A review by whitehotheadedme
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Philip Pullman’s world building in Northern Lights is laced with half truths and feasibility. Making it very whole and digestible. I read The Subtle Knife (the second book in the His Dark Materials trilogy) first and many years ago, but now having read Northern Lights, I’d recommend starting with the second book as the change in perspective forms this book into a well rounded prequel. One aspect I wasn’t expecting from this book was the character depth, and how that plays out from the view of a child, Lyra the main character. I found myself realising no one character is good or bad, a hero or a villain, often times just before or alongside Lyra herself. Overall, I found the book to be medium paced. Information rich, but not ever reaching chunky and hard going. If you’re looking for a dark adventure, you’ll likely enjoy this one. 
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