Scan barcode
corvidcorvid's review against another edition
I've listened to this book once before, and was extremely surprised and put off by the sexual assault (that I guess is not exactly "graphic" but is brutal) near the end. I feel it might be worse to read about, because, spoken, at least there's an urgency and a speed to it. It gives me the shivers even saying that.
I thought maybe I was remembering too harshly (relationship between main characters)Malcolm's saying that he is in love with Lyra. But, no, I didn't imagine that Hannah, of all people, who knows that Malcolm first met Lyra when she was a BABY, blesses it by saying something like, "Once, maybe, it would have been inappropriate. But you're both adults!" Gross.
I'll keep my fond memories of His Dark Materials and I'll keep what I've taken from it, but I am not interested in reading the third of The Book of Dust if this is what Philip Pullman is doing with the characters.
I thought maybe I was remembering too harshly (relationship between main characters)
I'll keep my fond memories of His Dark Materials and I'll keep what I've taken from it, but I am not interested in reading the third of The Book of Dust if this is what Philip Pullman is doing with the characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
andibez's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
sunandmoon's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
WHY PHILIP WHY do you absolutely want your 30 something man to fall in love with 21yo LYRA, why did you think it was necessary for her to be assaulted and then go about her quest almost like nothing had happened? Do you hate her and us that much?
What a disappointment after the beautiful book that was La Belle Sauvage.
What a disappointment after the beautiful book that was La Belle Sauvage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence
annir's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Classism
rakkaussipsi's review against another edition
This book broke my heart. I wish I never started it. Moving forward I will probably pretend that Lyra’s story ended with Serpentine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
thewileyseven's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think Pullman has deftly made the transition from YA to adult with the same characters, which is to be applauded. And I think Lyra's selfhood journey is a smart and realistic one. But I also agree with many of the critiques of this book. Timeline-wise, it feels as though the events of The Amber Spyglass must've been decades ago, when in reality it's been, like, eight years. It feels like the events of those books did absolutely nothing to change the world of Lyra's Oxford, which is bizarre.
But despite these critiques, I'll absolutely be picking up the third book, if only because I can't stand not knowing how it ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
agoedken's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
katethealmostgreat's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
trueripple's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
solvoid's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I did not hate it but there are certain moments that almost took me out of the story entirely for the worse.
I will probably read the sequel cause I need to know how it ends but we're still waiting on that.
But yeah it is a bit orientalist and writing a romantic subplot for malcom and lyra in this day and age is quite a choice. He held lyra as a baby ffs.
But luckily there wasn't that much of that so I was able to just ignore that was a thing happening on the side.
So I really hope it isn't actually pursued into an actual relationship, I mean lyra hasn't expressed those sort of feelings at all.
I loved the whole thing with the daemons and separation and exploring lyra and her conflicting feelings and pantalaimon. And the pursuit of truth and imagination. That's why I kept going.
But yeah this is quite dark and I expected so and really makes you think.
It's just a shame, malcolm was such a lovable character in the first volume and the author chose to turn him into a creep.
I will probably read the sequel cause I need to know how it ends but we're still waiting on that.
But yeah it is a bit orientalist and writing a romantic subplot for malcom and lyra in this day and age is quite a choice. He held lyra as a baby ffs.
But luckily there wasn't that much of that so I was able to just ignore that was a thing happening on the side.
So I really hope it isn't actually pursued into an actual relationship, I mean lyra hasn't expressed those sort of feelings at all.
I loved the whole thing with the daemons and separation and exploring lyra and her conflicting feelings and pantalaimon. And the pursuit of truth and imagination. That's why I kept going.
But yeah this is quite dark and I expected so and really makes you think.
It's just a shame, malcolm was such a lovable character in the first volume and the author chose to turn him into a creep.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault