I just finished reading the trilogy… 🙂 and here are my little thoughts
This series is very appropriately designated as young reader’s fiction: with simple themes of good and evil & fairness vs unfairness as seen through a child’s eyes. However, he does add a layer of context by not only making the Church an arm of evil and cruelty (as has been its portrayal in much of modern literature), but actually goes so far as to make the universally accepted drive of goodness (God) a passive antagonist.
I still found the plot somewhat superficial, with a couple of main themes, but no underlying themes and plot lines that subtly alter characters and their motivations. The major story of Lyra’s journey runs parallel to other characters’, and there are instances when they briefly intersect her narrative, as a way of supporting her plans and decisions, but I didn’t find any meaningful growth in any of the characters as a consequence of their interactions. In fact, I couldn’t see any character growth in any sense – characters changed their minds, not because of internal struggle, and changes in vision, but merely as the slightest suggestion from outside (which leads me to think that none of them have strong characters or know their own minds). For example: whenever anyone says anything, they are immediately believed, in a few circumstances distrusted, but still taken at their word, which I found ridiculous.
Labeling the book as a young readers’ book does not give it license to write shallowly and with little variation in vocabulary, but Pullman does seem to take pains in his descriptions and creating novel contexts and settings. He wove fantasy and myth from many sources and cultures into a coherent multi-world, making the reader immediately comfortable in his imagery, because it would be something the reader is at least faintly familiar with. From witches, dæmons and giant armoured polar bears, to Tom-thumbian Gallivespians and hellish harpies – there is a fun mash-up of creatures.
Eclectic Explorations 