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language: English
country: UK
year: 1997
form: novel
genre(s): fantasy
series: His Dark Materials, #2
dates read: 2.1.24-7.1.24
in some ways I don’t think The Subtle Knife is quite as good as The Golden Compass — it’s a little more diffuse, and parts of Cittagazze stray into being almost (but not quite!) boring. in other ways, I think it’s better. first, introducing Will really drives home how utterly disconnected from the reality even of her own world Lyra is — Lyra who grew up at Oxford University as a hereditary aristocrat vs. Will who lives with a single mother who’s unwell and needs him to take care of her, constantly in fear of social services of some kind finding out about his mother’s condition and separating him from her.
second, I absolutely lost it when the Shadows told Mary, “You must play the Serpent”. I didn’t fully grasp the implications of this as a child but as an adult…absolutely incredible. all the Mary parts land very differently (and better) now that I understand academia.
third, the Spectres are, appropriately, utterly terrifying. holy shit. single most existentially horrifying monsters in any piece of media, even more than Yeerks, which gave me nightmares as a child. the final scene with Lena Feldt is exquisitely horrible, as it should be. the attack the witches witness when they first arrive in Cittagazze’s world…Fucked Up [affectionate].
great book, can’t wait for The Amber Spyglass.
moods: adventurous, dark, emotional, reflective, tense