From: Clare Ferguson <clare.ferguson>
Date: Mon, 07 May 2001 20:59:11 -0400

Lee Scoresby was instantly my favourite character. I knew "exactly" what he looked like and I thought that he and Lyra did have an instant rapport and affection. I think Sam Elliot would play him in the movie!

i've really been enjoying reading these discussions even though I didn't like Amber Spyglass nearly as much as I wanted to. I loved the first two but many things bothered me in the third. Many people have written about how powerful the images were of the land of the dead. To be honest I found myself skimming through. I suppose as a Catholic I was horrified by the idea that Pullman put forward about where you go when you die. Even though I'm not that religious there are certain things I've never questioned. Many times in these books I was forced to consider other possibilities and that's okay but I'd really like to think that when I die I'm going to a good place!

I never liked Mrs. Coulter. I don't find her an ambiguous character. I'm not much for grand gestures and her evil ways throughout the story are not excused by her final acts. I never forgave Lord Asriel for not being the father Lyra needed with that witch of a mother, either. Maybe that's why I liked Lee Scoresby so much.

An odd coincidence for me is that at our local university we have an anthropology and women's studies professor named Mary Malone. She is quite well known because she used to be a nun and now writes decidedly feminist spiritual books.

I lent the book to friends of mine and while my friend felt the ending of The Amber Spyglass was trite (as do I), her 14 year old daughter loved it and raved for days about the book.

Clare Ontario, Canada
Received on Mon 07 May 2001 07:59:11 PM CDT