lemontartpages's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
themararose's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - this book has a lot of holes in it. Some things aren't explained well or at all which really made it difficult for me to like it a lot. The world is interesting and the characters are great.
monmc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
zephyrusne's review against another edition
4.0
so the thing i like best is pullman's writing style (is this a surprise to anyone...). encapsulating and pure.
as i neared the end of the book the plot became less and less exciting and logical to me, but i give it 4 stars for all that happened before and the magical way of narrating.
as i neared the end of the book the plot became less and less exciting and logical to me, but i give it 4 stars for all that happened before and the magical way of narrating.
beatsbybeard's review against another edition
4.0
Reread in anticipation of the HBO adaptation coming out in a few months. The plotting is a little clumsy and slapdash – which the author cops to in the preface of the edition I have, stating that he let the plot unfold as it came to him and mostly without premeditation – but the world he built is fascinating.
Some of my favorite components:
– everyone has a dæmon, an animal companion that physically represents the person's character and emotional state and can change form until the person hits puberty
– Dust, the mysterious force that this universe's church believes to be original sin
– multiple universes, including our own, that can be reached from this fictional one
I love that this book ends with tragedy. It's the first of the His Dark Materials trilogy, and the author always intended it to be one story told in three volumes rather than three separate books. You get your feet just wet enough in the lore, meet some interesting characters, and then the rug gets pulled out. Looking forward to rereading the next two!
Some of my favorite components:
– everyone has a dæmon, an animal companion that physically represents the person's character and emotional state and can change form until the person hits puberty
– Dust, the mysterious force that this universe's church believes to be original sin
– multiple universes, including our own, that can be reached from this fictional one
I love that this book ends with tragedy. It's the first of the His Dark Materials trilogy, and the author always intended it to be one story told in three volumes rather than three separate books. You get your feet just wet enough in the lore, meet some interesting characters, and then the rug gets pulled out. Looking forward to rereading the next two!
kerryanndunn's review against another edition
4.0
I started this recently too, on recommendation from a friend, and in anticipation of the film to come out later this year. What I will say about it so far is this: I want my own daemon!
-Edit: Finished this and really enjoyed it. Very curious now to see the movie because it seems impossible to film! I'm prepared to be slightly disappointed because I'm sure there will be major changes. I still need to read the other two in the series.
-Edit: Finished this and really enjoyed it. Very curious now to see the movie because it seems impossible to film! I'm prepared to be slightly disappointed because I'm sure there will be major changes. I still need to read the other two in the series.
serenamarangon's review against another edition
2.0
Let me say that i did't really liked this book. I think that the story itself it is actually intresting but I just don't like the way the author devolped it.
First of all I was not able to tell who is the "good" and who is the "bad" and it is something that I personally don't like at all. When I read I book I'd like to be able to tell from the beginning who is the character that you should love and the one that you should hate, or, at least, understand the role that every single character is playing. I have to say that by the end of the book I was quite surprised by Lord Asriel (and I'm not going to spoil anything) but there are some things about him and Mrs Coulter that I still do not understand.Another thing that I didn't not understand it's why, all of a sudden, at the end of the book, the story becomes based on religion more tha it was at the begining. It was clear that something on this story it is related to religion but I did't expect at all quotes from the Bible coming out from nowhere!
I have to say that probably I'll never fully undarstand this book as I'm not going to read the other two of this saga.
Hope this rewiew was helpful and clear. :)
First of all I was not able to tell who is the "good" and who is the "bad" and it is something that I personally don't like at all. When I read I book I'd like to be able to tell from the beginning who is the character that you should love and the one that you should hate, or, at least, understand the role that every single character is playing. I have to say that by the end of the book I was quite surprised by Lord Asriel (and I'm not going to spoil anything) but there are some things about him and Mrs Coulter that I still do not understand.Another thing that I didn't not understand it's why, all of a sudden, at the end of the book, the story becomes based on religion more tha it was at the begining. It was clear that something on this story it is related to religion but I did't expect at all quotes from the Bible coming out from nowhere!
I have to say that probably I'll never fully undarstand this book as I'm not going to read the other two of this saga.
Hope this rewiew was helpful and clear. :)
matt_viner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Philip Pullman, and would highly recommend it.
The story itself is an enjoyable read, as a fairly slow burn which ramps up in tempo and excitement towards the end.
The story itself is an enjoyable read, as a fairly slow burn which ramps up in tempo and excitement towards the end.
lauren_readsbooks2302's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.75
I kept getting recommended this book by people who know how much I love the fantasy genre so I went into it thinking I was going to absolutely love it, that it would be a million times better than the film, that I would become addicted.
None of the above.
I didn’t hate this book, but it took me almost a month to finish. I had to push myself through it. The film deviated quite a bit but not enough that I didn’t know what was coming for most of the book and I just wasn’t all that interested.
I think I’m maybe too old. Lyra annoyed me more than anything. She was an arrogant little thing, which a lot of children are at that age but it didn’t make for an enjoyable read. I wasn’t enamoured by any of the other characters either, or drawn in by the story or where the plot was going to go in the next book.
It’s definitely ticked off my list as one of the books you just have to read but I won’t be reading the second.
None of the above.
I didn’t hate this book, but it took me almost a month to finish. I had to push myself through it. The film deviated quite a bit but not enough that I didn’t know what was coming for most of the book and I just wasn’t all that interested.
I think I’m maybe too old. Lyra annoyed me more than anything. She was an arrogant little thing, which a lot of children are at that age but it didn’t make for an enjoyable read. I wasn’t enamoured by any of the other characters either, or drawn in by the story or where the plot was going to go in the next book.
It’s definitely ticked off my list as one of the books you just have to read but I won’t be reading the second.