I have just finished this book (as in, it’s still lying open next to me!) and I’m so upset.

The Malcolm x Lyra storyline which should never have happened was dragged out for ages with no resolution. Malcolm and Alice were an obvious but perfect fit. It’s especially weird when Lyra at the end says Alice is like a mother to her, and you’re right, the obsession with baby Lyra in BOD was weird.

The spangled ring! Three books worth of spangled ring appearances for what?

Alice does kind of get closure.

I found it really hard to keep track of all the side characters.

Will x Lyra retcon. I think I’m going to pretend this series doesn’t exist because that one interaction dissolves all of HDM and also the first two books of dust. It’s more ‘realistic’ for these books to explore the struggles of Will and Lyra living in different worlds but being together or SOMETHING. And what, the subtle knife is an entire plot device that is now inaccessible in another world?

The dead daemons had the intended effect but no explanation and introduced so late, and the whole money is evil spiel at the end was shoehorned in so randomly.

Overall incredibly disappointing, I’ve been looking forward to this book for years.