They are at the top of my young reading books, after the Wind on Fire Trilogy by Nicholson. I thought that Bartimaeous' PoV was refreshing and witty, that the lack of a traditional hero (except maybe Kitty, and of course they come good at the end) was very well done and that the culture of Wizarding London and the World's History were both very well constructed. I think it was a better series than Harry Potter, and should be better knwon than it is.