The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials #2) by Philip Pullman

I was going to take a brief break The Golden Compass after and read Red, White, & Royal Blue and even started the first few pages. While I liked it I couldn't stop thinking about Lyra so I put it down for now and started this.

Yes it took longer than normal to finish but this time I can't completely put it on pandemic distraction but I lost two damn days to Animal Crossing....first there was a fishing derby on Saturday and then Sunday was bunny day and I had to get rid of all those damn eggs!!!

So now here I am just having finished The Subtle Knife and I again find I can't take a break even though I now also really want to read Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know. That was my plan too, I loved Love, Hate & Other Filters and Internment by Samira Ahmed so I was excited to get her new book but I need to finish this trilogy because of the damn cliffhanger this ended on.


If you watched the show on HBO then you have seen Will but he doesn't appear until this book. I really like him. Him and Lyra are an amazing team. They complement each other and watching them bond and grow was exciting and scary and beautiful. She us so much more than she is on TV and I love her.

If you didn't like Mrs. Coulter before you will totally despise her after this. If like me you didn't like her but felt pity for her that will be gone by the time you are done with this book.

And there is so much I would like to say about Lee Scoresby but in case you are, like me, coming to this story for the first time, I will be careful. He is amazing. He is funny and loyal and brave. And he loves Lyra so much. Given that her parents are who they are it is so nice to see people (and Bears) who want to protect her and truly love her.

I also love Serafina Pekkala. She is fierce and loyal and I feel like this is what Molly Weasley was like a young witch.

I am anxious and worried for where this war is going. I am scared for Will and Lyra.

As for the religion it is here for sure. But I honestly think it is not what I assumed and had taken from reviews back when this was new, it is not about converting. Rather what I am taking from this is a battle between spirituality, admitting you don't know the answers, and the legalistic blind following of organized religion.

So on to The Amber Spyglass I go.

(Finished April 16, 2020)