as equals and tried to build a bridge between djinni and humans. However, Ptolemy misguidedly believed many others would follow in his footsteps. England's domestic turmoil has taken its toll on John Mandrake. Mandrake is friendless and constantly watched by his numerous enemies. In the three years since The Golem's Eye, there have been several attempts on Mandrake's life. His years as a high-ranking government official have made Mandrake merciless, and he treats all of his servants cruelly, especially Bartimaeus. However, events in Ptolemy's Gate shatter Mandrake's confidence in what he has become. The transformation from Mandrake to Nathaniel is much more rapid than the one from Nathaniel to Mandrake. Nathaniel drops the name John Mandrake altogether, as well as the fear of others knowing his true name, humbly telling it to Kitty, with whom he seems to have struck up a newfound friendship, and boldly proclaiming it to the spirit Nouda. With the end of Mandrake, Nathaniel becomes all that Ptolemy hoped to be. Nathaniel willingly allows Bartimaeus to share his body to combat Nouda and his army of hybrids, using Gladstone's staff, a fusion that forever bridges the gap between humans and djinn. However, at the last moment, he dismisses Bartimaeus and then sacrifices himself to destroy the spirit Nouda. This incident was similar to what Ptolemy did in the moments before he died. Reception Ptolemy's Gate has received the following accolades: Starred Kirkus review (2006) Starred Booklist review (2006) Cybils Award (Speculative Fiction) (2006) Locus Award for Best Young Adult Novel (2006) Corine Internationaler Buchpreis for Kinder- und Jugendbuch (2006) American Library Association's (ALA) Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults (2007) ALA's Notable Children's Recordings (2007) References Bartimaeus Sequence 2005 British novels Children's fantasy novels British children's novels Novels set in London Doubleday (publisher) books 2005 children's books Novels about spirit possession Novels about revolutions