Kwaidan Stories and Studies of Strange Things

I read quite a few different short stories in the Kwaidan book. I found the footnotes helpful in explaining what some of the items or words meant. But overall I enjoyed these stories; I do think they are extremely different from our Ghost stories. With some of the stories I stopped and said, okay, that’s it? The stories seem to be different from ours in the way they are not really horrific. I would compare these stories to our urban legends than of our horror stories.

Subtle Knife

I read Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman, which is the second book in his Dark Materials Trilogy. This book definitely has much more of the religious undertones than the first book, The Golden Compass but it still did not bother me, just adds to the story. While reading this book at first, I was confused to who is this Will person, what world are we in but then things starting making more sense. I really do value and like how Pullman makes Lyra and Will both such strong characters since they are children. Although, I wasn’t, as impressed with this version like I was with the Golden Compass, for a fantasy novel it did not have the same detail and fantasy qualities I was looking for in this book like that of which I found in the Golden Compass. I could really put myself into the Golden Compass and in the Subtle Knife I didn't find myself doing that. I think it was just to much like our own world.

Repost Golden Compass

For my rewrite or repost I’m revisiting the Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Since my last post, I also have read the Subtle Knife and shortly will read the Amber Spyglass. Looking back again on the book I still feel bad for Lyra even though she is stubborn and selfish, she is betrayed many times by the people in her life. The people that are supposed to provide her with the most support and protection just constantly betray her. I also still feel that the Golden Compass displays some good character building traits like being independent and having the strength to get through anything no matter how hard it might be. The background and creation of the world that Lyra lives in is just what the fantasy genre is about. Philip Pullman transforms his writings into another world for his readers allowing them to submerge themselves in another world while reading his book. A world with a talking armored bear, flying witches, and daemons. Although I still remain strong on my opinion earlier that the religious undertones in this book should not stop anyone from enjoying it because they are not that significant.