The Subtle Knife: A Book Review

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

     *Spoiler Alert!* And the second book falls flat. Like so many novels in the middle of a series, this book is the journey between the excitement that's so enticing in the first novel and the fast paced conclusion of the final book. This book in between falls flat and boring. This one isn't NEARLY as bad--boring and taking so many side paths that there really is no discernible climax-- as other middle novels I've read, such as Brisingr of the Inheritance cycle. There is a climax here--the new sidekick for Lyra, Will, finally meets his Dad... for approximately a page. Woo. Also, I also feel as if it is somewhat similar to the final installment of Harry Potter as well in that in the first half of the HP book, I felt it should have been named "HP and the Very Long Camping Trip." Lyra and Will just seem to be camping out... forever. This camping trip is at least slightly better, in that the characters make actual headway in the plot throughout the course of their camping trip. However, I must say that the end leaves quite a cliff hanger with Lyra's sudden disappearance, which is assumed at the hands of Mrs. Coulter. Will just have to read The Amber Spyglass to find out what happens to Lyra and the gang next!


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