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bi_n_large's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Violence, Child death, Death, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent
xuxy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Child death
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Animal death
sarasreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.5
This was a great, action packed read. I watched season 1 of the HBO show a year ago, without knowing much of the story at all. I really enjoyed it, but before diving into season 2 sometime this fall, I wanted to read the first book as a refresher. It really didn't disappoint!
Hard to believe so much was packed into this book. I'm pretty sick in bed this week, so this was a great way to pass the time and distract me from how bad I've been feeling. Very excited for more of this story!
Hard to believe so much was packed into this book. I'm pretty sick in bed this week, so this was a great way to pass the time and distract me from how bad I've been feeling. Very excited for more of this story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Child death, and Animal death
Moderate: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Animal death, and Child death
lucinotlucy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Violence, Abandonment, Classism, and Child death
theespressoedition's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Welp, don't expect me to spell a single name correctly in this review because I listened to the audiobook (which was phenomenal, by the way. I'll get to that). If anything, I may just avoid using character names altogether so I can skirt around inevitable embarrassment.
This story was truly a masterpiece! It has been recommended to me countless times, but I never picked it up because of the age range that it's geared towards. I'm not typically a fan of middle-grade books. However, if that's been holding you back from reading this, let me assure you that you have nothing to be concerned about. It's an ageless book (reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia) and if no one had told me that it was MG, I would have never known.
Our protagonist is such an interesting character. She's bold and fearless and a little bit brash - as children can be. There's something so incredibly lovable about her from the minute she first walks onto the page. In fact, that's really how I felt about most all of the characters (of whom you're supposed to like, of course). They're a mismatched pack of cast-outs, orphans, daemons, warriors, and then some. It's impossible not to root for them as they go on their adventure.
The book felt as though it had 3 books in one - and it sort of did. It had a few parts to it, but each part read like a separate installation into the story. This was really interesting to me. It could've been broken up into multiple books and I wouldn't have felt like I was missing something. However, though the book was quite long, it was never dull. The action kept it going and even during the slower moments, I didn't feel myself losing interest, which is an impressive feat on the book's part.
If you have the opportunity to, I do strongly recommend the audiobook. It has a full cast and is narrated almost like a group of people sitting around and just gabbing their story. It's very easy to forget that you're "reading" and become almost overly involved in the plot. I'm really glad that I used this format because it really was an incredible experience!
I can't wait to read the sequel to find out what happens next.
This story was truly a masterpiece! It has been recommended to me countless times, but I never picked it up because of the age range that it's geared towards. I'm not typically a fan of middle-grade books. However, if that's been holding you back from reading this, let me assure you that you have nothing to be concerned about. It's an ageless book (reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia) and if no one had told me that it was MG, I would have never known.
Our protagonist is such an interesting character. She's bold and fearless and a little bit brash - as children can be. There's something so incredibly lovable about her from the minute she first walks onto the page. In fact, that's really how I felt about most all of the characters (of whom you're supposed to like, of course). They're a mismatched pack of cast-outs, orphans, daemons, warriors, and then some. It's impossible not to root for them as they go on their adventure.
The book felt as though it had 3 books in one - and it sort of did. It had a few parts to it, but each part read like a separate installation into the story. This was really interesting to me. It could've been broken up into multiple books and I wouldn't have felt like I was missing something. However, though the book was quite long, it was never dull. The action kept it going and even during the slower moments, I didn't feel myself losing interest, which is an impressive feat on the book's part.
If you have the opportunity to, I do strongly recommend the audiobook. It has a full cast and is narrated almost like a group of people sitting around and just gabbing their story. It's very easy to forget that you're "reading" and become almost overly involved in the plot. I'm really glad that I used this format because it really was an incredible experience!
I can't wait to read the sequel to find out what happens next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Abandonment, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child death, Animal death, and Death
1moodreader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.25
A genuinely engaging first novel in the series. The characters and the world are so new, fresh, and captivating. Pullman expects a lot from his reader but also lays the foundation of the world so clearly for new fantasy readers to grasp - ahem me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment
marianneiriss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Trafficking, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, Animal death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Torture, and Xenophobia
sophie_theresia_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Violence, and Blood
cemeterygay's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
It's a pretty good middle grade fantasy book. The world is incredibly rich and it's cool to explore it. There is a ton of implicit anti-native sentiment in this book, including a slur for the Inuit, some of which I know is challenged in later books but there is a lot more that is just not challenged.
I think the initial pacing is a little bit too slow but quickly improves. There also is a surprising amount of gore in this book specifically related to animals that I did not expect.
While not mind blowing, I think this book is a great set up for future books and handles discussion about religion well and in a way that is definitely understandable to its target audience while not being condescending in how its explained. It's definitely a good challenging fantasy book for a middle grade audience.
I think the initial pacing is a little bit too slow but quickly improves. There also is a surprising amount of gore in this book specifically related to animals that I did not expect.
While not mind blowing, I think this book is a great set up for future books and handles discussion about religion well and in a way that is definitely understandable to its target audience while not being condescending in how its explained. It's definitely a good challenging fantasy book for a middle grade audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
CW: Absent parents