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choccyfish's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Another great book in the series!
While I would say the content is not as horrifying as the previous book it has a lot of emotional weight to it and there are some very sad scenes. I still think the book treats it’s readers with maturity which I really like.
I really enjoyed the expansion of the lore. I actually feel like I could connect things even more/read into the significance of things more than I already have if I was a bit smarter.Lyra exploring our world is very interesting and I really enjoy the further exploration of dust . Honestly I had no idea the plot was going to go in this direction at all.
Will and Lyra are great together, I like their dynamic and their growing fondness for each other but the fact they still bicker like kids. Will feels a lot older and he should, he’s had to grow up fast in his world for a long time while Lyra is still a bit of a brat (affectionate). All the supporting characters are good too, this series keeps up the trend of making evil characters just so slimy, like they make me angry and uncomfortable. Which is totally what they are going for.
I don’t think I can say this is definitely better than the first book. I like them both a lot. This builds on already established characters, introduces some great new ones and expands on the story in great ways. I’m very excited to see where it goes in the amber spyglass.
The voice acting is stellar. I love it.
While I would say the content is not as horrifying as the previous book it has a lot of emotional weight to it and there are some very sad scenes. I still think the book treats it’s readers with maturity which I really like.
I really enjoyed the expansion of the lore. I actually feel like I could connect things even more/read into the significance of things more than I already have if I was a bit smarter.
Will and Lyra are great together, I like their dynamic and their growing fondness for each other but the fact they still bicker like kids. Will feels a lot older and he should, he’s had to grow up fast in his world for a long time while Lyra is still a bit of a brat (affectionate). All the supporting characters are good too, this series keeps up the trend of making evil characters just so slimy, like they make me angry and uncomfortable. Which is totally what they are going for.
I don’t think I can say this is definitely better than the first book. I like them both a lot. This builds on already established characters, introduces some great new ones and expands on the story in great ways. I’m very excited to see where it goes in the amber spyglass.
The voice acting is stellar. I love it.
charlote_1347's review against another edition
1.0
SOME SPOILERS AHEAD.
A reviewer compares 'The Subtle Knife' to the Lord of the Rings trilogy on the front cover and all I can do is scoff. The novel is immensely different from 'Northern Lights' but it is awful in much the same way.
The plot was overly intricate. I liked the story line about Will and his search for his father but it was overshadowed by the Dust-Spectre-Angel-God narrative and that didn't work for me. I didn't give a rat's arse about the final, approaching battle between defiance and obedience and I still don't, even after finishing the book and encountering its cliffhanger. There's no excitement in me whatsoever, as a matter of fact, when I think about reading the final instalment. I care more about meeting Will's daemon.
That was another unfortunate aspect of this book. A fair proportion of it was set in our world or in Cittágazze, where daemons are internalised. Pan regularly made an appearance, which was some consolation, but I definitely felt the lack. 'The Amber Spyglass', I'm hoping, will be overrun with daemons to compensate.
Character-wise, I was unimpressed. Will was well-written and adequately three-dimensional but I feel that Pullman used all his energy getting Will right and cut the rest of his cast from cardboard. Mary Malone had no motivation aside from her interest in Shadows and her interactions with Lyra were wooden and unbelievable. Grumman was an afterthought, if that, and died as pathetically as he (briefly) lived. Lee was a pleasant surprise but I absolutely detest the way he was killed off. There was no reason for it - none. His death scene felt like a feeble attempt to signal to the reader that the end of the book was approaching and things were coming to a head.
I won't waste words on the witches - I hated them in the first book and I hated them in this one. Pullman tries to portray them as individuals but he fails miserably. The most notable example of this is towards the end, when Juta Kamainen kills Grumman and then kills herself. Her defence, when she realises she has killed Will's father, is that she loved Grumman and he rejected her and so he must pay. The whole scene was painful to read - it was awkward, conceited and ridiculous. I didn't remember her name (I had to look it up for this review) and she's no more notable than any other witch in the story. For her commit such an act, to feel such strong emotion, you'd think she would be memorable but she isn't.
Lord Asriel doesn't feature in this book but he's bound to appear in the last one. He's not my favourite character but he is unpredictable, which makes him interesting and God, does this series need to be more interesting. Marisa pops up a few times too and I'm curious to see how her devotion to Lyra will change now that Lyra's 'destiny' has been revealed. A bit cheesy, calling her the new Eve, but I'm willing to go with it and see what happens.
I'm very glad I borrowed these books from the library because I'd be demanding a refund right about now if I'd bought them. Here's hoping the final book won't bore me to tears like this one.
A reviewer compares 'The Subtle Knife' to the Lord of the Rings trilogy on the front cover and all I can do is scoff. The novel is immensely different from 'Northern Lights' but it is awful in much the same way.
