“Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and thos
“Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit.�
4.5 stars
It's so strange to simultaneously remember pieces of this series and yet feel like I'm experiencing everything brand new.
The Subtle Knife is a tale of two books. The first half was very lore-heavy. Important, but also a tad confusing. The second half was an action-packed dead sprint. Which, now that I'm thinking about it, was also a bit like The Golden Compass. I'm not sure that I fully understand everything that Pullman is building towards but I'm excited to be along for the ride.
Will was a great introduction. He was such a good balance to Lyra (who honestly was a bit of a brat to start out here), and his role in this building war is such an interesting one. I loved seeing how the other characters, both new and returning, played a role in this overarching story. I'm eager to read the third book; I know Pullman can write fantastic plot sequences (seriously, the last half of this book was near un-putdownable for me), but I'm also looking forward to those being woven into resolutions of the themes and lore. I'm very happy to have picked this childhood favorite back up and to get to read it with fresh eyes....more
“Sometimes books don't find us until the right time.�
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry has a simple concept but a good execution. It is, perhaps, bec
“Sometimes books don't find us until the right time.�
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry has a simple concept but a good execution. It is, perhaps, because this execution was only good and not great (see Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow) that I walked away feeling only whelmed.
I was a surprised that we spent so little time on the actual decision to adopt. It seemed a little out-of-character for the A.J. that had already been established to just take this baby in, no questions, but I suppose that the rest of the book did hinge on this happening.
Part of my surprise, too, was how fast the book moves, and how much time it covered. The way the book is structured does make part of it predictable, but that doesn't take away from the emotional impact. I think Zevin captured the mundane moments between lovers, family, and friends in a really special way. Yet other, bigger events didn't seem to be given the time they needed to breathe.
Overall, I'm glad I read it; it was an enjoyable story. However, there are others that fit into this niche category of "grumpy man finds new purpose" that do it a little better and a little more memorably....more
“We are all subject to the fates. But we must act as if we are not, or die of despair.�
The Golden Compass as a series was so integral to my childh
“We are all subject to the fates. But we must act as if we are not, or die of despair.�
The Golden Compass as a series was so integral to my childhood, so I'm so happy to have had a reason to pick it back up as an adult. I was amazed simultaneously at all I remembered and also all that I'd forgotten. I love that it doesn't shy away from complex themes and political mechanisms as a young adult novel, but rather explains them in a way that's easy for the protagonist, a young girl, to understand. I remember the themes around spirituality and religion were poignant to me as a kid and were still so as an adult.
I really liked how Lyra was written. She was believable as a child, but still stubborn and tenacious in a way that was really root-able. She was incredibly quick-witted but still had much of the innocence that comes with childhood. Her relationships with the adults around her were all unique. I especially loved her strong connection with Iorek (which is not how I was spelling it after having listened to the audiobook.
I could tell this book was doing a lot of set-up for future books, but it still felt pretty well-paced and action-packed. Pullman did a great job creating tense situations where the stakes felt very high, which I'm sure will carry on through the rest of the series. The audiobook was excellent as well. Truly a masterpiece. It will definitely be interesting to watch the movie and show next, since I have such a strong voice for each character already in my head....more
Loading...
