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balfies 's review for:

The Secret Commonwealth: by Philip Pullman
3.75
adventurous dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The HBO His Dark Materials finale had got me down so bad that I purchased and read this 700 page tome in a day. I read the first of the Book of Dust trilogy a few years ago and wasn't taken by it, but this was a more compelling read. 

Feels more akin to Pullman's Sally Lockhart series than the rest of His Dark Materials - it is a balancing act between a magical spy thriller and a philosophical argument for the necessity of imagination and folklore. Also they let Lyra drop the f bomb.

Altogether enjoyed it a lot more, and how it expands on the ineffable relationship we have to our souls. Also every ten pages Lyra thinks about Will and misses him and wants to be more like him and that was DEVASTATING.

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