The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman - OPTIONAL

The Subtle Knife (Dark Materials, #2) by Philip Pullman, 272 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Alfred A. Knopf, 2022. $22

Language: G; Mature Content: PG (Nursing mother and a woman who is naked, but huddled so nothing shows); Violence: PG-13

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Lyra, who seems to be 13-14 years old, finds herself in a new world void of adults. She runs into another teen, named Will and they band together to try and navigate their own worlds as well as the crazy world they are in that is full of soul-suckers. Soon Lyra and Will learn how to cross back and forth from their world into this adult-less world, as they look for Will's father and try to figure out Lyra's alethiometer.  

I like Philip Pullman's imaginative world and he builds empathetic characters who are loyal and easy to cheer for. There is a lot of bloody, graphic violence depicted, including soul sucking, torture, death, amputating of fingers and drawn out one-on-one combat. I would put this book at advisable, but the violence is upsetting and as the second book, it feels like a bridge without much resolve. I feel like this series probably makes a better novel, than graphic novel. The pictures are dark and atmospheric, but Lyra and Will aren't depicted very well. The major characters are all white.

Reviewer, C. Peterson