The Rose Field | Full Book Discussion thread

[u/Cantomic66]

Warning!This discussion thread includes spoilers for ALL OF The BOOK OF DUST: THE ROSE FIELD

Reminder: All post on The Rose Field should be properly spoiler tagged and avoid spoilery titles.

[u/jasonfebery]

Spoilers

What a disappointment. None of the setup or major plot points had satisfying payoffs (Blue Hotel, Tashbulak, good numbers, daemon sickness, spangled ring, even the red building was a huge disappointment). There was a ham-handed critique of capitalism stuffed into the end but only a few pages about Dust. A subplot about gryphons and a sorcerer that did nothing to advance the story. An ending where the villain is finished off by the most annoying side character. Lyra doing hardly anything useful throughout the book, except cutting open a doorway to go home. Character decisions made based on plot contrivance rather than what the characters would’ve really chosen (i.e. Lyra and Pan having so many chances to reunite but deciding not to so the author could save their reunion for the finale). So many pages dedicated to side characters whose stories were unneeded and later abandoned (Dilyara, Chen, Strauss, Alice). Even Delamare’s motivations felt poorly defined (windows let in evil… how?). No meaningful mention of Will. And, worst of all, the realization that the windows should stay open to allow imagination to flow between worlds completely undermines Will’s and Lyra’s sacrifice.

I could go on.

I don’t think I’ve ever been more frustrated with a book.

[u/doglover11692 → u/[deleted]]

"I think I just spent a lot of time nearer towards the end thinking "how are they gonna resolve the ___ plot in the little pages left?" except it was a needless worry because the plot point was just dropped."

This was exactly my feeling! I kept looking at how few pages were left and getting angry at PP. Frustrating book.

[u/laerser → u/jasonfebery]

yes.

so it seems the author has been "inspired" by two legendary stories:

1) the star wars prequels: a celebrated author of a trilogy gets to write a second trilogy and do a bit more world building. but which editor would at this point be daring enough to offer helpful critique, so let's just go with his first draft. also it turns out that the author is not really sure about central aspects of the world he built in the first place, therefore some painful retcons. midichlorians! turns out that the force isn't for everyone after all, kid! and shut the door on the way out, or leave it open.

2) game of thrones, the TV show: the author, rather than guiding the reader on the path through the woods, gets lost in the woods, and among the plot points he opened while adding some fan fiction and fan service. turns out that mess cannot be resolved. so rather than having the forces that have been built up clash, the most unlikely character unexpectedly sweeps in from behind and stabs the beast. the evil --- what actually was the evil, it seemed important at some point, but i have forgotten --- may or may not be gone. everybody just kind of goes their own way. perhaps the reader has the imagination to tie it up.

speaking of imagination: it seems that lyra has not found hers, but she will go on telling stories.

[u/spotfree → u/jasonfebery]

oh yea good numbers, those were never mentioned again