** spoiler alert ** I just finished reading the final book in the Bartimaeus trilogy today. At first I had somewhat mixed feelings about the book, but the more I think it over, the more I feel that the choices made by the author were good ones.

The story is darker than the previous two--and understandably so. As we see from the last two books, the situation in London, and between magicians, is deteriorating fast. Between war, riots, commoner resilience, and political discord, this book has a lot of dark notes. We're able to see into the rather depressing life Nathaniel has worked himself into, but for the first time since book one, I felt sorry for him. He starts longing for the boy he used to be, and being fed up with the political stupidity he finds himself constantly surrounded by. Though still a rather slimy character at the beginning, by the end he has some of the spark that made him an attractive character when we first met him as a child.

Disconcertingly, Bartimaeus has lost much of his panache by being forced to serve so long in the world that his essence has worn very thin. It is alarming to see the smart, fast-talking djinn degraded to a pathetic, almost powerless state. The demon treats his situation with as much humor and sarcasm as we've come to expect from him, yet we also see a deeper insight into his character and the pain he is experiencing.

Kitty also has her share of depressing times, but she copes with them better than Nathaniel, as she's not bogged down by the bureaucracy. She has more fiery passion and hope than one would expect, given what she's been through, and is the shining light of the story.

Although the subject matter is heavy and dark, the story is told clearly and in a way that still managed to make me laugh frequently. The villain has been predictable since book 2 (I felt like saying "FINALLY" when Quentin Makepeace finally makes his dastardly move), but in a way I was still taken by surprise to find that Farqual was really the mastermind behind the decision of how to go about overthrow.

The end bit--the climax--was somewhat disturbing and fairly disgusting in its nature, but not written so graphically as to be truly traumatizing.

During all of this, Kitty and Bartimaeus become more and more endearing characters, and also Bartimaeus' old master Ptolemy, as we learn about him in fragmented memories.

But when the book finally ends, it is Nathaniel who at last steals the show and wins back my affection. His action at the end of all things redeems his self-interested behavior and makes him, for once, the hero that this book series has been waiting for. I eagerly look forward to reading the next Bartimaeus series after this excellent read.