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Philip Pullman

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2) Library Binding

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Book 2 of 3: His Dark Materials

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9+ years, from customers
Book 2 of 3

His Dark Materials
Language

English
Dimensions

1 x 4.5 x 7.25 inches
Publisher

Bt Bound
ISBN-10

0613095049
ISBN-13

978-0613095044
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Product details

Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0613095049
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0613095044
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9+ years, from customers
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1 x 4.5 x 7.25 inches

Customer Reviews:
9,564 ratings

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Philip Pullman

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PHILIP PULLMAN is one of the most acclaimed writers working today. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), which has been named one of the top 100 novels of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly. He has also won many distinguished prizes, including the Carnegie Medal for The Golden Compass (and the reader-voted "Carnegie of Carnegies" for the best children's book of the past seventy years); the Whitbread (now Costa) Award for The Amber Spyglass; a Booker Prize long-list nomination (The Amber Spyglass); Parents' Choice Gold Awards (The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass); and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, in honor of his body of work. In 2004, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

It has recently been announced that The Book of Dust, the much anticipated new book from Mr. Pullman, also set in the world of His Dark Materials, will be published as a major work in three parts, with the first part to arrive in October 2017.

Philip Pullman is the author of many other much-lauded novels. Other volumes related to His Dark Materials: Lyra’s Oxford, Once Upon a Time in the North, and The Collectors. For younger readers: I Was a Rat!; Count Karlstein; Two Crafty Criminals; Spring-Heeled Jack, and The Scarecrow and His Servant. For older readers: the Sally Lockhart quartet: The Ruby in the Smoke, The Shadow in the North, The Tiger in the Well, and The Tin Princess; The White Mercedes; and The Broken Bridge.

Philip Pullman lives in Oxford, England. To learn more, please visit philip-pullman.com and hisdarkmaterials.com. Or follow him on Twitter at @PhilipPullman.

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4.5 out of 5

9,564 global ratings

5 star		65%
4 star		25%
3 star		7%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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John Hendrich

solid middle book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 7, 2023

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It doesn’t get 5 stars because it felt like a book designed to set up the third book, instead of a book that was supposed to be a good second book. I was also looking forward to more our earth universe then I got. It has started taking more of a religious theme that is getting weird for me, when I just want fun fantasy. But it was a solid 4 star in my opinion . Excited to see how the series ends

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DaveL

An ambitious, imaginative and refreshingly original story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 16, 2013

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The second book of a fantasy trilogy can be by far the slowest. Surprises about the new world have largely been told. We've met most of the characters, and they've left their world of comfort behind for a more dangerous quest. The third book is the final, ultimate confrontation. But the second is often a kind of travelogue with a few obstacles thrown in to hold our interest while the characters get from here to there.

Not so with The Subtle Knife. While The Golden Compass introduced us to a fascinating alternate world with many imaginative characters, Mr. Pullman's bag of tricks is by no means exhausted. In this second book, we learn there are an infinite number of parallel worlds, including our own. He introduces us to many more creative characters, like the spectral beings that eat people's souls and the various levels of good and bad angels. And all of these are connected by a common thread, though known by different names in each world--the mysterious dust, dark matter etc., the source of what makes us who we are.

In addition to the flawed but charming Lyra, we get a second protagonist, Will, a troubled boy from our own world. Together they go on a more complex quest, during which their relationship is deepened by their shared trials and personal tragedies.

This book is richer in plot than the first, more multi-layered and probably better written.(I'm still not a fan of his omniscient, head hopping style, but he has some beautiful turns of a phrase).

All and all, it's a better book than the first, which tended to be more of a children's fantasy (Gyptians and armored bears and witches, oh my!). It is, however, much darker, moving further from what anyone would call a children's book. Yes, it can be read on multiple levels, but The Wizard of OZ, it ain't.

It's difficult to review this trilogy without commenting on the often discussed controversy about Mr. Pullman's anti-religious views. I was led to expect the opposite of C.S. Lewis' Space trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Peralandra, That Hideous Strength), which devolved from a darn good space travel story to an outright religious diatribe. I keep looking for that aspect to rear its ugly head. Though I take no position on his point of view, I'm deeply offended by a writer who is so self-righteous that he spoils a good story by sticking a soap box smack in the middle, climbing upon it and preaching. I have to say there was no sign of this in The Subtle Knife.

