The Golden Compass: The Subtle Knife

The second book in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy follows Lyra as she travels to a parallel Oxford and meets Will, a boy from our world who possesses a knife that can cut between dimensions. Together they navigate multiple universes while being pursued by various factions, including the Church-like Magisterium. The story explores themes of growing up, questioning authority, free will versus predestination, and features strong critiques of organized religion, while developing the romantic relationship between Lyra and Will.