Quote:
Originally Posted by CRussel
We agree, Tom. A C- on character plausibility, but a B+/A- on reading enjoyment.  (And I actually think the supporting characters get much better in the 2nd and 3rd volumes.) |
I think that Lyra is a very well conceived character--remember she has the gift of reading a very powerful artifact--but agree that the reading pleasure is first class. (I would give it an A+). On the other hand, I have reservations about the next two books. For me, the following novels somehow lack the freshness of this brilliant opener. Will in
The Subtle Knife is simply not in the same class as Lyra. By the end of the third book the plot is becoming bogged down in Pullman's ideology and many find the finale unsatisfying.
This is not to say that the final two volumes are not worth reading. They are. It's just that--perhaps--one should not expect the same magic. Of course this is only a subjective opinion on my part but we all have them.
