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The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials #2)
Here is the highly anticipated second installment of Philip Pullman's epic fantasy trilogy, begun with the critically acclaimed The Golden Compass. Lyra and Will, her newfound friend, tumble separately into the strange tropical otherworld of Cittàgazze, "the city of magpies," where adults are curiously absent and children run wild. Here their lives become inextricably entw...more
Hardcover, First American Edition, 326 pages
Published
July 22nd 1997
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
(first published January 1st 1997)
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The second entry in a trilogy is often, in my opinion, the best. The author doesn't have to introduce the universe or the characters, as they did in the first installment, but they don't need to worry about wrapping up all the plot points either. Instead, the focus can be on 'the good stuff': elaborating on the story, teasing us more, giving action, chopping off Luke's hand and so on. Instead of the good stuff, in The Subtle Knife I feel as though we've had a bait and switch pulled on us.
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I am not a fan of forwarded emails. They frustrate me, because they usually come from the same group of people, people I like a great deal but who never send me a normal "hey, how's it going?" message. Just "Support our Troops" or "Tell every woman you know she's special" or "Microsoft is running a test and if you send this you could get a check for $1,000!" When I see the letters FWD in the subject line, I usually simply delete it.
I lost...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Later...
It is so surprising to me that the thing I found vastly irritating right at page one of the first of this series - the daemon - so quickly captivated me. You have this daemon in you, all of us, just as the story goes. And as a child it is anything, it has the fantastical vision that children have, there is nothing to stop it. But then we mostly grow up and we mostly lose the idea that we can do anything, we lose imagination, we lose the unconscious bravery of our childhood, w...more
It is so surprising to me that the thing I found vastly irritating right at page one of the first of this series - the daemon - so quickly captivated me. You have this daemon in you, all of us, just as the story goes. And as a child it is anything, it has the fantastical vision that children have, there is nothing to stop it. But then we mostly grow up and we mostly lose the idea that we can do anything, we lose imagination, we lose the unconscious bravery of our childhood, w...more
This is a difficult review to write, as so much of what I liked and didn't like is related to specific things in the story--which I don't want to give away. I can say that this is a very well-crafted, intricately plotted story--the writing is wonderful, the characters vivid, the action intense. The quality is equal to that in the first book ("The Golden Compass"). And, I listened to the audio version and the performances are simply remarkable.
I would recommend reading this...more
I would recommend reading this...more
When I first read this book I was young enough to still pronounce the 'b' in 'subtle', and now I can't look at this book without doing it again. I still think it sounds better that way - it gives the word a sort of dull power that I think depicts the mysterious magic of the knife much better than the silly, flippant 'suttle'. Saying 'sub-tle' opens up previously-unimagined worlds which extend indefinitely into the distance.
And this is what is good about this series. I've come up wit...more
And this is what is good about this series. I've come up wit...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Not happy with the ending otherwise it would have gotten 5 stars. Well written, kept me hanging on the edge of my seat.
I have the third one downloaded on my Sony e-book and will start soon.
One thing I can say about Pullman is that he is a master at detail, at character, at setting. His imagination is immense.
I don't like revealing plots in a review so I won't tell what happens but I am impressed.
I can see where some might feel challenged regarding th...more
I have the third one downloaded on my Sony e-book and will start soon.
One thing I can say about Pullman is that he is a master at detail, at character, at setting. His imagination is immense.
I don't like revealing plots in a review so I won't tell what happens but I am impressed.
I can see where some might feel challenged regarding th...more
I tend not to be terribly engaged with the second book of a trilogy (too much effort without much in the way of a pay-off, given that nothing is ever concluded in book #2), so I wasn't expecting great things from this. On the whole, though, it was a diverting way to spend a weekend. The novel's premise - having the fantasy world of *The Golden Compass* collide with the "real" world - was really quite cleverly executed. I found Lyra's move from main character to a supporting role for Wi...more
I apologize to Mr. Pullman, for as much as I adore The Golden Compass, I cannot bring myself to finish The Subtle Knife, or the rest of His Dark Materials, for that matter.
Before I begin explaining why I stopped, let me put it out there that I am not a religious person and that I was not attracted to HDM for the controversy. In fact, I decided to read it because it was recommended as a similar read to Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines. And have no doubts, it was, and I enjoyed The Golden C...more
Before I begin explaining why I stopped, let me put it out there that I am not a religious person and that I was not attracted to HDM for the controversy. In fact, I decided to read it because it was recommended as a similar read to Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines. And have no doubts, it was, and I enjoyed The Golden C...more
Di banding buku pertama, saya jauh lebih suka yang pertama. Petualangan Lyra di buku ini tidak menggemparkan di banding di Kompas Emas. Terasa biasa. Tapi yang pasti kesamaan dari buku ini dengan sebelumnya adalah sukses membuat saya tambah pusing tujuh keliling. Cukup 3 bintang untuk itu Pullman.
