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A review by thewileyseven
The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
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.
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence