The Golem's Eye
The Golem's Eye is a children's novel of alternate history, fantasy and magic. It is the second book in the "Bartimaeus trilogy" written by British author Jonathan Stroud. 6 million copies have been sold in 36 countries. It was a "New York Times" best-seller in 2004. The book and series are about the power struggles in a magical dystopia centered in London, England featuring a mixture of modern and ancient, secular and mythological themes. The series has been described as a darker, more political and morally complex version of "Harry Potter". The book  takes its name from the cyclops-like eye of the golem, a magical artifact that, along with an animating parchment, activates the golem. Synopsis. Like the rest of the "Bartimaeus Trilogy", "The Golem's Eye" is set in somewhat modern-day London in an alternate history in which magic is commonplace and magicians are an accepted part of society; in fact, most magicians are in positions of power. They comprise the government, and commoners are treated as inferior. The main character is Nathaniel, a magician who works for the government in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. His (unwilling) partner is  the wisecracking spirit Bartimaeus. Together they embark on a quest to discover the secret behind the commoners' resistance to magic and the mysterious beast that is stalking the city of London. The beast is revealed to be an invulnerable clay golem created by a coterie of magicians in an attempt to discredit and undermine the government. Principal characters. Many of the characters have names of biblical persons or historical literary, scientific or political figures, but not in biblical or historical contexts. Most such persons have been transmogrified into members of the elite ruling class of magicians. Spirits. Bartimaeus, a mid -level djinn and servant to Nathaniel Alternate history. The stories (of which this is one of four sequential episodes) are set in an alternate history, the universe for the stories. The events take place in London, England, and Prague, Czechoslovakia. Magic has partly displaced technology as a means of social progress. In an incongruent mix of modern and antiquarian technologies, Britain has jets but their most modern ships are civil-war ironclads. The Roman Empire survived another 1500 years until the middle of the 19th century, spanning at least central Europe. A second empire, centered in Prague, arose after the  conquest of the Romans by Britain at that time. The events, except the prologue, are set in approximately the current day. The only date reference for the trilogy is in this, the second book, which states that Gladstone has been dead 110 years. The historical figure British prime minister William Gladstone died in 1898, so the timeframe of the second novel is 2008, and that of the first novel is two years before, i.e., 2006. The books were published in 2003 and 2004, so the author had written a (slightly) future history. Plot. Two years after the events of the  first novel, Nathaniel (alias John Mandrake) serves in London’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, working to eliminate the anti-magician Resistance. Under pressure from his superiors, he summons his former servant, the djinn Bartimaeus. Though furious that Nathaniel has broken their bargain – having sworn never to summon him again in return for the djinn never divulging Nathaniel’s birth name – Bartimaeus agrees to six weeks of service if he will not be sent to the ongoing North American war. Meanwhile, commoners Kitty Jones and Jakob Hyrnek are attacked by a magician; Jakob suffers extensive burns while Kitty is unharmed, demonstrating  a natural resilience to magic. Denied justice, Kitty is approached by Mr. Pennyfeather, whose wife was killed after rejecting a magician’s advances. Convinced to help undermine magicians and their unjust rule, Kitty joins the Resistance, carrying out minor attacks and thefts. During a nighttime heist, she witnesses an enormous creature march through a street of magician-owned businesses, leaving massive damage in its wake and several Night Police officers dead. Believing the Resistance responsible, police begin a crackdown on the city. Investigating the attack, Bartimaeus reunites with fellow spirit Queezle, who has learned the creature can destroy Spirits. The  creature reappears and Queezle is killed; Bartimaeus battles the creature at the British Museum but is knocked out, and it escapes. At a meeting of high-ranking magicians, Bartimaeus reveals that the creature is a golem. Chief of police Henry Duvall insists that the Resistance are responsible, and lobbies the Prime Minister for expanded powers. Mr. Pennyfeather organizes a final daring raid on the tomb of William Gladstone, but inadvertently releases Honorius, a powerful afrit. Trapped inside Gladstone’s bones and driven mad, Honorius kills the grave-robbers; Kitty escapes with Gladstone’s staff, and Honorius vows to hunt her  down. Nathaniel and Bartimaeus are sent to Prague, where the last-known golem appeared over a century ago. They find Kavka, the magician who created the golem with the aid of a high-ranking mole in the British government. Nathaniel promises Kavka, whose children are being held in a British prison, that his family will be freed if he helps unmask the traitor. A bearded mercenary – whom Nathaniel and Bartimaeus faced before – arrives, demanding the enchanted parchment to animate the golem. In the ensuing struggle, the parchment is destroyed, leaving no proof of the golem. Nathaniel returns to find London  in panic at Honorius’ rampage. Nathaniel discovers Kitty’s involvement, but she evades him. Bartimaeus forces Honorius into the Thames, seemingly defeating him. The magician Quentin Makepeace meets Nathaniel in secret with information on the Resistance. Bartimaeus captures Jakob to lure Kitty into a sting, but she is attacked by the Night Police werewolves. Nathaniel sends Bartimaeus to Kitty’s rescue and is arrested. Abandoned by his superiors, he makes a desperate appeal to the Prime Minister. Laying low, Bartimaeus and Kitty debate their shared oppression by magicians. Bartimaeus, in the form of his favorite master Ptolemy, details the rise  and fall of magical empires that history seems doomed to repeat, forever enslaving spirits to magicians; Kitty is struck by the similarity in magicians’ treatment of commoners. Released by the Prime Minister, Nathaniel brings Jakob to Kitty and offers freedom in exchange for Gladstone’s staff. Honorius reappears but is distracted by the arrival of the golem. Honorius is destroyed, and Nathaniel manages to unlock the staff’s power but is knocked unconscious. Kitty risks her life to remove the animating parchment, immobilizing the golem. Bartimaeus allows Kitty and Jakob to escape and tells Nathaniel that Kitty was incinerated by  the golem, sacrificing herself to save him. As its spell dissipates, the crumbling golem returns to its master, Duvall, who is arrested. Though doubtful Duvall acted alone, Nathaniel finds his investigation at a close. Before he releases Bartimaeus, the djinn finally calls him "John Mandrake,” which Nathaniel accepts as a sign of respect; Bartimaeus meant to signify the innocent, honorable Nathaniel’s full transformation into the ruthless magician. Jakob leaves the country, but Kitty stays to study the history of magic, in search of an end to the cycle of tyranny. Awards. "The Golem's Eye" has received the following  accolades: