Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

20 reviews

epellicci's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness

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.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Gun violence, and Mental illness

teri_b's review

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Mental illness, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Confinement

Minor: Death of parent

ok7a's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Grief and Torture

Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Mental illness

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Grief, Stalking, and Suicide

Moderate: Gaslighting, Violence, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Bullying

Minor: War and Cursing

Saneism

rachel_here's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence

Minor: Mental illness

laniarukas's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Death, Death of parent, and Mental illness

jojo_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Violence

Minor: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Bullying

ceallaighsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

“You ever spend any time among the witches?”
“Yes,” said Grumman. “And among academicians, and among spirits. I found folly everywhere, but there were grains of wisdom in every stream of it. Not doubt there was much more wisdom that I failed to recognize. Life is hard, Mr. Scoresby, but we cling to it all the same.” 

 

Even though I still liked The Subtle Knife, it didn’t have a lot of what I loved so much about the first book—namely the specific world building that had been present in Lyra’s world. I also thought that this book felt a lot more quest-y than the first book, even though Lyra was definitely on a quest in Golden Compass, it didn’t have the same feel, perhaps because there was a stronger use of fate or destiny in this book along with seeking magical objects to fulfill prophecies, etc. 

 

It’s also interesting that Pullman introduced a second main character of the trilogy in this book in the form of Will—a human from “our” world. I actually really liked Will, I sympathized with him a lot and liked his contrast with Lyra. 

 

Something else I liked about this book were the dark academia vibes surrounding Lyra’s experience at the museum as well as her encounter with Dr. Malone. I really liked the story element connected to John Parry as well. 

 

There were still some problematic elements carried over from the previous book. Neither Mrs. Coulter nor Lord Asriel got any more interesting or sympathetic. I still didn’t like a lot of the colonial themes and the white savior trope that continued in the character of Lord Asriel and to an extent in Lyra and Will…. 

 

There were also some choices Pullman made vis a vis the story’s plot in this book that left me confused…. especially regarding Dr. Grumman and the witch? Idk. I still liked the book (and the quote I quoted from it at the top of this review is one of my favorite quotes of all time now 🥰) but it just didn’t answer any of my questions leftover from the first book. Which is why I immediately started Amber Spyglass when I finished reading it even though that wasn’t my plan. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 

 

“It was difficult to tell them the truth when a lie would have been so much easier for them to understand.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Gore, Death, Murder, and Mental illness

paduckling's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, and War

Minor: Car accident