Reviews

Die Pforte des Magiers / Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud, Gerd Köster, Katharina Orgaß

laurelbard's review against another edition

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4.0

Given the earlier works' pretty communist overtones, it is a bit weird that this one ends with the government being reformed after
Spoilerputting down a slave revolt
. However, I think that this book succeeds at concluding the established character arcs and creating a metaphorically resonant vision of liberation, if not one that's literally taken to the societal level in text. Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, and Kitty all grow and change so much throughout this series and it's really a joy to watch their arcs unfold. Also, I think it's cool that the end actually addresses
Spoilerthe "after" of a revolution
, at least a little bit.

thechangeling's review against another edition

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5.0

Its been a while since I've read this book, but I have many fond memories of my time with it. It is the first time a book touched my feelings in such a deep way, and I've carried the feeling with me for years- despite not entirely remembering the plot. Maybe I should re-read it.

smart_as_paint's review against another edition

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4.0

Does revolution mean the overthrow of the current power structures or an object revolving around a fixed point?

lard7's review against another edition

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4.0

I was fully prepared to give this five stars, but the ending was pretty lame-_-

yacoob's review against another edition

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5.0

I'm *very* happy.

Ok, I can still pick on this one. The rehabilitation of Nathaniel didn't fly that well with me - it'd make the book much more realistic, if Nathaniel would remain his John Mandrake self - angry, blind with pride and feverishly devoted to the Government. That wasn't the case. Still, author narrowly avoided Hollywood ending, and come up with a truly brilliant book. And I was surprised how many moral dilemmas [a:Jonathan Stroud|33467|Jonathan Stroud|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1204664708p2/33467.jpg] managed to squeeze into this relatively short book. Excellent book, completing an excellent series - well thought, well planned, well executed.

Oh, and although it's possible to read this book on its own, don't. Read the whole series. It's well worth it.

(And the best moment? "Duck." :)

juliahint's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

justareadingmama_charly's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a decent ending to the series. It was less of a happy ending than I prefer, though I did appreciate the character arc.

holyhekkador's review against another edition

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4.0

I added back a star for that last paragraph, which made me so fucking emotional. I have to admit, though, that the conclusion of the trilogy really did disappoint me. Nathaniel's final battle just didn't feel grand enough, I guess. And the sexism really started to get to me. Plus, Nathaniel's change of heart came way too fast. None of this book made any sense.

katiereads_24's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

aliceinapalace91's review against another edition

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5.0

I am so attached to Nathaniel, Kitty and Bartimaeus, I was not as impressed by the Gollum's Eye but this third installment reaffirmed my love of the books and the characters. The ending blew my mind, which is hard to do, props Jonathan Stroud!