content warnings:

Spoiler

abandoned by parents, classism, secondary character death(s), child abuse, bullying, threatened torture, claustrophobia, slavery

This actually holds up quite well, particularly in that it respects female characters with individuals with their own motives and personalities. On a structural leve, I enjoyed the contrast between Bartimaeus's more mature POV — both in terms of being more wise and worldly, and also his frequent use of innuendo — and Nathaniel's youthful arrogance and short-sightedness; that said, they're both less charming than I remember. (Such is the rose tint of nostalgia, I guess.)

-----------
CONVERSION: 8.7 / 15 = 3 stars

Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 6 / 10
Emotional Impact: 5 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10

Intellectual Engagement: 2 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5