I‘ve been interested in this series since all the controversy over the movie in 2007. I‘m a little put off because its classified YA, but it was written back in the 90s before that was really a thing. I‘m hoping the writing is good because of that fact. I can‘t stand modern YA in the least. Any one read it? What did you think? #suggestions #notaYAfan #recommendations
TrishB I loved it, I don‘t think it‘s overly YA. 5y
GingerAntics @TrishB yeah, it doesn‘t seem like over dramatic teenaged angst or a love triangle fit into story. 5y
Branwen I love love LOVE this series! 😍 It's never really felt like YA, in my humble opinion. 5y
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GingerAntics @Branwen I think that‘s because that genre is newer. Harry Potter is listed under YA sometimes too, and it does not feel at all like the tripe that comes out for that genre these days. I was thinking that since it came out in the mid-90s before YA was a distinction it would be better. 5y
LibrarianRyan It's not overly YA. And a good reader in 5th grade + could totally get into it. There is a speech that I always used for my kids book club reading test. The test was to determine which book club a kid should be in. If they could read and understand the speech, and infer what was going on, they could do the older book club, if they could not, the younger. It's an excellent book!!! Loved by kids and adults alike. 5y
GingerAntics @LibrarianRyan oh that‘s interesting. I‘m feeling a lot better about this series now. I knew you guys would point me in the right direction. It seems the perfect thing to get into during banned books week, while I‘m at it. lol 5y
LibrarianRyan @GingerAntics Yes. Perfect for Banned books week. I always use this as one of the titles I talk about. 5y
ShelfRighteous Loved this one. And it doesn't feel like YA. Just that the main character is young. 5y
GingerAntics @ShelfRighteous I‘m so glad this series is getting so much love on Litsy. This is happening. I just got a short story that is a prequel to the series. I‘m going to get the first book of the series when I get paid at the end of the week. I‘m having a hard time getting a copy from the many libraries I have access to. Go figure. 5y
ShelfRighteous @GingerAntics Oh wouldn't have expected this problem🤣 I totally got hooked to the series and I think you'll enjoy it too❤ 5y
GingerAntics @ShelfRighteous for all the controversy surrounding the movie I‘m surprised we even have it. The library that has it has an over 6 month wait list on it. So I guess there are still folks into it. The college has it in a few places in the district, just not my campus. I could do an inter library loan, but I doubt I‘d have it anytime this week. I think I‘m going to look into that while I wait to get paid. 5y
esurient I am also not into YA, and this series was meh to me. I read it circa 2000 at ninteen and thought the basic worldbuilding was cool (daemons!) but the plot was middling and the ending utterly flat. IIRC, the controversy was that the author was an atheist and he considered this series atheist fantasy (contrast with Lewis's Narnia, Christian fantasy). YMMV, but that particular detail went over my head at the time, and I don't think it influenced... 5y
esurient ...my feelings. 5y
Scochrane26 I did audio on the 1st one years ago, but wasn‘t excited about it enough to finish the series. I think I was bothered by something that happens that‘s sad. My friend loves the series & has been very excited about the new book by Pullman. See what you think. 5y
batsy I feel like British authors in particular write books for younger readers that never feels like YA, like Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, Diana Wynne Jones, and Pullman is one of them. But you're right, they're all of another time in a way. Before YA became, well, YA 🙃 I loved this series a lot and thought it was beautifully written, but I read it when I was in uni. I'm hoping to revisit it soon to prepare for the new books. 5y
GingerAntics @batsy I saw the first book of the new trilogy. Apparently it‘s before this one starts, in the same world, so I almost bought it and read it. I‘ll have to stick with the short story prequel until I get paid. I agree with the assessment of British writers. They don‘t seem to do as much of the same old tired themes for YA their American counterparts do, but again this is before YA became a thing so that may play a bit of a role. 5y
GingerAntics @batsy I never knew that I had another of this author‘s books on my wish list. That one is for adults. I really think I‘m going to like this guy. 5y
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