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danielles_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
“Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit.”
Overall I think this is better than the first installment, The Golden Compass. There is less outright sexism (though it’s definitely still there in more subtle forms), less racist world building (though still there to some extent), more commentary on classism and religion, and some very interesting and likeable new characters.
Will has much more depth and emotion to him than Lyra does, which is honestly a bit annoying because it reads as bias from the male author to me. He feels much more like a real character with real trauma and feelings than Lyra. I like their growing friendship, and I like how he pushes back against Lyra’s lies and her constant need to ask the alethiometer for information on other people’s lives. I also like how he is so much more practical, as a result of his upbringing. It was really cool to see them work together. I also thought it was interesting to see the contrast between Will’s working class background and Lyra’s more privileged one with servants at her disposal, and how both of those contrasted with Sir Charles and his obscene wealth and immense power and influence.
I really love Mary Malone, and I had sadly forgot she even was a character! I love how she interacted with Lyra, and how she pushed back against that male scholar who immediately trusted Sir Charles. I like how she stood up to her principles and immediately gave up her job to help Lyra and follow the Dust.
I like how the concept of Dust and spirits and the Magisterium/Church are expanded upon in this book, and how the series is starting to become more explicitly anti-established religion.
I still found myself annoyed at how the witches were often portrayed as nothing more than pretty faces who seduced men. They did come together to save Lyra, which was awesome, but it made the constant references to men scorning them or being scorned by them feel even more unnecessary.And the witch killing John Parry/Grumman (I had forgotten that plot twist lol) right as he realized Will was his son?! What the fuck!! These women live for hundreds and hundreds of years, and you’re telling me they care THIS much about a quick one-time fling that lasted for like a few years at most? Give me a break.
I’m also often disappointed in the way this book more often tells than shows. There was a line where Lee Scoresby said he loves Lyra like a daughter, but I never got that impression from their interactions. I had the same feeling with Lyra and Iorek. For some reason all the adults love Lyra like their own child but I feel like Lyra doesn’t do much to really earn that adoration and devotion lol. Will and Lyra’s relationship is becoming strong in this book, but even with that, Will’s confession that Lyra is his best friend felt like it was a little too soon.
Also, Will is constantly bleeding in this book, and the narrative explicitly points this out and UGH it gave me the squicks.
The plot and everything surrounding the multiverse and Dust are really the strengths of this book, and why I still feel invested enough to continue the series.
Will has much more depth and emotion to him than Lyra does, which is honestly a bit annoying because it reads as bias from the male author to me. He feels much more like a real character with real trauma and feelings than Lyra. I like their growing friendship, and I like how he pushes back against Lyra’s lies and her constant need to ask the alethiometer for information on other people’s lives. I also like how he is so much more practical, as a result of his upbringing. It was really cool to see them work together. I also thought it was interesting to see the contrast between Will’s working class background and Lyra’s more privileged one with servants at her disposal, and how both of those contrasted with Sir Charles and his obscene wealth and immense power and influence.
I really love Mary Malone, and I had sadly forgot she even was a character! I love how she interacted with Lyra, and how she pushed back against that male scholar who immediately trusted Sir Charles. I like how she stood up to her principles and immediately gave up her job to help Lyra and follow the Dust.
I like how the concept of Dust and spirits and the Magisterium/Church are expanded upon in this book, and how the series is starting to become more explicitly anti-established religion.
I still found myself annoyed at how the witches were often portrayed as nothing more than pretty faces who seduced men. They did come together to save Lyra, which was awesome, but it made the constant references to men scorning them or being scorned by them feel even more unnecessary.
I’m also often disappointed in the way this book more often tells than shows. There was a line where Lee Scoresby said he loves Lyra like a daughter, but I never got that impression from their interactions. I had the same feeling with Lyra and Iorek. For some reason all the adults love Lyra like their own child but I feel like Lyra doesn’t do much to really earn that adoration and devotion lol. Will and Lyra’s relationship is becoming strong in this book, but even with that, Will’s confession that Lyra is his best friend felt like it was a little too soon.
Also, Will is constantly bleeding in this book, and the narrative explicitly points this out and UGH it gave me the squicks.
The plot and everything surrounding the multiverse and Dust are really the strengths of this book, and why I still feel invested enough to continue the series.
“That is what the Church does, and every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling. So if a war comes, and the Church is on one side of it, we must be on the other, no matter what strange allies we find ourselves bound to.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
brycestevenwilley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Not a bad book, but the writing is a little more clumsy than the first book, which kept it's air of mystery. This one revealed a lot, but less with a flurish, and more like a curtain being pulled back and kinda falling down halfway though.
Trying to tie Dust to dark matter I guess makes sense, but it's first talked about so weirdly . There's a lot that's clearly just setup for the next book, and a lot of world building, not bad world building, but that is most of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Religious bigotry, War, Torture, and Suicide
erynelle's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Blood, Suicide, and Injury/Injury detail
orchidlilly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A fascinating sequel to an excellent beginning. This time, we get perspectives beyond Lyra's with more frequency, and I rather like being able to read the story from all sides. We end on a very compelling cliffhanger, ready to start the next book. My only complaint is that in this second part of the trilogy, Lyra loses a good bit of her charm and free will. It's a bit annoying to see Lyra immediately fall into an almost subservient role the second a male character comes into play. Where is that independence and determination that so greatly defined her in the first book?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Grief, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, War, Animal death, Gaslighting, Violence, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Misogyny
Minor: Medical content, Ableism, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Drug use, Gore, Racism, Torture, Classism, Abandonment, Dementia, and Death of parent
jessthanthree's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, War, Child death, Animal death, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Bullying, Murder, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Classism
hedsek's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Again, super cool world and story but pretty bad dialogue and relationships. I rated it a bit lower than the previous book because I really think Lyra went downhill as a character. She was a pretty strong female lead and now she mostly just listens to Will which is a pity. Still, love the religious themes and such.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Gun violence, and Mental illness
kkkkkieran's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Violence
Minor: War
teri_b's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Reading/Listening to The Subtle Knife for the second time made me love this book even more.
It holds so much depth and raises so many question.
It is truly one of the books I feel everybody should read at some point in their lives.
Loved the rendition of the author as narrator and a full cast for the various voices. Very well done and an absolute joy to listen.
I got my copy from the local library, and am ever so thankful for them for having such wonderful books available.
It holds so much depth and raises so many question.
It is truly one of the books I feel everybody should read at some point in their lives.
Loved the rendition of the author as narrator and a full cast for the various voices. Very well done and an absolute joy to listen.
I got my copy from the local library, and am ever so thankful for them for having such wonderful books available.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, Mental illness, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Death of parent
beca_reads's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I ended up not finishing this book, it goes on for way to long and I found it oddly confusing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, and War
wiktoria88's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Violence