Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

29 reviews

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Confinement, Vomit, and War

Minor: Toxic relationship

bennoyb's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Violence, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

lvl52_grant's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-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

4.0

This is my first time reading this book as an adult, and I'm happy to say it still holds up! Lyra's world is so fascinating in the ways it is similar and different, and the mythical scale of the storytelling is amazing. I never read the sequels as a child, and I'm now looking forward to starting those soon!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Violence and War

plume_de_renarde's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Misogyny and Religious bigotry

Minor: Racism, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

dragonaion's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny inspiring reflective 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

5.0

This is more than just a fantasy tale of a child saving other children. This is a story of the need to belong and children surpassing their parents by choosing to push aside their stories, beliefs, fears, and becoming their own selves.

This is not a children's story; this has many discussions about the Christian church and original sin that may be disconcerting for some and does not put the church in a good light. However, for every growing adult who feels that they do not belong, that they do not believe the path that their parents lay in front of them is right- this is the story to read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, Alcohol, and War

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. 

---

Content Warnings

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

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

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

orchidlilly's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? No

4.0

An immersive world of steampunk-Esque magic combined with the beginnings of a portal fantasy! The worldbuilding comes naturally, and Pullman brilliantly captures the thought process and mental state of a preteen girl left to her own devices. The side characters are well developed and often ride the fine moral grey line.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

cynicaesura's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Trafficking and Religious bigotry

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Bullying, Sexism, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Alcohol

jessthanthree's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Infidelity, Racism, Police brutality, War, and Classism