Sally Lockhart is one of my role models. In this book she once again shows that strength of hers, her courage and her wit, but also her more vulnerable side. It's Sally driven into a corner, and my it's wonderful to see her try to fight her way out.

The Sally Lockhart series ranks highly on my favourite series list. Mr. Pullman is a master writer, and a genius when it comes to storylines: this book especially was so full of suspense that I just wanted to keep reading. Putting this book down was a real challenge. It is definitely one of the most captivating books I have read in a long, long time.

Also the characters are still wonderful. I mentioned Sally already, but the other characters are so fleshed out too, even those with little time on the page don't feel flat to me, all of the characters just seem so human to me, it's almost unreal.

Besides a wonderful story, amazing writing and some of the best characters ever, Mr. Pullman also offers a mirror for society. The Tiger In The Well may be set in Victorian London, but it's amazingly saddening that so many of the problems from back then still haven't been resolved. I'm not sure if I'm a socialist, which seems to be part of the solution for the problems in society in the book, but even if you aren't a socialist, the politics in the book aren't disturbing. It's Mr. Pullman raising questions and asking you to use that wonderful mind of yours. And I must admit, I find him only the more wonderful for trying to tackle such desperately important issues in a children's book.