Take a photo of a barcode or cover
adampasriche 's review for:
The Amulet of Samarkand
by Jonathan Stroud
adventurous
funny
medium-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
Read half of it in 2021, paused, then read the rest of it in 2025. Still, I surprisingly remembered most of it!
I think it's a very solid story. I really liked both of the main characters, so the dual POVs was great.
Bartimaeus is funny and a little chaotic, although he sometimes drops some random lore absolutely no one asked him about.
As for Nathaniel, he has quite the ego, but I think it's what makes him interesting. There's a lot of potential for his character to grow and have an amazing arc, so I'm looking forward to it.
However, apart from them, and like, Mrs Underwood, I didn't really care for anyone else. Then again, it's not like the plot needed me to.
The relationship between the two of them was fun too, but still kind of surface-level so far. But it's only book 1 so I'm keeping my hopes up (I love the trope of demonic-like entities getting attached to a human they were reluctantly bound to). I really enjoyed how Bartimaeus was leaning towards malicious compliance. I'm a Nathaniel apologist but he still needs to be humbled regularly.
As for the worldbuilding, I'm still waiting to see how that whole resistance thing will go down. We've only seen glimpses of it for now.
Ah, and I listened to the audiobook. That French accent? I could noooot omg. But I suppose being French myself does not help.
I think it's a very solid story. I really liked both of the main characters, so the dual POVs was great.
Bartimaeus is funny and a little chaotic, although he sometimes drops some random lore absolutely no one asked him about.
As for Nathaniel, he has quite the ego, but I think it's what makes him interesting. There's a lot of potential for his character to grow and have an amazing arc, so I'm looking forward to it.
However, apart from them, and like, Mrs Underwood, I didn't really care for anyone else. Then again, it's not like the plot needed me to.
The relationship between the two of them was fun too, but still kind of surface-level so far. But it's only book 1 so I'm keeping my hopes up (I love the trope of demonic-like entities getting attached to a human they were reluctantly bound to). I really enjoyed how Bartimaeus was leaning towards malicious compliance. I'm a Nathaniel apologist but he still needs to be humbled regularly.
As for the worldbuilding, I'm still waiting to see how that whole resistance thing will go down. We've only seen glimpses of it for now.
Ah, and I listened to the audiobook. That French accent? I could noooot omg. But I suppose being French myself does not help.