Lyra, yang tanpa sengaja bertemu dengan Will di dunia persimpangan Citagazze mengalami pengalaman yang mengharuskan Lyra menentukan pilihan. Menemukan Debu atau membantu Will menemukan ayahn...more
Lyra, yang tanpa sengaja bertemu dengan Will di dunia persimpangan Citagazze mengalami pengalaman yang mengharuskan Lyra menentukan pilihan. Menemukan Debu atau membantu Will menemukan ayahn...more
We tackled and conquered the second in Philip Pullman's Dark Materials series, The Subtle Knife. This one, unlike The Golden Compass, starts with a wild chase and a death, which got The Child's attention right away. We see the after effects of Lord Asriel ripping open the sky and familiar characters such as Serafina Pekkala and Lee Scoresby provide encore performances. It put him to sleep after a few pages, so it took us some time to get through.
I think the The Subtle Knife suffers f...more
I think the The Subtle Knife suffers f...more
This is a wonderful chapter in a great adventure story. More than that, though, if I were a young adult, I think it would be mind blowing.
If you're just beginning to explore your religious beliefs, the roots of Christianity and it's place in American society, and attempting to reconcile that done in the name of religion with the religion itself, this book would be a an eye-opening experience. It is a great starting point from which to do your own reconnoitering.
As I'm...more
If you're just beginning to explore your religious beliefs, the roots of Christianity and it's place in American society, and attempting to reconcile that done in the name of religion with the religion itself, this book would be a an eye-opening experience. It is a great starting point from which to do your own reconnoitering.
As I'm...more
This book was far more engaging than its predecessor, most likely because Pullman decided to tone down the amount of page time that Lyra got and instead developed Will's character. Will is by far the better protagonist, and we can only hope that Lyra will benefit from being near him and that some of his maturity will rub off on her. As with the first in the trilogy, the writing was a joy to read in this book. If the third is better than this one, I'm in for a real treat.
My only ma...more
My only ma...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Backtracking note after the fact: I rambled on more than I meant to and what I really meant to say is these books are fantasy land like it seems Nicole Kidman plays the same ice queen in most movies she does. She kinda does, but no two snow flakes are exactly alike blah blah it'd be even better if just taken for granted as fact already (and no bids for Oscars).
I'm trying to seperate the three books in my mind, as well as away from the movie, after what is about ten years(ish) in pass...more
I'm trying to seperate the three books in my mind, as well as away from the movie, after what is about ten years(ish) in pass...more
The adventures of young Lyra continue, and now she's with Will Parry, a 12-year-old boy from our world. The two meet when Will, trying to escape trouble in his home city of Oxford, England, slips through an invisible window (kind of like a sheet of air inside air) into a third world, Cittagazze, where he bumps into Lyra. They piece together their stories and deduce that there are many worlds, all "hooked on" to each other, coexisting, and only those who have discovered the windows ca...more
Another fabulous installment in the trilogy. Plenty of adventure but also a real depth to the characters that makes them so compelling. Like The Golden Compass, this one has an abrupt ending that only reminds you how much the three volumes are really one big story.
Since I listened to this one (great audio version) I couldn't mark a specific passage, but there was one towards the end in which Will's father presents a dichotomy of humility and using your brain (that's simplifying i...more
Since I listened to this one (great audio version) I couldn't mark a specific passage, but there was one towards the end in which Will's father presents a dichotomy of humility and using your brain (that's simplifying i...more
What I did like about this book is that it starts with Lyra, a girl we have become acquainted with from another world, meeting Will, a boy from our world. Bringing the fantasy into our own reality was surreal and interesting. But only for a minute and then it became a bore. The story was slow and at some points stopped altogether to allow Pullman his theological preachings of anti-church and anti-god. If the story had been metaphorical I would have enjoyed it more, but it became less fiction and...more
This book doesn't end, so much as stop. Nothing is resolved in The Subtle Knife and you are left with a cliff hanger. So, if you read this book, plan on reading book three immediately afterwards.
In general the author is not a good writer. More like a philosopher trying to write fiction. The descriptions are poor, it's plot heavy and not very emotional. That all being said, as a lover of philosophy, I have enjoyed books I and II in the trilogy and I will go on to read book III.
