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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Growing up, I remember not being allowed to watch The Golden Compass when it was released on the big screen because my parents believed it was riddled with New Age theology. Flash-forward almost fourteen years to when I discovered that the book series (His Dark Materials) was being made into a show starring Lin-Manuel Miranda (where are my Hamilton fans at?), and I couldn't resist!
Intriguing. Action-packed. Mysterious. Amazing!! After binging the show's first season, I knew I needed to read the books before continuing the series; I was not disappointed!
The Golden Compass introduces readers to a world quite like our own — well, minus a few obvious differences — and follows the story of a girl named Lyra Belacqua, an orphan who has been raised in Jordan College, surrounded by scholars and intellects. Cunning, brave, adventurous, Lyra dreams of joining her uncle, Lord Asriel, to the North; however, as kids continue to disappear and the mystery of dust becomes a fight to the finish line, Lyra is catapulted onto a path she never expected to walk on. Learning the truth and staying one step ahead will be her greatest challenges, but with the help of an ancient alethiometer and alliances made along the way, Lyra might be able to thwart the evil that is happening in the shadows.
Who is on the right side of history, and what role does Lyra have to play in its outcome?
Fantasy lovers will not be able to resist the pull of The Golden Compass. It is an incredible work of art that captivated me from the first word, holding onto me until the final word. If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, this is a must-listen! With a different narrator for each character, I felt like I was watching the show play out in my mind rather than listening to words being read from a page. It was enchanting and riveting!
I know that there are many controversies surrounding this book; however, after finishing book one, I can confidently say that I absolutely LOVED this book and am looking forward to starting The Subtle Knife! The magic, adventure, darkness, friendship, bravery, animals, and action were perfectly balanced — though the content might be heavy for young teens. Fantasy is such a taboo genre among the believing community, but, for me, The Golden Compass has landed in my top 10 fantasy list, and I will be recommending this book (and the series) to those who are in the mood for something unique and fascinating!
Positive content: 3⭐️
Language: 1⭐️
Sexual content: 1⭐️
Violence: 3.5⭐️
Age: 15+
Intriguing. Action-packed. Mysterious. Amazing!! After binging the show's first season, I knew I needed to read the books before continuing the series; I was not disappointed!
The Golden Compass introduces readers to a world quite like our own — well, minus a few obvious differences — and follows the story of a girl named Lyra Belacqua, an orphan who has been raised in Jordan College, surrounded by scholars and intellects. Cunning, brave, adventurous, Lyra dreams of joining her uncle, Lord Asriel, to the North; however, as kids continue to disappear and the mystery of dust becomes a fight to the finish line, Lyra is catapulted onto a path she never expected to walk on. Learning the truth and staying one step ahead will be her greatest challenges, but with the help of an ancient alethiometer and alliances made along the way, Lyra might be able to thwart the evil that is happening in the shadows.
Who is on the right side of history, and what role does Lyra have to play in its outcome?
Fantasy lovers will not be able to resist the pull of The Golden Compass. It is an incredible work of art that captivated me from the first word, holding onto me until the final word. If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, this is a must-listen! With a different narrator for each character, I felt like I was watching the show play out in my mind rather than listening to words being read from a page. It was enchanting and riveting!
I know that there are many controversies surrounding this book; however, after finishing book one, I can confidently say that I absolutely LOVED this book and am looking forward to starting The Subtle Knife! The magic, adventure, darkness, friendship, bravery, animals, and action were perfectly balanced — though the content might be heavy for young teens. Fantasy is such a taboo genre among the believing community, but, for me, The Golden Compass has landed in my top 10 fantasy list, and I will be recommending this book (and the series) to those who are in the mood for something unique and fascinating!
Positive content: 3⭐️
Language: 1⭐️
Sexual content: 1⭐️
Violence: 3.5⭐️
Age: 15+
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
The Evangelicals I grew up with were more concerned about this series than Harry Potter, so this is my first time in Lyra's world! I'm enamored with: the concept of having a dæmon, Lyra's relationship with Iorek Byrnison, and the way science and religion are so intertwined. I don't actually like Lyra all that much, but younger Kami wouldn't have been able to stop thinking about Adam and Eve being like the square root of minus one.
• • •
"Seems to me a man should have a choice whether to take up arms or not."
"We have no more choice in that than in whether or not to be born."
"Oh, I like choices, though," he said. "I like choosing the jobs I take and the places I go and the food I eat and the companions I sit and yarn with. Don't you wish for a choice once in a while?"
Serafina Pekkala considered, and then said, "Perhaps we don't mean the same thing by choice, Mr. Scoresby. Witches own nothing, so we're not interested in preserving value or making profits, and as for the choice between one thing and another, when you live for many hundreds of years you know that every opportunity will come again. We have different needs. You have to repair your balloon and keep it in good condition, and that takes time and trouble, I see that; but for us to fly, all we have to do is tear off a branch of cloud-pine; any will do, and there are plenty more. We don't feel cold, so we need no warm clothes. We have no means of exchange apart from mutual aid. If a witch needs something, another witch will give it to her. If there is a war to be fought, we don't consider cost one of the factors in deciding whether or not it is right to fight. Nor do we have any notion of honor, as bears do, for instance. An insult to a bear is a deadly thing. To us . . . inconceivable. How could you insult a witch? What would it matter if you did?"
"D'you want me to ask the symbol-reader about it?" Lyra said.
"Well, I dunno. There's things I'd rather not know. Seems to me everything I heard of since the Gobblers come to Oxford, everything's been bad. There en't been nothing good more than about five minutes ahead. Like I can see now, this bath's nice, and there's a nice warm towel there, about five minutes away. And once I'm dry maybe I'll think of summing nice to eat, but no further ahead than that. And when I've eaten maybe I'll look forward to a kip in a comfortable bed. But after that, I dunno, Lyra. There's been terrible things we seen, en't there? And more a-coming, more'n likely. So I think I'd rather not know what's in the future. I'll stick to the present."
"But. . ." Lyra struggled to find the words she wanted: "but it en't true, is it? Not true like chemistry or engineering, not that kind of true? There wasn't really an Adam and Eve? The Cassington Scholar told me it was just a kind of fairy tale."
"The Cassington Scholarship is traditionally given to a free-thinker; it's his function to challenge the faith of the Scholars. Naturally he'd say that. But think of Adam and Eve like an imaginary number, like the square root of minus one: you can never see any concrete proof it exists, but if you include it in your equations, you can calculate all manner of things that couldn't be imagined without it."
• • •
"Seems to me a man should have a choice whether to take up arms or not."
"We have no more choice in that than in whether or not to be born."
"Oh, I like choices, though," he said. "I like choosing the jobs I take and the places I go and the food I eat and the companions I sit and yarn with. Don't you wish for a choice once in a while?"
Serafina Pekkala considered, and then said, "Perhaps we don't mean the same thing by choice, Mr. Scoresby. Witches own nothing, so we're not interested in preserving value or making profits, and as for the choice between one thing and another, when you live for many hundreds of years you know that every opportunity will come again. We have different needs. You have to repair your balloon and keep it in good condition, and that takes time and trouble, I see that; but for us to fly, all we have to do is tear off a branch of cloud-pine; any will do, and there are plenty more. We don't feel cold, so we need no warm clothes. We have no means of exchange apart from mutual aid. If a witch needs something, another witch will give it to her. If there is a war to be fought, we don't consider cost one of the factors in deciding whether or not it is right to fight. Nor do we have any notion of honor, as bears do, for instance. An insult to a bear is a deadly thing. To us . . . inconceivable. How could you insult a witch? What would it matter if you did?"
"D'you want me to ask the symbol-reader about it?" Lyra said.
"Well, I dunno. There's things I'd rather not know. Seems to me everything I heard of since the Gobblers come to Oxford, everything's been bad. There en't been nothing good more than about five minutes ahead. Like I can see now, this bath's nice, and there's a nice warm towel there, about five minutes away. And once I'm dry maybe I'll think of summing nice to eat, but no further ahead than that. And when I've eaten maybe I'll look forward to a kip in a comfortable bed. But after that, I dunno, Lyra. There's been terrible things we seen, en't there? And more a-coming, more'n likely. So I think I'd rather not know what's in the future. I'll stick to the present."
"But. . ." Lyra struggled to find the words she wanted: "but it en't true, is it? Not true like chemistry or engineering, not that kind of true? There wasn't really an Adam and Eve? The Cassington Scholar told me it was just a kind of fairy tale."
"The Cassington Scholarship is traditionally given to a free-thinker; it's his function to challenge the faith of the Scholars. Naturally he'd say that. But think of Adam and Eve like an imaginary number, like the square root of minus one: you can never see any concrete proof it exists, but if you include it in your equations, you can calculate all manner of things that couldn't be imagined without it."
Second read: I think I liked this more the second time. Lyra’s still occasionally a bit annoying as a main character, but the flow of the novel is strong.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated