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Liked It “"The Amber Spyglass" offers a good bit of drama and action, and some of the adventures are very well done. The land of the dead and the world Mary Malone finds herself in are, in particular, successes. However, the book is overfull with the good and the bad, and occasionally gets messy in its...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “A bit difficult to get through. I can only pray it gets better.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“3*'s. I didn't care for the ending. But it was worth the read. This was the third and last book in the series.”
Jami L wrote this review 2 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“"The Amber Spyglass" offers a good bit of drama and action, and some of the adventures are very well done. The land of the dead and the world Mary Malone finds herself in are, in particular, successes. However, the book is overfull with the good and the bad, and occasionally gets messy in its chases and escapes. Coincidence is ever-helpful, and remains, as coincidence on this scale so often does in fiction.
Enigmatic wrote this review 6 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The large cast also proves unwieldy: characters pop up on the scene when it's convenient, and then disappear when it's not, and the larger overview is lost. Far too many of the characters are also presented merely as role-players, there to do something but without anything more to them. Lyra and Will, at least, make for decent heroes, and Pullman even pulls off their tricky final transformation well. Few of the other characters are anywhere near as successful: Mary Malone, at least, is allowed to come into her own, while Mrs. Coulter double-deals so much that even she doesn't seem to know what she wants.
Having so much hinge on love, Lyra's innocence, and utilizing an Adam-and-Eve scenario of sorts (with innocence, love, shame, and temptation) to start things over again seems to be giving Christianity more credit than it deserves, contradicting Pullman's beliefs, though he couples it with the devastating critique of the institutions built up on it.
Yet, even those who judge his theology objectionable will find Pullman's sheer storytelling power sinfully irresistible. "His Dark Materials" is an overwhelming reading experience, brought to a sublime and touching close by "The Amber Spyglass". Its myriad twisting and intertwining plots and its emotional roller coaster make it an exhausting yet exhilarating read as its various questions, deceptions, and discoveries challenge readers to grapple with their own ideas of God, religion, life, love, and death. Despite the few overcrowded muddles and ignored, simply plot-driven characters, it is, for the most part, a great and an important contribution in children and young adult literature. ”
“The last book to a fantastic series. This book contains one of the sadest moments I've ever read--you'll know when you get to it, because pan and Lyra are standing on the bank of a river with a boat in front of them. An incredible end to an amazing series.”
Nathan R wrote this review 7 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Keeps me till the end lots of detail”
Jon S wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A slightly dissapointing end to the trilogy. I suspect I missed some of the grander points the book was trying to make, but it is still a thoroughly enjoyable book”
Daniel H wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A bit difficult to get through. I can only pray it gets better.”
ChaiT wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“[3333”
Laura G wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Loved the entire "His Dark Materials" trilogy. Concepts in this book are extraordinarly metaphysical and the ending is a very satifying conclusion to such a deep and beautiful story.”
Linda M wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Good but it's kind of getting old.”
Sara P wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Not the best book.”
Parrothead wrote this review 4 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
