You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
matt_and_cheez's Reviews (493)
Admittedly difficult to keep track of all the characters, and with her stream of consciousness writing style, the story jumped everywhere. Still enjoyable.
Reading this again nearly a decade later, and it's more beautiful than ever. The world, the characters, the way the soul is represented. Mesmerizingly dark, still with some childhood innocence, this book is a must-read.
I'm not sure why I rated this any lower than 5 stars the first time-- maybe because I was younger and not able to appreciate the really deep philosophy behind the story. Anyway, this book is rich and just as (maybe more) mesmerizing than its prequel. Questions the nature of human consciousness, mixing modern physics, theology, and the author's imagination. Definitely a classic.
His Dark Materials is the most profound children's series I've read. Definitely not a set of books that should be off-putting to an adult due to its target audience. In this book especially I was surprised again and again at how daring Pullman is in his writing, and how this series still managed to hold on to its place in a children's library. Organized religion is questioned and combated, but the essence of what it means to be human is explored and treasured. The deep symbolism threading through the series really left an impact, and this satisfying climax to a classic tale is worthy of being read again and again.
I don't quite understand the negative hype surrounding this book. However, if you're expecting a traditional plot of a murder mystery, you might be disappointed. That didn't influence my opinion though. The writing is beautifully engaging, evokes sadness, fear, wonder, and empathy for the characters, even the "antagonist." The main protagonist, Harriet, is written with incredible depth. She has many flaws along with her likeable character. A very dark tale, depicting (often drug-induced) paranoia, the hunt for something unreachable, and the interplay between rich and poor, black and white, and old and young.