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All parent reviews for The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2)

Age
10
Adult
September 6, 2009
 
This book and all the others in the series have a wonderful message. People talk about the message of "killing God" you obviously did not read the book or have not been educated enough to understand anything. I am a christian and do not find it at all offensive. The children release "God"/"The Authority" as he is called in the book from a prison that he has been encased in so that he could now be apart of everything. And he was being worshiped and used as a form of control through the churches when in reality he was not the real God the real God was never seen in the book only eluded to as the creator of dust and how he created dust which then created everything else...and the authority lied to everyone else claiming to have created it himself when he was himself created. Please read these books and allow your children to read it. It has an interesting twist and story that in timeless and should be read by anyone. Do not give into letting others dogmatically look at the book and please come at it with a fresh mind and openness to let yourself be transported to another world and time to truly enjoy this wonderful story set.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Read them in order
These books are riveting! I loved all 3 in the series. Definitely read them in order to understand the sequence. I love the strong female character and the platonic relationship between her and the boy. I also love the animal alter-ego idea.

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Parent of 13, 18, and 21 year old
January 5, 2009
 

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Started out as a good story, but has a major flaw
Even though the story is well written, I was deeply disappointed to see the direction this book was going. God is the bad guy! This will send a deeply conflicting message to youth who choose to have faith in God. I felt the story was very anti-religious (regardless of what faith a person may belong). This story is more appropriate for older youth who are grounded in their faith. I was very disappointed as the story developed.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Much better then the first!
It's really good, and I really like the way that it reaches back to the origin of chrisianity. Somehow it makes it different and more interesting then most books. I also like the way it got much more complicated then "the golden compass". Now you really feel the tension and want to go on.

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Adult
April 29, 2011
 
do not listen to the naysayers
I read all of the other reviews and i am amazed. i read it when i was 9 and it was not until i read the reviews that i saw how people could EVER think it was anti god. It is fantasy, seriously. It is not meant to be like the real world. If your kids will get confused then they should not be reading fantasy. and yeah i am christian and i do go to church. Seriously........

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Adult
August 1, 2009
 

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Great Read, Great Message
Better than the first book, and don't worry about the message. This book has a wonderful messages about friendship, independence, freedom and thinking for oneself. The book is fast-paced -- I couldn't put it down. I loved it and my kids loved it as well.

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