The plot was overly intricate. I liked the story line about Will and his search for his father but it was overshadowed by the Dust-Spectre-Angel-God narrative and that didn't work for me. I didn't give a rat's arse about the final, approaching battle between defiance and obedience and I still don't, even after finishing the book and encountering its cliffhanger. There's no excitement in me whatsoever, as a matter of fact, when I think about reading the final instalment. I care more about meeting Will's daemon.
That was another unfortunate aspect of this book. A fair proportion of it was set in our world or in Cittágazze, where daemons are internalised. Pan regularly made an appearance, which was some consolation, but I definitely felt the lack. 'The Amber Spyglass', I'm hoping, will be overrun with daemons to compensate.
Character-wise, I was unimpressed. Will was well-written and adequately three-dimensional but I feel that Pullman used all his energy getting Will right and cut the rest of his cast from cardboard. Mary Malone had no motivation aside from her interest in Shadows and her interactions with Lyra were wooden and unbelievable. Grumman was an afterthought, if that, and died as pathetically as he (briefly) lived. Lee was a pleasant surprise but I absolutely detest the way he was killed off. There was no reason for it - none. His death scene felt like a feeble attempt to signal to the reader that the end of the book was approaching and things were coming to a head.
I won't waste words on the witches - I hated them in the first book and I hated them in this one. Pullman tries to portray them as individuals but he fails miserably. The most notable example of this is towards the end, when Juta Kamainen kills Grumman and then kills herself. Her defence, when she realises she has killed Will's father, is that she loved Grumman and he rejected her and so he must pay. The whole scene was painful to read - it was awkward, conceited and ridiculous. I didn't remember her name (I had to look it up for this review) and she's no more notable than any other witch in the story. For her commit such an act, to feel such strong emotion, you'd think she would be memorable but she isn't.
Lord Asriel doesn't feature in this book but he's bound to appear in the last one. He's not my favourite character but he is unpredictable, which makes him interesting and God, does this series need to be more interesting. Marisa pops up a few times too and I'm curious to see how her devotion to Lyra will change now that Lyra's 'destiny' has been revealed. A bit cheesy, calling her the new Eve, but I'm willing to go with it and see what happens.
I'm very glad I borrowed these books from the library because I'd be demanding a refund right about now if I'd bought them. Here's hoping the final book won't bore me to tears like this one.
bug_lightyear's review against another edition
3.75
Read in 30 hours at 0.65 speed.
Not as good as the first book, a lot of gun violence.
Not as good as the first book, a lot of gun violence.
dariadanley's review against another edition
4.0
Woah.
So first off, this book was very different from the first. Rather than being set in the world of Lyra, it is set in our world. And it is considerably more boring. The atmosphere and mood of the writing seemed to have lost its initial whimsy that I had grown to love.
This book also focuses more on the religious center of this series at large. For some reason, I was not expecting it to take a religious turn and I am not sure if I 100% like it. It seems rather random to put into a series about multiple universes, mysterious objects, and witches.
This book also suffered from Middle Book Syndrome. It was very hard to pay attention to this book simply because I didn't care. Not much happened and you have to read it VERY carefully in order to grasp what is being explained. I also found Will to be a little bland compared to Lyra's very distinct personality. This book was more of a setup for the finale rather than a story of it's own, which is something I don't care for. There should be anticipation, yes, but the whole book should not feel like a prologue to the final book.
So first off, this book was very different from the first. Rather than being set in the world of Lyra, it is set in our world. And it is considerably more boring. The atmosphere and mood of the writing seemed to have lost its initial whimsy that I had grown to love.
This book also focuses more on the religious center of this series at large. For some reason, I was not expecting it to take a religious turn and I am not sure if I 100% like it. It seems rather random to put into a series about multiple universes, mysterious objects, and witches.
This book also suffered from Middle Book Syndrome. It was very hard to pay attention to this book simply because I didn't care. Not much happened and you have to read it VERY carefully in order to grasp what is being explained. I also found Will to be a little bland compared to Lyra's very distinct personality. This book was more of a setup for the finale rather than a story of it's own, which is something I don't care for. There should be anticipation, yes, but the whole book should not feel like a prologue to the final book.
hiimsera's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
shafia42's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-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
4.5
normally i find it hard to love new characters in book two, especially if they're introduced as a main character, but i love will! hes such a sweetheart, i love his backstory and i love how him and lyra interact. this book is set in more than one world, and the writer is so phenomenal, you don't struggle at all knowing which world each chapter is set in. the world building is so immersive, and the story is engaging,. i know this is technically a children's book, but all ages can enjoy this mystery packed story.
nixxstorm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sgleco's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
odcosta's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0