Lisa Harding

I found this book long, drawn out, and a disappointing end to an otherwise riveting series. Lyra was supposed to fulfill a prophecy, though its never clear exactly what she was to do. If she was "Eve," shouldn't she be tempted by the fruit of knowledge? Is Will her "Adam?" If so, in my opinion they were just too young to discover a love-an unrequited love that produced no heirs to the Throne of Heaven. Perhaps the ending is that she creates a new Heaven-but that was never implied. How could she do so with no windows left open? Was the great temptation not to leave her daemon on the shores? It felt like a cheap shot that a favored witch shows up, explains it to her daemon, then flies away. I hated Ms. Coulter, and it felt like lazy writing that she redeemed herself in the end. Coulter and Lord Asriel had no redeeming qualities as far as parents are concerned and I just couldn't find it believable that these two would suddenly give their lives for their child. They only thought of themselves. So much of this book was devoted to the mulefa, and that story went nowhere. Great characters, but the storyline was jumbled, taxing, and I found myself laboriously turning pages just to get to the end.