Book Review: The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy #1)

By Jonathan Stroud

Release Date: May 12th, 2004

Number of Pages: 462

Format: Paperback

Source: Bought

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Blurb from Goodreads:

Nathaniel is a magician's apprentice, taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a devious hot-shot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of his elders, Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who's boss. With revenge on his mind, he summons the powerful djinni, Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely, and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out to steal Lovelace's greatest treasure, the Amulet of Samarkand, he finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, and rebellion.

My Review:

It took some getting use to fully immerse myself in the world Stroud created. My mind tended to focus on a Victorian era London and I had to constantly remind myself that this was a modern London, ruled by magicians and their systems. The writing style and characterisation just gave off that Victorian feel.

Bartimaeus was an extremely unscrupulous djinn with an attitude to boot. He really had me laughing at all his quips and smart retorts. He really is something altogether.

Nathaniel was a veeeeeery determined and stubborn magician's apprentice. But I have to give him credit for his brilliance in absorbing knowledge and guts in his actions.

As I've commented in my goodreads status, it really frustrated me when knowing he was going to be a great magician some day but at the moment, he was young, lonely and rather helpless at the hands of Lovelace and even those boys+girl without Barti around. Again, I had to chastise myself that he was only 12 y/o but had managed to accomplish a rather disastrous feat.

Overall, The Amulet of Samarkand was an enjoyable and hilarious read.