book is very close to 5 stars...let us say it's another of those 4.5 books. I can recommend it and I do, but with a caveat, it is considered to be a youth or YA book. Be sure that your "youth" is mature enough for the book. I will go so far as to add a spoiler below for those who wish to know in more detail what I mean. This is the third in the Bartimaeus Trilogy. They are good books, and deal with in an over all sense attitudes of cooperation and equality. The Magicians are the ruling class here and the "commoners" those who aren't magicians mostly "exist" simply for the and to serve the needs and wants of the ruling class, said magicians. The Jinn and other beings from the other place are enslaved by the magicians. With everyone basically hating the magicians I think you can see how things might go. Throughout the trilogy we have followed Nathanial (the human who becomes a magician), Bartimaeus the Jinni, and Kitty a girl in the resistance. The stories are very well done, have some great (even humorous) dialog, and draw the reader in. If you're a parent be sure that your "youth" has a good reality concept and is mature enough for a story that turns somewhat dark at times.************* SPOILER ALERT SPOILER BELOW ************The end of this book took me by complete surprise...and that doesn't happen much anymore. I am about to reveal the ending surprise to the story so if you don't want to read it read no further. I include it here for parents who may wish to know before allowing children to read or listen to these books.******************** SPOILER BELOW ******************(view spoiler)[We follow Nathanial or John Mandrake through all the books till the last. In the final book the magicians are duped by the Jinn into allowing them to enter into them or possess them. The Jinn promptly destroy the magicians minds as this is the only way they can be summoned into the world and not be enslaved. They then set out to take their revenge on humans, especially magicians. Now this possession angle may bother some, it didn't strike me as too bad as even though I'm a Christian, this is simply part of a story and the villains are doing villainous things...if it bothers you there it is. What got me comes next. A spent and all but powerless Nathanial and a severely weakened Bartimaeus are forced to work together. Bartimaeus enters into Nathanial but does not possess him. He doesn't harm his mind. Nathanial has promised that as soon as they destroy the most powerful "demon" he will dismiss Bartimaeus permanently. The being is stronger than they thought and after taking leave of Kitty they set out to break a magic staff, thus releasing all the staff's power at once destroying the demon. Unfortunately it will also kill them. I went on expecting the last minute reprieve, that they would somehow survive the blast, be buried under a building that would shield them from the worst of it or something as had happened a hundred times before in the books. Nathanial is badly injured already and only Bartimaeus presence is keeping him alive, Bartimaeus is too weak to survive alone here on Earth and may only survive alone if he is dismissed to go back to the other place and heal. As the evil demon closes in and Nathanial needs to break the staff, he dismisses Bartimaeus, breaks the staff and dies. The closing remarks are by Bartimaeus. If you think the death of Nathanial will be a problem for a child be aware of it. (hide spoiler)]
First of all, don't be fooled by the "Young Adult Fiction" label.I think anyone who enjoys a good read should give this trilogy a try. Yes, I even recommend it to those who don't normally read fantasies. This books is the final installment in the Bartimaeus trilogy, and arguably the most unique and satisfying conclusion I've ever read in any story. I find most fantasy heroes to be generic and predictable, for they are "destined" to fulfill an important role. They are depicted as brave, determined, and resourceful, yet they lack the fine flaws that make a character genuinely human. Stroud has captured exactly this. Nathaniel was not bestowed any particular talent, rather he drew his determination from a wounded pride. Spurred by a particular encounter with Lovelace way back in the first book, Nathaniel sought a way to gain his place in the world of politics and power, although he didn't really understand what true strength meant until the last few chapters of the book. On another note, I really love the switch between John Mandrake and Nathaniel, with the former being the corrupt and power thirsty magician and the latter being the innocent youth. ALthough Mandrake always carried a piece of Nathaniel somewhere deep down, it wasn't until this final book did that identity completely crumble. It's a story about growing up and realizing one's life values.I should probably comment on the great Bartimaeus himself. This witty spirit's utter most sarcasm had me rolling on the floor on countless occasions. I must applaud Stroud once again on this master piece creation. I've never felt such a deep connection with any character, probably because no one ever tried to use footnotes the way Stroud did. Again, this is not your typical ending to an epic hero story. With Nathaniel's final act, everything comes to a full circle, where the present echoed the past. By renewing the bond Bartimaeus treasured so dearly, Nathaniel had rekindled the possibility of a harmonious existence between humans and spirits. The ending isn't spelt out word for word, but the idea is there, albeit elusive. I must make a final confession here, I actually cried upon reading the last words! But I must say, it is tears worth. No review could do this trilogy justice, you really need to read it yourself to understand.
What do You think about Ptolemy's Gate (2006)?
**Summary**Rating: 5.0An epic finale of an extremely fun, emotionally-charged, humor-packed tale that intertwined three great characters you cannot help but love.This book is by far one of the best finals of any trilogy I have ever read so far.Why did I pick this book?This time, it is not only Bartimaeus that made me read the final book in the series. I wanted to know more about the rest of the characters; I wanted to know what will happen between Nathaniel and Kitty, and ultimately I needed to know the answers to many questions I had about the history of Bartimaeus.Overall reading experienceThe book had a slow start due to many flashbacks, which were fun, but once they got settled I couldn't put the book down. Things I liked:- Bartimaeus , Bartimaeus, oh Bartimaeus ! (yes I know I repeated that in each review, so it doesn't hurt to emphasize it again, does it?).- The ending…(view spoiler)[I dreaded the ending, oh I did. This may be the only book I ever read where I know the main character will die and I still accepted it. It did hurt.. I did not want it to happen, but it made perfect sense and I couldn't help but accept it. It still hurt.. The sacrifice that didn’t feel so cheesy, the love, how human Nathaniel is.. is just great. (hide spoiler)]
—Ayman Teaman
In this fantastic ending to a wonderful trilogy, Jonathan Stroud has managed to do something that I find is rarely done in any series. With Nathaniel, Kitty, and most importantly, Bartimaeus back for another riveting book, deeper conflicts emerge that we didn't fully understand in the previous two books. With secrets from Bartimaeus's past, we get a window peek at The Other Place, and a slowly changing relationship between the three characters, this book is by far the greatest ending to the trilogy. Something interesting about Stroud's style of writing for this series, which was separating the narration between all three main characters, I find that what he creates is a perfect balance. Although Kitty's and Nathaniel's are both written in third person, Bartimaeus's is written in first. By doing so, Stroud has created a more personal bond with Bartimaeus than with the humans. By creating a bond with the deamon, we see the faults in Nathaniel and the things that make Kitty special and different. This plays with our emotions throughout, and at the end, I think, cause the perfect mix of sadness, excitement, and curiosity. The thing I value the most about this ending, is the fact that it's not the perfect, pretty in pink, happy ending we have seen so much of. It clearly shows that the world won't become perfect after it, that sometime hero's fall and not for noble causes but for selfish ones, and we are left with so many questions that will not be answered, leaving it up to our imaginations and creativity. For that, I am extremely grateful and happy with this book. Five stars and two thumbs up!!
—Maria Salinas
Kimberley wrote: "Yasamin wrote: "why? :o"i don't know i liked the first one, but after that i took a nosedive.i'm not sure what happened, it could just have been me."hmm maybe :/
—Kimberley doruyter
