Reviews - The Golden Compass

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10.2k reviews for:

Only 30 years late to this one😃

Ok, so I'm glad I finally bumped it up the list but I definitely would have appreciated it more as a child/middle-grade reader.

It was absolutely fine but I felt no steaks or emotional investment (and I know I definitely would have back in the day).

I won't be continuing with the series but I'm glad I gave it a go.
The main characters have gusto and the plot is intertwined and mysterious and perfect for it's target audience as it doesn't infantalise the reader.

commasynapse's review against another edition

4.0

Superb writing for a novel widely considered to be Y.A. literature. I question certain aspects, but, overall, a very, very good book.

raven_morgan's review against another edition

4.0

This is a series that's been on my "must read one day" virtual shelf for a long, long time.

I really liked a lot about this - most especially the worldbuilding. Honestly, reading this as an adult, I found Lyra a bit hard to connect with (not really certain why, to be honest). I suspect this may be a book better read when you're younger (ie closer to Lyra's age).

I suspect this will need a reread once I've finished the trilogy, and I may come back and add to my review.

callietastic's review against another edition

4.0

A pretty good book and series.

davemeister28's review against another edition

4.0

I first read this trilogy all at once in a rush sometime in my post-college, freelancer days, when time was abundant and I spent most of it reading. I remember finding the books really good and, though billed as for children, certainly mature and valuable for adults to read as well (like many young adult books).

The opinion stands--this is a top-notch novel that kids will enjoy but has lessons and entertainment for all ages. The writing is ... British, which is to say, it's a little quirky for an American audience, but once you get into the flow it's not distracting in the least. The story is engrossing and really _moves_. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next two again, this time savoring a bit more.