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callmeanuke 's review for:
The Amber Spyglass
by Philip Pullman
Ah, this book. I felt exactly the same way as when I read it as a child: disappointed. This is not the climax or ending one hopes for after two amazing books. I'm not even sure whether I should give this 2 or 3 stars. It was just.. okay.
On the one hand, this series is still set in the same fascinating world. I couldn't stop listening to the story either (I'm listening to the audiobook), which was partly because of Philip Pullman's lovely voice and the great cast that narrated this series.
On the other hand, it has many flaws and I have so many unanswered questions:
- Why did they have to go to the Land of the Dead? It was never really explained why Lyra suddenly felt that she needed to see Roger again so badly that she had to travel all the way to the Land of the Dead. It wasn't made clear in earlier books that this was a burden she had been carrying. Plus... there are deceased people that I would still love to talk to, but that doesn't mean I go searching for a Land of the Dead...
- Why did Lyra so quickly and easily decide to leave Pan, just to see Roger again in the Land of the Dead? She didn't know if she'd ever see Pan again... was that really worth it?
- They're told that they are now like witches, in that their deamons can be further apart from them. However, we never get an explanation for this. Why was this even possible?
- If it's possible to keep one window open for the dead, then I don't get why another one cannot be kept open for Lyra and Will.
- The whole Mary Malone story was incredibly boring in this book... despite the fact that I really liked Mary! Oh, and we never got a true explanation for why she became an atheist and gave up life as a nun?! She ate a piece of marzipan and fell in love, so she decided to become an atheist. How is that an explanation?
- I missed Iorek terribly. We didn't see enough of him.
- If the angels can deal with spectres, why can't they deal with other things, such as the dust leaving?
- Why did the knife break when Will thought of his mom?
- I kind of understood why Mrs Coulter would want to save Lyra (she already demonstrated her love for Lyra by doing this in earlier books), but the stone-hearted Asriel...? I didn't buy it. He didn't care for her at all, so this came as quite an uncharacteristic move for him.
- Why was Lyra so incredible dependent on Will in this book? The brave little girl was gone and replaced by someone who always asked Will what to do/what to think.... It was incredibly annoying. "Lyra thought about saying this or that, but she didn't say it, as she thought Will wouldn't approve." One would think this book was written decades earlier instead of in 2000.
And most of all...
- Will and Lyra are 12 years old. Why on earth did they have to "fall in love"? The last part of the book is basically two TWELVE-YEARS-OLDS (I can't repeat this enough, it's so ridiculous) making out all the time. Why couldn't their love have been platonic? I know, Adam & Eve.... but friendship would have made SO much more sense.
To end this with one of my favourite (and very British) quotes from this book:
"You know what I'd like most of all? I'd like a cup of tea. Come on, let's put the kettle on."
It's time for some tea.
On the one hand, this series is still set in the same fascinating world. I couldn't stop listening to the story either (I'm listening to the audiobook), which was partly because of Philip Pullman's lovely voice and the great cast that narrated this series.
On the other hand, it has many flaws and I have so many unanswered questions:
Spoiler
- Why did they have to go to the Land of the Dead? It was never really explained why Lyra suddenly felt that she needed to see Roger again so badly that she had to travel all the way to the Land of the Dead. It wasn't made clear in earlier books that this was a burden she had been carrying. Plus... there are deceased people that I would still love to talk to, but that doesn't mean I go searching for a Land of the Dead...
- Why did Lyra so quickly and easily decide to leave Pan, just to see Roger again in the Land of the Dead? She didn't know if she'd ever see Pan again... was that really worth it?
- They're told that they are now like witches, in that their deamons can be further apart from them. However, we never get an explanation for this. Why was this even possible?
- If it's possible to keep one window open for the dead, then I don't get why another one cannot be kept open for Lyra and Will.
- The whole Mary Malone story was incredibly boring in this book... despite the fact that I really liked Mary! Oh, and we never got a true explanation for why she became an atheist and gave up life as a nun?! She ate a piece of marzipan and fell in love, so she decided to become an atheist. How is that an explanation?
- I missed Iorek terribly. We didn't see enough of him.
- If the angels can deal with spectres, why can't they deal with other things, such as the dust leaving?
- Why did the knife break when Will thought of his mom?
- I kind of understood why Mrs Coulter would want to save Lyra (she already demonstrated her love for Lyra by doing this in earlier books), but the stone-hearted Asriel...? I didn't buy it. He didn't care for her at all, so this came as quite an uncharacteristic move for him.
- Why was Lyra so incredible dependent on Will in this book? The brave little girl was gone and replaced by someone who always asked Will what to do/what to think.... It was incredibly annoying. "Lyra thought about saying this or that, but she didn't say it, as she thought Will wouldn't approve." One would think this book was written decades earlier instead of in 2000.
And most of all...
- Will and Lyra are 12 years old. Why on earth did they have to "fall in love"? The last part of the book is basically two TWELVE-YEARS-OLDS (I can't repeat this enough, it's so ridiculous) making out all the time. Why couldn't their love have been platonic? I know, Adam & Eve.... but friendship would have made SO much more sense.
To end this with one of my favourite (and very British) quotes from this book:
"You know what I'd like most of all? I'd like a cup of tea. Come on, let's put the kettle on."
It's time for some tea.