Reviews with content warning for Death - Northern Lights

If you think this is a lighthearted fantasy for kids, you’d be wrong. The concepts in this book are horrifying, the main character Lyra faces some horrible abuse and hardships, and though it’s perfectly understandable for a child, I didn’t fully grasp the horrors of this universe until I reread as an adult.

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kirdyk's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious relaxing sad 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

Probably my favorite book of all time. From the first page you are no longer a reader, but a spectator of the vast world held within these pages.

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seedsofsunflowers's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious 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? No

4.0

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nytephoenyx's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

I have read The Golden Compass so many times, I know its beats as well as I know the rhythm of my own heart.

This book is an old favorite - I've listened to the audiobook three times, including once with my husband; my old box set paperback copy has seen better days. I have distinct memories of reading this book on my lap in high school French and hoping le professeur did not notice (I'm pretty sure she did). And as I come back to The Golden Compass and His Dark Materials time and time again... it's still good.

There's a few different things to look at and admire here, but one that has always struck me is Pullman's depiction of Lyra. Unlike more and more books I read these days, I've always felt Lyra acted her age and felt very much a child. She's brimming with curiosity, often fails to think her actions through to their consequences, and responds... purely, I guess, to the things around her. I can't say Pullman has consistently been adept at writing children (La Belle Sauvage is not as well done) but Lyra is fantastic.

And she's not the only character who shines in this novel. Mrs. Coulter is certainly a force to be reckoned with, and I've always enjoyed the beauty and sadness behind the Serafina Pekkala/Farder Coram relationship. Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison are also fantastic characters.... particularly as the series goes on (no spoilers here!).

The urgency of the plot momentum and the adventurous storyline are also gripping and wonderful. I'm always struck by a story that moves into cold climates, because it's as though nature itself becomes a minor villain due to the extreme weather. Even though I've read it so many times, The Golden Compass never feels tired or predictable. I know what's going to happen overall from experience, but I completely enjoy the journey. If you haven't read it before, I don't think it's predictable at all. I love the alethiometer. I love the twists. I really love the daemons. As I've gotten older, I've grown to enjoy the fantasy philosophy and the conversation about Dust and other worlds as well.

While I can't necessary put Pullman on a "best authors" list (he's made some poor Twitter decisions, and his depiction of the "gyptians" is very stereotypical, although they are characters to be respected), it would be foolish to deny the brilliance of this trilogy. His Dark Materials, and The Golden Compass are filled with memorable characters, adventure, meaningful conversation, and wonder.

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arminam's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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lilymurph's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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angelicathebookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Pullman introduces the reader to his world immediately and not in a way that is overwhelming, confusing, or unbelievable. His choice to normalize the idea of daemons from the beginning without much initial explanation—and the fact that the other fantastical elements are interwoven naturally into the narrative—makes for an immersive read. Pullman’s characters, whether main or supporting, are well developed and purposeful —two of my favourite characters include the villainous Mrs Coulter and the Queen of the witches, Serafina Pekkala. One of my favourites aspects of the novel is the way that each of the strikingly different daemons emphasizes and helps in the development of each character, such as all the children’s daemons constantly change form until they reach puberty.

While I enjoyed the novel very much, there were a few moments where the narrative lost some pacing. I also thought that there weren’t enough light-hearted moments despite the novel being written with a younger audience in mind. Although I enjoyed the themes and symbolic nature of the novel, I wouldn’t recommend this book to you if you dislike novels that contain messages of political, religious, and cultural conflicts especially in relation to Christianity.

For more reviews like this one, check out https://angelicacastilloking.wordpress.com/

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aconfundityofcrows's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? No

4.0

Feb 2021: I left this at two stars for a long time, because I wasn't sure how to represent my feelings about it and I didn't want to change my rating until I reread it.

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