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orchidlilly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
A fascinating sequel to an excellent beginning. This time, we get perspectives beyond Lyra's with more frequency, and I rather like being able to read the story from all sides. We end on a very compelling cliffhanger, ready to start the next book. My only complaint is that in this second part of the trilogy, Lyra loses a good bit of her charm and free will. It's a bit annoying to see Lyra immediately fall into an almost subservient role the second a male character comes into play. Where is that independence and determination that so greatly defined her in the first book?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Drug use, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Medical content, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism