Scan barcode
nincrony1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
Lots and lots of thoughts on The Secret Commonwealth. Spoilers ahead as well - I recommend going in blind.
Phillip Pullman’s return to Lyra, first introduced in the classic Dark Materials trilogy, see her on an adventure fraught with darkness and difficult themes. This is most definitely a novel for those who grew up with the original books and have grown up. Lyra is now a 20-year old student, precocious as ever but in an intellectual way that is rubbing her daemon Pan the wrong way. And things kind of develop from there - I can only really bullet point my thoughts as I have a lot. Needless to say, I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait to see how it ends; for it does end on quite the cliffhanger.
Phillip Pullman’s return to Lyra, first introduced in the classic Dark Materials trilogy, see her on an adventure fraught with darkness and difficult themes. This is most definitely a novel for those who grew up with the original books and have grown up. Lyra is now a 20-year old student, precocious as ever but in an intellectual way that is rubbing her daemon Pan the wrong way. And things kind of develop from there - I can only really bullet point my thoughts as I have a lot. Needless to say, I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait to see how it ends; for it does end on quite the cliffhanger.
- The choice to have this novel explore the implications of Lyra and Pan separating following The Amber Spyglass is a stroke of genius. If there was going to be a late sequel to the series, I think picking up on this aspect makes sense and opens the world up even further. All the stuff involving the expansion of the daemons is fascinating, expertly handled and quite heart breaking
- I loved its evocation of Europe, stretching from England to Turkey. The interconnected rail, the variety of cultures, it’s a peon to the place and perhaps in a way, a reminder of the disaster Brexit has robbed from us Brits
- That said, the book doesn’t shy away from the refugee crisis modern Europe faces. This aspect is worked quite naturally into the story and serves as a backdrop to Lyra’s adventure as the Magisterium becomes even more totalitarian and expanding into aggressive capitalism
- I liked La Belle Savage ok but I thought this one was much better. That said, the book does a good catching one up on the previous Book of Dust novel and I found myself enjoying the returning characters and locations, especially the pub that Pullman so thoroughly established in the last book.
- That said, I wasn’t crazy about an aspect to Malcolm’s character. I’m curious as to how it will pay off but it’s just little creepy
- This is a dark novel but it’s mature in its darkness. Some very bad stuff happens in the book but it’s never there for the sake of it. The book is about Lyra as an adult and part of that is being an out-spoken strong woman in a world dominated by men and how that can grind one down.
- The depiction of Lyra has been controversial, some thinking Pullman used her as a mouthpiece for his thoughts on the state of the world. I think this is bad faith criticism. The plot is partly about Lyra seeing that the world is so much larger and complex than what Jordan has to offer. It makes sense that as a precocious questioning sort, and like anyone at that age in academia, would subscribe to challenging new schools of thought and how this might put a wedge in relationships. I suspect the character arc is Lyra reaching true maturity but we will have to wait and see
- I think there might be one too many subplots but for the most part I enjoyed the espionage and secret societies of the plot.
- Excellent prose as always. Pullman just has this ability to beautifully craft scenes and suck me in. I’ve been reading this fairly addictively
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
booklove79's review against another edition
5.0
Following Lyra into adulthood is just as emotional as myself entering adulthood. The struggles faced head on. Lyra's determination but self doubt spurs her onwards.
okevamae's review against another edition
2.0
I've had a couple of weeks to think on this book and I'm downgrading it to 2 stars. This book was a big disappointment and had too much of the unfortunate and unnecessary grossness that is so often included in books about young women that are written by older men. The plot, and the conflict at its heart, are also really uninteresting. The only thing saving this from a 1-star rating is the fact that it was not relentlessly horrible.
allthebeans's review against another edition
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
4.25
nacnudkhan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
leafblade's review against another edition
4.0
Le pongo 4/5 pero en realidad como que no sé, porque si bien no lo sufrí tanto a nivel pesadez como con La belle sauvage o El catalejo lacado, sí que al final es un libro donde no pasa nada significativo. Hay pedacitos de avance del plot, pero muy pocos. Y encima, durante todo el libro te hace creer que te está llevando a que termine con un evento en específico, y al final te lo corta justo antes. Sabiendo que el próximo libro tiene 10 años más de time skip, no sé si fue algo inteligente. El toque dark academia me sorprendió, pero al final me terminó gustando, como una arista más de worldbuilding de un universo que antes tenía cosas feas, pero casi que ponía el límite donde le daría asco/miedo a un nene, y que con Lyra crecida se anima a ir un poco más allá.
pjthom's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
samara_mattos's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
An adult Lyra in the post-'Materials' world: what happened next.
As much as Lyra is the protagonist of Pullman's epic saga, her world is also a character in itself - the world of religious theocracy, one that has gradually become more insidious and dangerous. Lyra is no longer a child but is still recognisable to readers who saw her fall in love with Will and brave the perils of more than one world previously. But now Pan, her daemon, also takes centre stage as the two separated parts of one soul struggle to remain close.
Malcolm too, returns here from the prequel, and both he and Lyra are adults, caught up in another conspiracy, with murder and plots around them, in the world of academia they are so comfortable in. I loved their world within a world - the use of the Oxford academic setting is so unusual for a young person's novel, invigorating, in a serious and tense story encompassing real danger to everyone.
A complicated plot and lots of new and returning characters set the stage for the third book, as this ends with many questions unanswered and story unfinished, characters spread out over the globe.
I enjoyed listening to Michael Sheen narrate the audio version, his multiple voices were well differentiated, and his energy and passion for the book keep momentum going.
Already looking forward to finding out how the saga ends!
As much as Lyra is the protagonist of Pullman's epic saga, her world is also a character in itself - the world of religious theocracy, one that has gradually become more insidious and dangerous. Lyra is no longer a child but is still recognisable to readers who saw her fall in love with Will and brave the perils of more than one world previously. But now Pan, her daemon, also takes centre stage as the two separated parts of one soul struggle to remain close.
Malcolm too, returns here from the prequel, and both he and Lyra are adults, caught up in another conspiracy, with murder and plots around them, in the world of academia they are so comfortable in. I loved their world within a world - the use of the Oxford academic setting is so unusual for a young person's novel, invigorating, in a serious and tense story encompassing real danger to everyone.
A complicated plot and lots of new and returning characters set the stage for the third book, as this ends with many questions unanswered and story unfinished, characters spread out over the globe.
I enjoyed listening to Michael Sheen narrate the audio version, his multiple voices were well differentiated, and his energy and passion for the book keep momentum going.
Already looking forward to finding out how the saga ends!
jenltarg's review against another edition
5.0
Following Lyra into adulthood is just as emotional as myself entering adulthood. The struggles faced head on. Lyra's determination but self doubt spurs her onwards.