The Golem’s Eye

The Golem’s Eye is the second of the Bartimaeus trilogy, and is set in an alternate Europe in which magicians and their otherworldly servants, the reluctant djinni, hold power.

The novel continues the story of the uncomfortable relationship between the young and power-hungry magician Nathaniel, who now goes by the name John Mandrake, and the incorrigible demon Bartimaeus.

As with the first book in the series, The Golem’s Eye is tightly-plotted and moves at a breathless pace, yet successfully expands the world of the novels to paint a portrait of a Europe riven by war and the Machiavellian schemes of rival magicians.

Moreover, a surprising inversion at the heart of the novel adds depth to the already well-developed characters of Nathanial and Bartimeus, and lends a satisfying moral complexity to a highly readable and enjoyable adventure story.