Review: The Golem’s Eye
I wanna take the time to review one of the books that captivated me as a teenager.
Jonathan Stroud’s The Golem’s Eye delivers a compelling continuation of the Bartimaeus Trilogy; he skillfully blends witty, highly-amusing dialogue with intricate worldbuilding, and it remains one of my favorite examples of the alternate history subgenre within fantasy. The dystopian plot follows Nathaniel, a young, ambitious, and sometimes not-so-nice magician as he faces off against a mysterious uprising of magical forces while trying to maintain control over his saucy summoned djinni, Bartimaeus.
The narrative takes readers through political intrigue, dangerous conspiracies, and tense confrontations within a somewhat modern-day London, all while maintaining the series' signature blend of humor and suspense. While the plot is engaging, at times it can feel a bit drawn-out, with some segments that slow down the momentum in favor of deeper exposition. I’m personally fine with that; it’s within my preferences to spend time going deeper into the world and characters rather than enduring action-packed everything at all times. It feels more realistic to me when an author is willing to show more than just the pivotal moments and scenes- life isn’t all key highlights or harrowing moments… it’s punctuated by stillness, and slow moments.
Stroud, an English author born in Bedford, really excels in crafting distinct and multidimensional characters. Nathaniel, now older and more conflicted than he was in The Amulet of Samarkand, continues his struggle between youthful ambition and the harsh realities of power and all of its trappings. His development throughout the novel is fascinating and honestly relatable at times, though some of his decisions can feel inconsistent with his earlier characterization, which led me to experience a few moments of frustration; Nathaniel totally lives rent-free in my head, so I was and remain invested in his journey through the trilogy. Bartimaeus, as always, steals the show with his sharp wit and sarcastic commentary, adding layers of complexity to their interactions... I will forever be a fan of the way Stroud used footnotes to relay the djinni’s thoughts to me as reader. The secondary characters, while not as fully realized as Nathaniel and Bartimaeus, offer enough depth to enrich the world and move the plot forward.
The world-building in The Golem’s Eye remains one of Stroud’s greatest strengths and an inspiration to me all these years later. The magical society, with a lovely blend of ancient magic, political machinations, and the tension between humans and magical beings, is immersive and obviously meticulously crafted. Stroud’s skillful depiction of London, with its blend of historical accuracy and supernatural elements, creates a vivid setting that feels both real and fantastical. Before reading his books, I had never thought much about visiting London, but after having read the Bartimaeus Trilogy, it was added to my list of must-visit places in the world, just so I could walk where Nathaniel walked, hear the accents, and imagine the alternate world Stroud had created for me as a reader.
The introduction of golems in this novel adds an intriguing layer to the magical system, though their role could have been explored in greater depth. Despite the lack of real depth, Stroud’s take on the mythology and history behind golems’ and their place in the magical sphere was interesting and left me both wanting more and creating my own head-canon about the setting.
Despite the occasional lapses in pacing and character consistency, The Golem’s Eye remains a captivating, thought-provoking installment in a series that carries on to conclude in a way that I found satisfying, memorable, and ultimately pretty damn good. My buddies, also avid readers of fantasy, continue to love on this book and trilogy as a whole even though we are now well into our thirties. I highly recommend it to fantasy writers who want to explore alternate history as a subgenre, or for those who want to immerse themselves into some quality worldbuilding and learn from a pro.
Thank you Mr. Stroud! You have a special place in my heart as a writer.
