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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I know this is a book meant for a younger generation, but I find children who are forced upon the reader as the book's entire moral compass and voice of reason irksome.
Also, because of this book, I hate the word "dust." Any mention of the word by young Lyra, which has a different meaning here than "displaced skin cells," was met with one of these two reactions:
- "DUST?! I WILL SLAY YOU FOR KNOWING, CHILD."
- "Wh...what did you just say? Where did you learn of this, child? Tell me more SO I CAN SLAY WHOMEVER RELINQUISHED THIS SACRED KNOWLEDGE."
Get over yourselves.
That ending really pulled the rug out, though! However, I will not be following the crew into that incision in the sky - I am fine right here.
Also, because of this book, I hate the word "dust." Any mention of the word by young Lyra, which has a different meaning here than "displaced skin cells," was met with one of these two reactions:
- "DUST?! I WILL SLAY YOU FOR KNOWING, CHILD."
- "Wh...what did you just say? Where did you learn of this, child? Tell me more SO I CAN SLAY WHOMEVER RELINQUISHED THIS SACRED KNOWLEDGE."
Get over yourselves.
That ending really pulled the rug out, though! However, I will not be following the crew into that incision in the sky - I am fine right here.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I love this book! Pullman brilliantly combines fantasy with science, religion, and philosophy. The depth of character is incredible.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
**This review will be done in the style of Screen Rant's Pitch Meetings**
*Spoilers*
Exec: So, you have a book for me?
Writer: Yes sir, I do. It's called "The Golden Compass."
Exec: Oh, what's the Golden Compass?
Writer: It's this device that'll answer any question you ask it.
Exec: Oh wow, that sounds super powerful. Does it come with a huge cost when you use it, like a lot of magical items in fiction?
Writer: Nope. Lyra, the protagonist, can use it whenever she wants. No cost whatsoever.
Exec: Oh, so what's to stop her from using it all the time and figuring out the rest of the plot?
Writer: She just doesn't. She'll only use it in an emergency, or when I need something explained. It's basically an exposition machine.
Exec: Doesn't sound very natural. I'd use it all the time. So, what does she use it for?
Writer: Well, there are these evil people called the Gobblers, who kidnap little children and hold them in a research facility, and Lyra's going to use it to try to rescue them.
Exec: Oh wow, these Gobbler people sound scary. I bet it'll be super difficult to rescue them.
Writer: Actually, it'll be super easy! Barely an inconvenience! They're going to act like bumbling fools and she's going to run circles around them the whole time.
Exec: Oh, that's lucky. Does she do anything else with it?
Writer: Yes, actually. She deposes the rightful ruler of a sovereign nation and replaces him with a murderer.
Exec: What?
Writer: Yep, this king of the bears has been trying to advance their society, build palaces, and integrate them more in the world's political sphere.
Exec: Those sound like good things.
Writer: Yeah but we're going to pass if off like a bad thing. Like, the palace smells bad, so you know he's super evil.
Exec: Oh okay. He sounds like a smart bear, though. Kind of a shame.
Writer: Yeah, we set him up to be super clever, one of the best schemers the bears have ever known, and the bears themselves are all pretty clever. We even say that the bears can't be tricked.
Exec: Oh, sounds like it'll be tough to outsmart him.
Writer: Nope! He turns into one of the dumbest characters in the whole book as soon as she meets him.
Exec: Oh okay, that's lucky. So who replaces the king?
Writer: This other bear who was rightfully banished and stripped of his bear identity for committing murder. He’s hated and ostracized by all the bears in the kingdom.
Exec: And the bears just accept him as their king? Okay then.
*****
All jokes aside, this was a fun book with some delightful writing and worldbuilding. The plot holes and short cuts the author took did start to pile up near the end and ruined it slightly, but I enjoyed it enough to be picking up the next book in the series.
*Spoilers*
Exec: So, you have a book for me?
Writer: Yes sir, I do. It's called "The Golden Compass."
Exec: Oh, what's the Golden Compass?
Writer: It's this device that'll answer any question you ask it.
Exec: Oh wow, that sounds super powerful. Does it come with a huge cost when you use it, like a lot of magical items in fiction?
Writer: Nope. Lyra, the protagonist, can use it whenever she wants. No cost whatsoever.
Exec: Oh, so what's to stop her from using it all the time and figuring out the rest of the plot?
Writer: She just doesn't. She'll only use it in an emergency, or when I need something explained. It's basically an exposition machine.
Exec: Doesn't sound very natural. I'd use it all the time. So, what does she use it for?
Writer: Well, there are these evil people called the Gobblers, who kidnap little children and hold them in a research facility, and Lyra's going to use it to try to rescue them.
Exec: Oh wow, these Gobbler people sound scary. I bet it'll be super difficult to rescue them.
Writer: Actually, it'll be super easy! Barely an inconvenience! They're going to act like bumbling fools and she's going to run circles around them the whole time.
Exec: Oh, that's lucky. Does she do anything else with it?
Writer: Yes, actually. She deposes the rightful ruler of a sovereign nation and replaces him with a murderer.
Exec: What?
Writer: Yep, this king of the bears has been trying to advance their society, build palaces, and integrate them more in the world's political sphere.
Exec: Those sound like good things.
Writer: Yeah but we're going to pass if off like a bad thing. Like, the palace smells bad, so you know he's super evil.
Exec: Oh okay. He sounds like a smart bear, though. Kind of a shame.
Writer: Yeah, we set him up to be super clever, one of the best schemers the bears have ever known, and the bears themselves are all pretty clever. We even say that the bears can't be tricked.
Exec: Oh, sounds like it'll be tough to outsmart him.
Writer: Nope! He turns into one of the dumbest characters in the whole book as soon as she meets him.
Exec: Oh okay, that's lucky. So who replaces the king?
Writer: This other bear who was rightfully banished and stripped of his bear identity for committing murder. He’s hated and ostracized by all the bears in the kingdom.
Exec: And the bears just accept him as their king? Okay then.
*****
All jokes aside, this was a fun book with some delightful writing and worldbuilding. The plot holes and short cuts the author took did start to pile up near the end and ruined it slightly, but I enjoyed it enough to be picking up the next book in the series.
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced