Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

18 reviews

jolineliest's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Deportation, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Grief, Confinement, Emotional abuse, War, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol, Slavery, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Death of parent, Body horror, Gun violence, Gore, Abandonment, Blood, and Forced institutionalization

noxwitchbooklife's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I've read this a multitude of times in the last 20 odd years and it is absolutely my most read book. It opened my mind to fantasy and the idea of other worlds and realities along with the main character being a mischievous child with a big heart and a penchant for making up stories and it is just entertaining and wonderful every time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Animal cruelty, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Violence, Murder, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Child death

librarymouse's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I adored this book the first time I read it in 2021, scrambling my way through the entire series at breakneck speed. The detail and the world building of this universe is such an immersive experience, it continues to be engaging as I re-read it for school. Reading this in 2023, in association with Paradise Lost and The Chronicles of Narinia, there is so much more depth to the storytelling, beyond the calling out of church-sanctioned abuses and the cognitive dissonances around the concept of heresy. The novel's lack of a centralized paragon of evil complicates the messages of Paradise Lost in unique and interesting ways. Mrs. Coulter and Lord Azriel act as physical manifestations of Milton's Satan's pride, ambition, and cunning, but Lyra's lying, and the willingness of herself and her companions to do what is necessary in their quest creates a gray area between good and evil as paradigms.
I love the characters of the witches, especially in how they (to an extent) are similar to Milton's angels.

It's very easy to get immersed in this world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Animal death, Gun violence, Grief, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Blood, Child death, Death, and Violence

Moderate: War, Confinement, and Vomit

Minor: Toxic relationship

merrynthomas's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, and Violence

Minor: Gore

fjerda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I really adored this book. The imagery was vivid and palpable. The child characters thought authentically like children which is lost in a lot of books. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Murder, Gore, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Child death, and Death

abby_can_read's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

📱
This was an enjoyable book. I think the characters are well-developed. The story started off strong and the ending was weak. I do plan to read the other books in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Child death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Kidnapping, and Child abuse

Moderate: Gore, Torture, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Trafficking, and Blood

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Racism, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and Physical abuse

bexi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I thought the first part was confusing and a little boring, but it picks up later on. I'd recommend sticking with it until at least part two if you're feeling the same way, because it does get better.

I often struggled to connect with the characters and found many of them unlikable, including the main character Lyra (she grew on me, but I'm still not sure I like her).

I believe this book is supposed to be a critique of Christianity, or maybe more specifically the Church. I occasionally felt I lacked the knowledge to understand all of the critiques because although my parents were raised Baptist & Catholic respectively, I was not raised as such. For context, I'm not a religious person and identify as agnostic. I found the commentary interesting, but if you're a Christian you might get upset by some of it.

This book is marked as middle grade and young adult. I'd say it leans more YA. I found this incredibly dark for MG and would not recommend it to the average middle grader. If said child is emotionally & intellectually mature for their age then okay, but otherwise I'd say it's best for ages 14+. I don't have kids, so take that with a grain of salt. I personally would not have been mature/smart enough to get much out this book had I read it in middle school. 😅

I thought the story was unique and liked it overall, but I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next book in the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Murder, Violence, and Xenophobia

Minor: Racism, Alcohol, Classism, Gaslighting, Excrement, and Infidelity

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Death, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content

Minor: Alcohol

bruinrocks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

This is one of my favourite book series of all time, and the audiobook furthered my love for the series. The full cast brings the characters to life, in what was already an amazing story about a little girl on an adventure to save her best friend. On the way she meets many new friends, in the form of a giant bear named Iorek, and a Texan Aeronaut named Lee Scorseby. These two characters go on to become two of my favourite characters in all literature. The friendship between the two is made abundantly clear, and their dedication to Lyra is such a wonderful event to behold. Lyra goes through many hoops to make it to the North to save Roger. With an ending that could leave the book as a stand alone novel, but also propel it forward into the rest of the series I highly recommend this book and the following series to everyone. 5/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Animal death, and Child death

f18's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Blood, and Confinement

Moderate: Sexism, Drug use, Racism, Gore, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Child death, and Mental illness

Minor: Alcohol and Slavery