The Subtle Knife is an ambitious, imaginative and refreshingly original story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

7 people found this helpful

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A fast-paced bridge volume with lots of action

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 23, 2020

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In the second volume of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, "The Subtle Knife", we are introduced to Will Parry, a young boy from our own world. Will is only 12, but he is wise beyond his years, having lost his explorer father when he was a baby, and caring for his mentally ill mother for several years already. When we meet him, Will is on the run from sinister men who have harassed his family and even broken into his house in search of letters his mysterious father wrote during his last expedition.

Seeking a place to hide, Will discovers an open window to another universe, and steps through. There, in a city abandoned by adults and populated by children and Specters, he meets Lyra. The two of them recognize each other as kindred souls, even as they realize that the men chasing Will are tied to Mrs. Coulter and the people pursuing Lyra. News comes that Lord Asriel has torn asunder the barriers between worlds, and that both Lyra and Will have crucial roles to play in the coming conflict with The Church and The Authority.

"The Subtle Knife" is clearly a bridge book between the first and third volumes of the trilogy. There is plenty of action and much is revealed about the inner workings of the plot that propels the story. Not quite as thrillingly original as the book it follows, "The Subtle Knife" also seems to be written to favor Will a bit more than Lyra, who was headstrong but smart in "The Golden Compass" but now somewhat more stubborn and foolhardy in this volume. It remains, however, a compelling read.

One person found this helpful

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LCNanny

Cliff Hanger Ending so Be Prepared to Buy 3rd Book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 9, 2015

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I loved the Golden Compass and soon after reading that book, began this one. It picks up nicely after the 1st book, and Lara begins an adventure where people and "other worldly things/beings" (and I was glad that included angels) can cross between multiple worlds. If you also purchase the audible version, the narration is excellent and made for a wonderful listening experience. My only gripe was the cliff hanger ending. This is not a stand alone book. I already had the third book, but I find it perturbing when authors do this and for that I am giving it 4 stars.

There was such a rich supporting crew that I was invested in cheering or booing them onward throughout the story. I liked the witches and some of their funny non-emotional, but emotional behavior; and I really like Les. Will who is Lara's companion on this journey is a boy with troubles and responsibilities that are way beyond his years, and I was touched at how he loved and cared for his mother.

Lara and Will mainly travel in our world and another world, where you can see a third world. The second world is very well developed with some creepy aspects that are sure to make your heart race. The book is beautifully written and as a parent thought there were wonderful moments to stop and talk with my child about moral issues, such as: what would you do if a parent or loved one got sick; what does a promise (or giving your word) mean, especially when without notice something else comes up; what do you do when you feel that voice inside yourself; what does it mean to be bullied and to bully someone else; how do we judge others by the way they look.. So many opportunities to learn about ourselves and our children. This is why I love books!

2 people found this helpful

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Arkham Reviews

A strong sequel

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 5, 2017

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The Subtle Knife was one of my favourite books as a teen (although I haven't read it in well over a decade) and it still largely stands the test of time. For a children's novel, it is hugely ambitious. It raises some deep theological concepts, ranging from the nature of innocence to the problems of organised religion to the perception of reality. It should possibly be noted that, despite the accessible way in which this novel is written, a lot of the subtext is likely to go whizzing over the head of younger readers.

The story has escalated rapidly from Northern Lights, as Lyra unknowingly finds herself sandwiched between two factions - the Magisterium in their crusade against Dust, and Lord Asriel who has now set his sights on destroying the being that they worship (known as the Authority). The result is deeply original, yet still felt as though it was lacking something fundamental. I think the main problem is that Pullman's ideas are far too grand for this novel. The Subtle Knife is a bit of a smorgasbord - it contains a bit of everything but its scope is so broad that it lacks finer detail. We see glimpses of the bigger picture - of Lord Asriel's fortress and Mrs Coulter's ever growing greed - but there isn't enough room in the novel to really focus on any aspect.

In this, The Subtle Knife is a bit of a middle-novel. It really exists to move the key characters into the places that they need to be for The Amber Spyglass. It's not a bad novel by any means - in fact, I think it's better paced than Northern Lights - however, the perspective does jump around a lot between important parties. It's not just Lyra's story anymore. Will, Mary Malone, Lee Scoresby and Serafina Pekkala also are the focus of chapters and so the 3rd person narrative flits between them and the various worlds that they travel to. The novel also ends on a very sudden cliffhanger, leaving it feeling incomplete as a whole.

Yet where The Subtle Knife really grabbed me was its characters. I cared about all of them deeply and never wanted any of them to come to any harm (which is unfortunate, as Pullman has no trouble tearing out my heart and crushing it). Although Will and Lyra often seem older than pre-teens, they are still both really likeable protagonists and showed noticeable growth and maturity throughout the story. The twists and turns in their destiny are also compelling, drawing the reader in and leaving you wondering how things can possibly turn out okay in The Amber Spyglass.

All in all, this is not a perfect read but is a strong sequel to Northern Lights. I really look forward to seeing how it all wraps up in the final book.

16 people found this helpful

Anne Jevon

Highly recommended second book in Pullman’s brilliant fantasy world.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 31, 2019

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I had already read the first book in the trilogy so naturally bought this one too. Both are brilliant, beautifully written with a captivating story. I couldn’t put the first book down and this is no different. Every sentence leaves you needing to read the next without a pause. I’m having to limit my reading, savouring it to make it last longer, like a delicious chocolate cake. Sadly I will soon be at the end with nothing else to do but buy his next book. Pullman’s ability to blend reality with fantasy is astonishing and his imaginings are equally plausible, not beyond the realms of reality at all.

5 people found this helpful

Columbyne

Dark, disturbing and depressing...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 16, 2020

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I read and enjoyed 'The Golden Compass' after watching the television series, wondering how faithfully the series followed the book. I then turned to 'The Subtle Knife', hoping to find it as enthralling as the first, only to be disappointed.

This series is aimed at children and (I think, as is often the case now,) read mostly by adults. I certainly wouldn't encourage children to read it. I found the second volume dark and disturbing, and towards the end I became more and more depressed by it. Pullman's writing moves into a more visionary mode, becoming less and less attached to any kind of reality, and there comes with it a loss of hope - which, together with optimism, is an essential quality for a children's book.

I have heard that this series carries with it religious undertones which twist the principles of Christianity (and perhaps other religions), turning them around. I couldn't see such a theme in 'The Golden Compass', but it surfaces in 'The Subtle Knife' - perhaps less clearly if, like a child, you are not aware of it. Is this dangerous? I find it fascinating, but again, I'm not sure it's appropriate for the young reader.

I worry about 'young readers' being exposed to dark literature. Their world is already peppered with a great deal of crime, (including knife crime), lack of opportunity and extreme focus on self. But this is a line of thought for another place.

I could only give this book one star, and I definitely wouldn't read it again. I'm not sure, now, whether I will continue to the third book... maybe I need to read something cheerful and humorous now, to restore my equilibrium!

One person found this helpful

Victoria@CartonManetteDarnay

who lives in a world just like out own

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 21, 2018

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I'm not sure how I feel about this book, mainly because I found it hard to get through. In the second book of the His Dark Materials trilogy, we begin with a brand new character, Will, who lives in a world just like out own, and it's a long time until we meet up with the characters, and plot from the previous book. It has been a long time since I've felt second-book-syndrom, but I think this is one of those books. The plot is just very overly-compex, where it doesn't need to be. I'm not saying this was a bad book, but I'm not going to be rushing to re-read it, and I had a lot more fun in the first one. I guess only time will tell how I feel at the end of the trilogy.

Come find more bookish content from yours truly at www.cartonmanettedarnay.wordpress.com

3 people found this helpful

Chris Worth

Fantasy for non-fantasy fans!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 9, 2015

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The Subtle Knife continues directly where Northern Lights/Golden Compass left off: a common trait in trilogies, and one I don't like. (Even in connected books, authors should make each book complete in itself.) Subtle Knife is the same. But each book in this series deals with a very different goal in a different way, which excuses the cliffhanger.

When Lyra takes the "wormhole" (His Dark Materials is really sci-fi in a wizard's robe) she enters an entirely new story, and becomes a different character. Mrs Coulter is as scary as ever: perhaps the most terrifyingly sweet woman in the genre. The parallels between "their" world and "our" world aren't laboured, and as the action moves north to Svalberg the distinctions blur; after all, both universes are covered in snow. Much as Pullman's effortless prose style made us accept daemons are perfectly reasonable in part 1, we accept moving between dimensions as entirely normal in this part 2.

What's more, I hate fantasy. I just hate it: full of lazy supernatural powers and magical get-out-of-jail-free cards. But I'll give any author a chance, and Pullman of course came with somewhat powerful credentials. I'm glad I took the plunge. The Subtle Knife uses the devices of the fantasy genre, but... differently. The mcGuffin (the knife itself) isn't sought reverently for its power; it falls into someone's hands, and it's a huge burden, not a benefit. A true twist that gives the series its narrative strength.

So... a terrific read. But you knew that already. What I'm appealing to in this review is non-fantasy readers. If you think it's beneath you, try His Dark Materials and you might be surprised.

6 people found this helpful

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The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2) Library Binding

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