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errie's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, and Murder
caroline88cici's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Pedophilia
nessynoname's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Animal cruelty, and Excrement
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Stalking
Minor: Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
dannilmp's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
I still think this series maintains a level of mysticism similar to the original trilogy, however I think a re-read of the His Dark Materials set would be needed for me to make any more solid connections, but more details about the compasses and how they work was intriguing. Moreover, I think reading this book just made me pine for the original, as these hold a special place in my heart.
There was one small little section of this book that made me raise an eyebrow and it would be the minior reference to pedophilia, I did not see the neccessity of such a dark inclusion within the book. The story would have been the same without the mention, but the fact it was there threw me off slightly. I'm hoping for no similar references in later books in this new series.
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Pedophilia
nadiaherondale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
montereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
However, on its own merits, the book is in many ways lacking. Alice is spirited, but doesn’t really contribute anything to the journey except childcare, a kind of pigeonholing I didn’t expect from Pullman after as phenomenal a protagonist as Lyra. This irritated me throughout, as she had such potential. Beyond that, the purpose of the whole narrative relies entirely on who Lyra is established to be in the central trilogy. I’m not sure what reading this is like if you aren’t already invested.
Overall, seriously worth the read for big fans of HDM. However, if you’re new to Pullman and wondering if his more recent work is the better place to start, I don’t think I recommend these.
Graphic: Blood, Animal cruelty, Murder, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child abuse and Rape
whatsnack_'s review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Murder, Animal cruelty, and Stalking
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Gore, and Pedophilia
tifftastic87's review
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Police brutality, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Classism, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Torture, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content, Gun violence, Ableism, Alcohol, Animal death, Racism, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, and Rape
aelis_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Rape
angelbabe_cj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Animal cruelty, and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content