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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Kidnapping
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
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:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Je referme ce livre l'esprit confus, embrouillé, poussiéreux. Je n'ai pas toujours compris après quoi courraient les personnages. Certains d'entre eux sont tellement changeants d'une scène à l'autre qu'on peine à comprendre qui ils sont vraiment et ce mystère ne les rend pas toujours plus intéressants, mais juste moins cohérents. Heureusement, j'ai aimé passé du temps avec Lyra et ses compagnons d'aventure. Les gitans, les ours, les sorcières. Peut-être que la lecture des tomes suivants m'éclairera sur l'engouement que suscite cette trilogie mais avec celui-ci je reste sur ma faim. J'ai été plus touché par l'humanité de Lyra que par la supposée magie de l'univers.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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:
Yes
I would give this a 3.5 if the ratings would allow halves. Somehow...not as good as I had hoped. I may have underestimated the boredom level possible with juvenile-level literature. Anyway, fun and interesting, but I'm not motivated to read the rest of the series.
The Golden Compass really is as good as everyone says - it’s easy to see why it’s a children’s lit classic. Lyra is complex - likeable even when she’s arrogant and independent while loving fiercely. The daemons are an amazing bit of world building and Iorek Byrnison goes down as a top favorite (extra points for being fully a bear and fully human somehow)
What held me back from giving this five stars is that there are some things that aged poorly. The Roma characters are given depth, but the name Pullman chose to give them…isn’t great. It’s also a novel that could benefit from more female characters and there are some traces of misogyny (dismissing female scholars, Lyra having some minor not like other girls syndrome early on, traditionally feminine clothing/presentation being somewhat vilified), though I’ve heard this may rectify itself in later books.
Overall it really is stunning and worth reading. Just a touch of its age in some parts.
What held me back from giving this five stars is that there are some things that aged poorly. The Roma characters are given depth, but the name Pullman chose to give them…isn’t great. It’s also a novel that could benefit from more female characters and there are some traces of misogyny (dismissing female scholars, Lyra having some minor not like other girls syndrome early on, traditionally feminine clothing/presentation being somewhat vilified), though I’ve heard this may rectify itself in later books.
Overall it really is stunning and worth reading. Just a touch of its age in some parts.