orchidlilly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
First the good: when people said the books got too religious, I expected a thinly veiled Jesus metaphor like is found in Narnia, instead I was pleasantly surprised with the opposite. It's really quite refreshing to read a book whose religious themes are critical of the church as opposed to praising it. I found the whole 'kill god' basis of Asriel's motivation rather amusing and the commentary on the church is, as a Christian, very accurate and not without basis. The writing is, as always, impeccable, and I found myself becoming very attached to the minor characters of Dr. Mary Malone, the Galevespians, Balthamos, and Baruch.
The bad: It annoys me greatly that Lyra is once again reduced to nothing more than a damsel in distress for Will to moon over. For the majority of the book, Lyra is asleep and helpless, and once she wakes up, she becomes a nervous, clingy, mostly useless ingenue. The only time we get to see the old Lyra is in the land of the dead, and that fire is short-lived. For all Will loves to wax poetic about how strong and stubborn Lyra is, we get to see exactly none of it. There is also the matter of the character deaths. After Scoresby and Mr. Perry, the deaths of our beloved side characters begin to feel very forced and unnecessary very quickly. Asriel and Coulter's "redemption" is so short, abrupt, and seemingly out of character that it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. Worst of all, is the romance between Will and Lyra. The entire book, the budding romance feels both painfully obvious and forced. The love conquers and fixes all theme is tired at this point, and it only works if the characters have any chemistry as lovers, these two are just about as ridiculous as Romeo and Juliet. So many questions are left unanswered that the story almost feels unfinished, which is a great disappointment given Pullman's in-depth worldbuilding from the two previous books.
Three stars because up until the last seven or so chapters, the story is just as captivating as its predecessors.
Graphic: Child death, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Grief, Animal death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Death, Murder, Violence, War, Blood, Physical abuse, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual harassment, Classism, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Chronic illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, Alcohol, and Dementia
jessthanthree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, Death, Kidnapping, Grief, Animal death, War, Violence, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent
theespressoedition's review against another edition
Graphic: Religious bigotry
mandkips's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Religious bigotry, Confinement, Child death, and Kidnapping
nicoleisalwaysreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, War, Death, Injury/injury detail, Religious bigotry, and Grief
Moderate: Violence and Blood
mitsubachigirl's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Religious bigotry
rosequarterdrifting's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Minor: Blood and Sexual content
violaceae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Blood
Minor: Religious bigotry, Confinement, and Child death
ladysanctuary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Violence
ceallaighsbooks's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“We are all learning new ways, even witches.”
“Can is not the same as must.”
“But if you must and you can, then there’s no excuse.”
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, and Violence
This book also features a depiction of severe separation anxiety that is really difficult to read.