Good sequel. Focuses on a new lead, and so feels very different from the first novel. Although I have sympathy for Will, I find I don't like him much.

This book is where the bigger plot is explained and the links to the major characters and events to come are made. It is still written well, and engages and intrigues it's audience. While it's plot it's revealed to swing largely into religious rhetoric, the impact will depend upon the reader. ( )

I don't know what took me so long to read this trilogy!!! I loved loved loved Book 2! I will certainly be looking into other works by Philip Pullman after this! ( )

I had forgotten pretty much everything about this book, other than Will being a main character, and there being perspective changes in different chapters.

In all honesty, I'm feeling neutral about this book. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but it's a transitional book, guiding us to the next one. Not to say it isn't important. Obviously some very important things happened. But I won't truly understand the grander impact of said things until I read the next book.

I loved Will's love of cats. The character deaths within the novel made me sad. I also agree with Will that the Specters are physical manifestations of mental illness, which can drain your very soul from you and make you apathetic to the world.

I can't wait to see how the doctor is the serpent in the next book. ( )

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At first I thought I wouldn't like this as much as the first book. It was just a bit too much with the alternative universes and freaking Will taking over as a POV character at times (I liked Lyra a lot less from his perspective ... at least at first!), but somehow it all worked really well. And I enjoyed that we got to see other people take the narrative, such as the witches and Lee Scoresby. It was all very nicely tied together.

Until, like, the last five pages? Man, those were not good. Things happened very quickly and almost comically (despite being foreshaded throughout the book), metaphors more of less came to life (that whole taking his father's coat-thing... is that even how the idiom goes in English???), and the Christian themes became insanely real. No thanks, that's not ym thing at all.

But we'll see. The book was good, and I wasn't sold on the ending of the last book either, so maybe the third one will be better. I just need to collect more points on certain websites so I can order the next book. It'll probably be a few weeks until I get to read the end: very frustrating!

And yes I cried when a certain character died!!! He was my fave. :( ( )