...more
In general the author is not a good writer. More like a philosopher trying to write fiction. The descriptions are poor, it's plot heavy and not very emotional. That all being said, as a lover of philosophy, I have enjoyed books I and II in the trilogy and I will go on to read book III.
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His Dark Materials is what a true trilogy should be - each successive book deepens the power of the story and builds an intricate crescendo of events and twists. In "The Subtle Knife," the attack on free will and knowledge continues, and the revelation of how far its reach has extended is astounding. Though we face that attack day-to-day in our world, Pullman's mastery is that he forces readers to reject their apathy about this and realize the horror of this attack, not just in this ...more
Non ero convinto di voler continuare la trilogia di "Queste oscure materie". "La bussola d'oro" infatti, benché obiettivamente interessante, pur con alcuni buchi di intreccio, non mi aveva entusiasmato, nella misura in cui mi era stato impossibile empatizzare con i personaggi.
Diverso è stato l'impatto con "La lama sottile". Will è un personaggio decisamente migliore di Lyra. La sua presenza nella storia migliora anche quella della ragazzina. Sostanzialmente nel giro...more
Diverso è stato l'impatto con "La lama sottile". Will è un personaggio decisamente migliore di Lyra. La sua presenza nella storia migliora anche quella della ragazzina. Sostanzialmente nel giro...more
This book takes the story of Lyra a step further on her destined heroic journey; she shares the journey in this book with Will Parry, who embarks on his own journey. What I love about this series is the fact that we have a pair of heroes. I've read a few of the other reviews here that expressed some disappointment that Lyra seems to "take a back seat" to Will in this story, but I have to disagree. Because it's a trilogy, we now get to see Will's journey, his story so we can get inve...more
I *love* this series! The characters are believable, and even the Fantastic parts are/can be explained in terms of modern science, along with mythic or religious explanations.
It continues the story of Lyra, and adds the character Will. But there is a lot more going on, and it's all tied together to the basic narrative which is of truly epic proportions. The books could easily be enjoyed by the young adult (high school) audience, but I think adults in many stages of life could en...more
It continues the story of Lyra, and adds the character Will. But there is a lot more going on, and it's all tied together to the basic narrative which is of truly epic proportions. The books could easily be enjoyed by the young adult (high school) audience, but I think adults in many stages of life could en...more
I originally started re-reading this series when I first saw The Golden Compass preview on TV. Since it has come to annoy me, as having recently read the book again, I can tell they've altered the story. Unfortunately, I put down The Subtle Knife for a long time while concentrating on school books and other reads. Surprisingly, picking it up again after a long span of time, I was able to jump right back in, and it was every bit as compelling. But it does make reviewing it a little harder.
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The Subtle Knife is about a boy named Will who has a mother that believes that horrible people are after her. Will spends all his life trying to protect her from agencies and doctors and being taken away. This is due to the fact that his mother has a mental disorder that causes her to create stories that are not real in her head. Wills father disappeared when he was a baby. His father was an adventurer and Will felt he was obligated to go on his own adventure to find his missing father, alive or...more
Secondo volume della trilogia della Materia Oscura, questo libro riprende i temi de _La bussola d'oro_ e li porta ancora più avanti verso i temi del miltoniano _Paradiso Perduto_... un personaggio si chiama adirittura Giacomo Paradisi! Per dirla in maniera un po' più chiara, il tema di base è la lotta dell'Uomo, armato solo del suo libero arbitrio contro l'Autorità (chiamatela Dio, se volete). In questo volume la lotta non è ancora iniziata: lord Asriel, dopo avere scoperto alla fine del libro p...more
The second in Pullman's His Dark Materials is as good as the first with great characters and magic all over it.
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
While book 1 in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy engrossed me, I found myself oddly detached from book 2, The Subtle Knife. And I know exactly why. Book 1 (Northern Lights or The Golden Compass, as titled for North America) captivated me from the start with its spunky protagonist Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon. In Lyra’s universe, a person’s soul is expressed externally as an animal, and a child’s daemon can change form relevant to a child’s circumstances and emotions. Thus, at ...more
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from his official website:
"I was born in Norwich in 1946, and educated in England, Zimbabwe, and Australia, before my family settled in North Wales. I received my secondary education at the excellent Ysgol Ardudwy, Harlech, and then went to Exeter College, Oxford, to read English, though I never learned to read it very well.
"I found my way into the teaching profes...more
More about Philip Pullman...
"I was born in Norwich in 1946, and educated in England, Zimbabwe, and Australia, before my family settled in North Wales. I received my secondary education at the excellent Ysgol Ardudwy, Harlech, and then went to Exeter College, Oxford, to read English, though I never learned to read it very well.
"I found my way into the teaching profes...more
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