jacq92s's review against another edition
3.0
The novel is an epilogue to Lyra's adventures in His Dark Materials.
The reader is introduced to Lyra during her time as a student at Oxford University as she grapples with finding herself and her views on the world. Matters are compounded by her increasingly untenable relationship with Pan, her daemon, and within Jordan College. Old enemies also start to rear their heads. It all culminates in an incredible journey that Lyra, and others, must make and overcome many foes along the way.
I found the quality of writing throughout the novel to be good. However, the plot felt slow moving and a little repetitive, with lots of separate strands that did not tie together in the end since, as it turns out, the novel is a two part epilogue! Without knowing that the book was the first of two parts (until the end!), I found the scene setting and detailed descriptions frustrating, as it never felt as though the plot picked up pace. I also found Lyra's journey almost unbelievably difficult at some points, even within the realms of a fantasy novel. Perhaps when the remaining part of the story is published, there will be a better sense of closure for the reader.
The reader is introduced to Lyra during her time as a student at Oxford University as she grapples with finding herself and her views on the world. Matters are compounded by her increasingly untenable relationship with Pan, her daemon, and within Jordan College. Old enemies also start to rear their heads. It all culminates in an incredible journey that Lyra, and others, must make and overcome many foes along the way.
I found the quality of writing throughout the novel to be good. However, the plot felt slow moving and a little repetitive, with lots of separate strands that did not tie together in the end since, as it turns out, the novel is a two part epilogue! Without knowing that the book was the first of two parts (until the end!), I found the scene setting and detailed descriptions frustrating, as it never felt as though the plot picked up pace. I also found Lyra's journey almost unbelievably difficult at some points, even within the realms of a fantasy novel. Perhaps when the remaining part of the story is published, there will be a better sense of closure for the reader.
waterwomanwinters's review against another edition
5.0
Finished this last week and was very excited to move on to the next book until I realized it hasn't been published yet. I can't wait!
Pullman seems has a pattern of an abrupt end to the second book when there is a third to followup the story from the same point.
Pullman seems has a pattern of an abrupt end to the second book when there is a third to followup the story from the same point.
anabradley's review against another edition
5.0
The second of the Book of Dust reads more as the fourth of His Dark Materials, for which I rate it far higher than I would have La Belle Sauvage.
Pullman's writing is intriguing and full of themes which build on and enrich those of His Dark Materials. New light is shed on many of the old characters, from Mrs. Lonsdale to Mrs. Cooper, and Lyra has grown into a person so different yet so similar to the original, that it feels as though Pullman writes about a real woman. The events of the novel are increased in darkness, truly reflecting the growth in Lyra from a child to an adult.
I cannot recommend this book enough, it is definitely worth the read!
Pullman's writing is intriguing and full of themes which build on and enrich those of His Dark Materials. New light is shed on many of the old characters, from Mrs. Lonsdale to Mrs. Cooper, and Lyra has grown into a person so different yet so similar to the original, that it feels as though Pullman writes about a real woman. The events of the novel are increased in darkness, truly reflecting the growth in Lyra from a child to an adult.
I cannot recommend this book enough, it is definitely worth the read!
akane's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jasmine_doyle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
musgrovej's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
cableguy13's review
4.0
That start of this book hurt me like no other book has done before. Seeing two characters like Lyra and Pan, whose love for each in the original series was beautiful, now bitter and hating each other, was a truly sad and painful thing to read. And worse, I could understand both sides when it was properly explained.
This world is fascinating, and the machinations of the Magisterium—and the way they disguise them as good—are just awful to watch.
My main trouble with this book is that it’s mostly three main characters travelling separately, with brief encounters along the way. I’m sure that a lot of it will come back in some way in book 3, but even if you’re watching a world-class master set up his epic domino course, you’re still just watching someone set-up dominoes, which is what large chunks of this felt like.
This world is fascinating, and the machinations of the Magisterium—and the way they disguise them as good—are just awful to watch.
My main trouble with this book is that it’s mostly three main characters travelling separately, with brief encounters along the way. I’m sure that a lot of it will come back in some way in book 3, but even if you’re watching a world-class master set up his epic domino course, you’re still just watching someone set-up dominoes, which is what large chunks of this felt like.
k8astrophic's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
moencat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
2.25
Honestly reading this whole book was sad. It was depressing, which isn’t normally how I feel about Pullman’s books at all. I really enjoyed Belle Sauvage and was looking forward to this book, but I feel so let down. The ideas of self and imagination are so interesting, but Overall it also felt like this book was just setting up for the next, it didn’t really seem to tell a story of its own.
Spoiler
having a 30 year old male professor be in love with a 20 year old Lyra, especially a Lyra who is so depressed and beaten down and alone, felt so gross. I’m so sad that’s the direction that this is going. Not to mention the sexual assault scene. It just felt so unnecessary and poorly handled. To have that happen to a character who I fell in love with as a young girl, was really upsetting. It happens everyday to women everywhere, does it really need to happen here too? Just felt very uncaring to me. And then to say she should be building a romance with a man 11 years older than her, who she had barely interacted with since she was 16? Gross. Very disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Uncomfortable orientalist at times.beedew's review against another edition
4.0
It’s really hard to rate this book as it is very much dependent upon the third and final book in the trilogy. Whereas la Belle sauvage worked as a stand-alone story, this one really doesn’t.