I often wished Lyra would ask the alethiometer more pertinent questions. As you stated, good questions would ruin the plot, but that’s the problem with the creation, as cool as it sounded.

As far as the religious aspect goes, I would agree that Pullman’s beliefs don’t merit boycotting the trilogy. On the other hand, I think his anti-Christian push (mainly in the last book, although in the second as well) is a significant flaw in the writing. There’s a difference between writing from an atheistic perspective and writing as an attack on a particular religion, and parts of the trilogy read as poor propaganda.

Douglas Adams, for example, presents atheism organically. By the time I finished The Hitchhiker’s Guide “trilogy”, I could see the universe without design or purpose, where everything comes down to possibility and probability. Pullman’s attacks felt gratuitous, like the author had an axe to grind and subverts the story to do so. This may not be a reason to boycott the books, but I still found it distasteful.

I almost lost my lunch laughing. As Jason said, an excellent review.

I also appreciated your “usual word to [your] brothers and sisters in the Lord”. It’s unfortunate that they need to be so often repeated, but you’ve done so with an efficiency and gentleness that I mistakenly would have neglected had I tried.

Great review!