The Ring of Solomon Review

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was published after the Bartimaeus Trilogy and timeline-wise is a prequel to the trilogy. But it is also an excellent stand-alone book. So if you have yet read the Bartimaeus Trilogy, it is okay to read this.

As with the trilogy, the book has the plot narrated by different characters along the way, with clear separation, but also with obvious change of tone in narration. The book had been translated to Bahasa Indonesia, but I haven't read the translation, so I cannot testify if the subtle change in the tone is translated too.

I finished this book in the same week I finished reading Monstrous Regiment, and cute enough, it has several similar theme. Concealment, disguises, and people finding their true self and true potentials after a long journey.

Asmira, in disguise, discovered her true self after arduous fight, and actually had not much problems to move on. She found that she is indeed born and trained as a prolific guardian.
Solomon, who let the ring defined his life for decades, finally comes to his senses and returned to his own self.
And Bartimaeus... Because I have read the trilogy, Bartimaeus seemed a lot somber in this book. Much more sane, polite, wise even, compared to when he served Ptolemy and when he was enslaved by Nathaniel. During the ordeal with Nathaniel he was angrier.

And, as always, Stroud closed the story with strong exit, a detachment if I can say so. Like he did in Ptolemy's gate. Quite heartbreaking actually. But so is real life, eh? In the end, life goes on. The story ended. Another story will take place in the slot of time.

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