Book #20 - The Subtle Knife

[janetlin]

The main reason for the huge gap since my last update is that I was struggling through this book here. Yep, a month plus. Bleh. For as much as I liked The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife just really didn't do it for me. I never really did get drawn into the story, and I only finished it because I was determined to do so. Now I feel the same sense of obligation to read the final book, but I'm not sure that's really a very good motivation to read anything. Folks who have read it, is it worth it? I know it's hardly fair to judge a trilogy by its second installment, so I'm at least willing to give it a try if I don't hear nothing but negative reviews.

Title: The Subtle Knife
Author: Philip Pullman
Pages: 326

20 / 24 books. 83% done!

Comments

[realta-dubh.livejournal.com]

I felt much like you. As much as I was in love with the first I was ambivalent about the next two. Honestly, I wouldn't bother if your reading list is as long as mine.

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

Taken into advisement, thanks!

[trustme1013.livejournal.com]

I read HDM when I was 18 and less open-minded about fiction. I still take a bit of umbrage when I think about Pullman's agenda with the books, but TSK was not my favorite of the three. I really enjoyed some aspects of TAS, so I would say go ahead and finish it -- just save it for later. Upon rereading them, despite my distaste for Pullman's agenda, I was fascinated by how tightly woven and well-planned his books were. Enjoying HDM so much got me started on the Sally Lockhart series -- though I've only finished the first one of those.

[ktbee.livejournal.com]

If you thought the second book was bad, I thought the third book was a grueling long march. They spend sooo much time on this journey to the underworld, you just want them to get there already and hurry up to finish the book. I swear their journey was most of the book.

I do not recommend the third one if the second was grueling.