The Golem's Eye - Jonathan Stroud

Jonathan Stroud's The Golem's Eye is the second in the Bartimaeus trilogy. It starts two years after The Amulet of Samarkand, and Nathaniel is now 14 years old and working in Internal Affairs, as assistant to the Head of that department. In this book Stroud splits the narrative point of view between three characters, instead of the previous two (Bartimaeus and Nathaniel), including the girl Kitty, whom both Bartimaeus and Nathaniel had both briefly encountered during the events of The Amulet of Samarkand. Nathaniel's career comes under threat again from two crises, each of which on their own would be dangerous enough. One such crisis is caused by a golem making random attacks on London, and the other crisis is caused be the raids which are being carried out by the Resistance, non-magicians who are opposed to the rule of the magicians. Kitty is a member of this Resistance and takes part in a raid on the tomb of the former Prime Minister and "Founder" of the modern magician-Parliament to retrieve various powerful magical items. Unfortunately the raid does not go according to plan, and Kitty finds herself caught up the chaos caused by the golem. During the course of events she encounters Bartimaeus, the first djinni she has ever met, and their conversation will having lasting ramifications for all three characters in Ptolemy's Gate (towards the conclusion of which I'm eagerly reading !)

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A new Blog aimed at readers of Young Adult books has been launched. I have to declare an interest in The Edge of the Forest as I'm one of the contributors (to the fantasy section) ! But don't let that put you off; I believe the Blog will become a useful resource to anyone who reads or has to recommend YA books in all genres.