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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Let’s just randomly sexual assault our main character for zero reason and then blame it on her Daemon…
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would rate this higher but I really don't like Lyra in this book, she's all the things I disliked about her in the earlier books but without the charm of being young and curious. All the traveling around was more exhausting than exciting. There were too many similar-sounding places so the sly "ha! here's some important info!" lost its impact when I was like "but I already knew that, why is this exciting?" Only to realize later that it was talking about two separate "houses in the dessert involving roses or spirits or who knows".
I’ve changed my rating a couple times and I’m still not sure about three stars, but it feels the most correct to me because I did enjoy a lot of it. His Dark Materials is everything to me and I was really excited to read more about Lyra. I love Pullman’s writing and I was going along for the ride but this book started making me angry towards the end. I don’t need to rehash what I’ve seen tons of people saying about the book. I have the same issues with it. I would say if you’re really into the series, I won’t tell you not to read this- but if you’re not, don’t bother. It’s an interesting story and I’m glad I read it but I will not be keeping the book around (which is a big deal since I hardly ever get rid of books).
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
This world and characters are so rich and real.
The expansive storyline is extremely engaging.
I think the emotional resonance of hdm is missing but this book is so well done that it works well even without this.
The expansive storyline is extremely engaging.
I think the emotional resonance of hdm is missing but this book is so well done that it works well even without this.
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:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Firstly, this was very compelling. I haven't spent really any time wondering what happened to Lyra since we last left her, if I'm being honest (I liked that nebulous hopefulness at the end of Amber Spyglass that let you assume she would do the work of building the Republic of Heaven on earth, that she would eventually find love that would let her move on from Will, etc.). But as soon as she and Pan appeared on the page, I realized that I had missed them and this world, and that I did want to know what happened. I even missed Malcolm and Alice and Hannah Relf, and I only met them for the first time two months ago.
It makes sense to me that Lyra would have issues coming home from her adventures up North and in other universes. She experienced severe trauma, if nothing else, among which is also the loss of many people she loved (to death or otherwise), and events that could significantly alter her perception of the universe. It makes sense to me that she would be having a hard time as a young adult. It also makes sense to me that her and her allies' victories in HDM didn't necessarily mean that when she came home, anything about the Magisterium or their lives would have really been altered. Hers were metaphysical victories in a place far away. Back in her universe, a nascent theocracy is still in power. And they haven't let up on their obsession with Dust.
With that said, I feel like despite how compelled I was by this book, I don't really know how I feel about it, because absolutely nothing here has any resolution. This book does not stand on its own. This is just the first part of a story that escalates and will presumably conclude in the third book, and who knows how long we will have to wait for that (two years if we're lucky). So many things are introduced and then left up in the air:
* Anything to do with the roses.
* Lyra's uncle being the new President/ruler of the Magisterium.
* She only makes it halfway on her journey to the place where the roses are grown.
* Malcom doesn't really have an arc here, but it's obvious Pullman is setting them up for a romance. (It was obvious in La Belle Sauvage.) Pullman has never been great with romance set-up. We get no build up or context for Malcolm's feelings, or how they've changed over the years, and though I don't personally see it this way, I get why people are seeing him as sort of creepy.
All in all, I'm waiting to see how all of this is resolved before I can really judge the book (though I do think it's not ideal leaving a book, especially one as large as this one, so up in the air). Worth noting, so much is here that I have no idea how all of it actually can be resolved in one book. I didn't even bring up like ten other things.
[3.5 stars, rounded up, but might round down depending on how book three goes]
It makes sense to me that Lyra would have issues coming home from her adventures up North and in other universes. She experienced severe trauma, if nothing else, among which is also the loss of many people she loved (to death or otherwise), and events that could significantly alter her perception of the universe. It makes sense to me that she would be having a hard time as a young adult. It also makes sense to me that her and her allies' victories in HDM didn't necessarily mean that when she came home, anything about the Magisterium or their lives would have really been altered. Hers were metaphysical victories in a place far away. Back in her universe, a nascent theocracy is still in power. And they haven't let up on their obsession with Dust.
With that said, I feel like despite how compelled I was by this book, I don't really know how I feel about it, because absolutely nothing here has any resolution. This book does not stand on its own. This is just the first part of a story that escalates and will presumably conclude in the third book, and who knows how long we will have to wait for that (two years if we're lucky). So many things are introduced and then left up in the air:
Spoiler
* Lyra's rift with Pantalaimon, which actually results in him leaving her 1/3 of the way through the book. I found this fascinating and actually wish the book would have focused more on daemon lore, and what it means when a person and their daemon are at odds (my money is on self-denial). Pullman takes us all the way up to where they are about to reunite, but we don't get to see it. We also don't really get emotional resolution on Lyra's journey to "reclaim her imagination" (which is very nebulous to begin with).* Anything to do with the roses.
* Lyra's uncle being the new President/ruler of the Magisterium.
* She only makes it halfway on her journey to the place where the roses are grown.
* Malcom doesn't really have an arc here, but it's obvious Pullman is setting them up for a romance. (It was obvious in La Belle Sauvage.) Pullman has never been great with romance set-up. We get no build up or context for Malcolm's feelings, or how they've changed over the years, and though I don't personally see it this way, I get why people are seeing him as sort of creepy.
All in all, I'm waiting to see how all of this is resolved before I can really judge the book (though I do think it's not ideal leaving a book, especially one as large as this one, so up in the air). Worth noting, so much is here that I have no idea how all of it actually can be resolved in one book. I didn't even bring up like ten other things.
[3.5 stars, rounded up, but might round down depending on how book three goes]
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book itself is well done: interesting, suspenseful, emotional, mysterious.
However, this is supposed to be Lyra from the His Dark Materials trilogy and it's just not her. Also, too many rules from the world oh HDM are being broken.
I will read the next book when it comes out, but in my head Lyra will remain as she was at the end of HDM.
However, this is supposed to be Lyra from the His Dark Materials trilogy and it's just not her. Also, too many rules from the world oh HDM are being broken.
I will read the next book when it comes out, but in my head Lyra will remain as she was at the end of HDM.
Where is book 3?!?!? How long do I have to wait!
Super enjoyed this book set 10 years after the dark materials.
Super enjoyed this book set 10 years after the dark materials.