The Subtle Knife

Source:  E-BookPublisher: Scholastic PointAge Group: 10 Above

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-fi

Pages: 341

In Series:  Once upon a Time in The North (Prequel), The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass, Lyra's Oxford (not part of trilogy), The Book of Dust (not part of trilogy)

Having reviewed it’s The His dark Materials first book The Golden Compass, I waited no more than a few seconds to plunge into Phillip Pullmans widely controversial children’s novel. Having finished reading it just a few seconds ago, I found it even better and better built then the first one.

The Subtle Knife (Fortunately called so by everyone):

After Lyra follows Lord Azriel to another world, she looses track of him from the beginning and continues the journey own her own with her daemon, Pantalaimon and the a compass like object which tells the truth called the Aleithometer. It is not before long that she finds her self another human companion in a world similar to her own called Will Parry. Will Parry is a 12 year old murderer, his mother is instable and his father as been long lost. On his way to Oxford he meets Lyra and together they help each other to reach there quest. Will has to find his father and Lyra had to stop her own from destroying dust. On there journey they land up in a unknown world called Ci'gazze. A world where parasitic type of humans prey on adults but are invisible to children. A very important object lies within here, and they have to find it in order to get back what they have lost.    

Writing Style:

I finally got the entire fuss about the controversy. I had a some idea in the first one but I got the entire blow in this book. You want to know? The series are about killing god or as the book calls, Him “The Authority”. Ah, yes  obviously most people are enraged they blame his thoughts on the fact that he is a atheist, which undeniably he is. They also believe that such teachings should not be shelved in the children section.

I get all the commotion, I am certainly not against Pullman. I think he wonderfully weaves the story in filling it in with metaphors, enthralling sub-plots, cliffhangers, themes including trust- between Lyra and Will which emerged quite quickly enough, Courage- Lyra going into a new world all by her self. I also loved looking out for the symbols (I am not going to rant about religion this time) snakes and cats which were mysteriously placed in so many parts of the book.  Pullman’s superb use of writing and his deep knowledge on both of his created worlds makes him one of the best authors there is.

My Opinion: 

I really liked The Subtle Knife, though I didn’t like the ending at all. I am not a huge fan of cliffhangers; I absolutely loathe them. Evidently it became really clear in the second book that the main conflict was between Lord Azriel and God (along with the protagonist’s mother Mrs. Coulter) which was kind of bleak in the first book.

I really missed Iorek, the bear, who I was growing fond of in the Golden Compass. (From the spoilers I have read he is going to be there in the third book!) I loved the fact that there was a new character called Will Parry who was vividly described and too became one of my favorites. I have only one complaint about the characters and that is I missed the old Lyra entirely. I tried searching for glimpses of her old self but I couldn’t find any. Pullman has tried to make her more mature then she was before to such a extent that not only bothered me but her daemon Pantalaimon too.

I look forward to the third and final book: The Amber Spyglass!

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