Reviews

I was nervous and blind going in, didn't even check the back cover when I found a copy at the library. But holy shit, I absolutely loved it. I read it on a torturously long flight delay and it was everything i could have hoped for. I sorely hope we'll get to see book three attach to the golden compass in some way, but its brilliant as is.

nnalla's review against another edition

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4.0

I was so thrilled to step back into Philip Pullman's familiar world. Though I overall enjoyed Subtle Knife and Amber Spyglass, I found myself wanting to be enchanted again but the bustling English towns of Lyra's world. I've read on here that many people found the protagonist to be dull, but I found his unassuming and good natured character to be a refreshing change from Lyra's brash and sometimes unlikable personality. I certainly agree that it's a slow burn however. A little over the first half the story meanders between Malcolm's visits to his friends at the nunnery, a scholar's house, and back to his home at the Trout Inn owned his family, where he works. I personally liked this for a while, but I thought it started to get a little repetitive.

I also thought it was a little implausible that this kid seemed to just be casually rubbing shoulders with all the main characters of importance in the story, including Lord Asriel and Marissa Coulter. I know this is due to him being particularly well connected among the working class folks of the town, but I couldn't help feeling that it was a little forced and not believable. Pullman tries to have his significance explained away as a part of the prophecy that Lyra is connected with, a boy "who will deliver a great treasure" or something like that, but it again it just didn't strike me as believable and just a feeble attempt to ham-fist this new character into the larger narrative.

Spoiler

The latter part of the book follows Malcolm on his journey to deliver his "treasure". It becomes almost a richly allegorical, almost Homerian journey a la The Odyssey, complete with an enchanted island presided over by a beautiful ethereal woman with sinister intentions. There is another enchanted house in which all the denizens are eternally at an elegant party and have forgotten themselves similar to the lotus eaters. Pullman really shined during these escapades that took on the quality of an epic parable.

Overall I liked the story and appreciated that it felt familiar but still different to the original series. I think it would have been better if Pullman wasn't so insistent on making the protagonist such a significant part of the narrative.

alcazarz's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars

yoav's review against another edition

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5.0

למי שאהב את סדרת הספרים ״חומריו האפלים״ הספר הזה הוא הראשון בסדרת ספרי המשך שהם בעצם פריקוול (מתרחשים בתקופה מוקדמת יותר) שיש בו את כל החומרים שבסדרה המקורית (דמונים, שהם חיות הנפש של האגם שלכל אחד מהם צורת חיה, נערים ונערות אמיצים, מסתורין האבק והאלתיומטר המסתורי). היפה הוא שאפשר לקרוא את הסדרה גם מבלי לקרוא את חומריו האפלים.
זה עולם פנטנסטי אבל קודר ואלים. החלק הראשון של הספר בונה יפה את המקום והזמן ובחצי השני של הספר מתחיל מסע בקצב מותח ומהיר. לחובבי הז׳אנר.

oddcurlew's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

tishreads's review against another edition

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1.0

If you're going into this book expecting the magic and wonder of Lyra's Oxford, I wouldn't pick it up. If you're wanting to read it to hear more of Phillip Pullman's ideas on politics and religion, then go for it.

palomapepper's review against another edition

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3.0

His Dark Materials was a childhood favorite of mine, so I came into this book really wanting to love it. I enjoyed the writing style and world-building as always, but overall I'm a little lukewarm about this installment of the series.

Good bits: a curious and lovable main character; spying and intrigue; more time spent in this familiar fantastical alternate-reality; existing character cameos that show other facets of their personalities. I'm an older sibling, so I related to Malcolm's affection and protectiveness for baby Lyra.

But the plot itself moved slowly, and didn't come together for me as a self-contained story. The scenes with

Spoiler

the fairy queen (yes, hello Spenser), the dead-people purgatory garden(?), and the witch queen

seemed to come completely out of left field; I'm sure their presence will be explained further in the next book(s), but their appearance here seemed sudden and random.

I wasn't satisfied with the main villain, either...

Spoiler

yes, he and his hyena daemon were appropriately repulsive, but his motives felt vague and all over the place. So... he's an unhinged, rapey Dust scientist, on a quest to abduct a baby to further his... research obsessions? I kept waiting and hoping for his character & motivations to get fleshed out, but it never happened.

Hoping I'll like the sequel better!

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