avianautumnus 's review for:

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

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The first book in one of my favorite children/YA fantasy series. I bought the Bartimaeus Trilogy a week ago and am now happily rereading them all. Bartimaeus, a djinni (ie. spirit being from the "Other World" forced by magic to do the bidding of any magician who summons him) is a delightfully snarky yet lovable character. I especially enjoy Bartimaeus's footnotes (which provide historical context, explainations, or a few laughs). Nathaniel, the ambitious and talented young magician, is not your typical "hero" -Stoud doesn't hesitate to make him downright dislkeable at times, creating a character who is very flawed, yet ultimately sympathetic. Aside from the characters, I also appreciate Stroud's unique world of magic and djinni strongly rooted in historical events and mythology. I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys children's literature and quality fantasy: this is not merely a Harry Potter knock-off.