** spoiler alert ** I absolutely loved the first book, but didn't think the series finished as strong as I would have liked.

Too many plot holes and things that didn't make sense. Maybe it was because it's supposed to be a children's book, but I didn't like things like how the harpies were so easily convince to change sides, how God's #2 is easily tricked by a little flirting, how Lyra & Will can suddenly easily lose their Daemons, and how two kids making love can save the universe.

On the other hand the book did make you think, and I suppose religious ideas are probably best challenged in a children's book :) I did like the Dante's Inferno-esque description of the world of the dead, and Pullman's description of angels and their roles was brilliant. Also, the descriptions of how things evolved differently in different worlds was very interesting - particularly the Mulefa's world and the descriptions of the Gallivespians. I'm usually not a tragedy fan, but I did think Lyra & Will being separated at the end was a romantic and appropriate ending.