The Shadow in the North, by Philip Pullman (read by Anton Lesser)

This is the second book in the Sally Lockhart trilogy by Philip Pullman. We were able to get through this as well on our recent road trip across BC.

Unfortunately, I enjoyed this nowhere near as much as the first book. Grim is the word I would use for it. Though the first book had a thread of realism running through it, it was still fun and fairly carefree. This book is much more serious in tone and not as fun - much darker than the first. If I were a kid I would find this book fairly disturbing, I think - as it is, it was definitely a bit depressing.

Thematically, however, it addresses some interesting issues. I found it amusing that the villain in this book is doing everything "for the greater good", something that has come up in a couple things I've read/watched lately (Harry Potter #7, Hot Fuzz for example).

There's one more book in the series (The Tiger in the Well), and I think that I will give it a go. I hope it lightens up a bit though.

6.9 out of 10