The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

 

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

         Pullman, P. (2001). The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials # 1). Yearling. ISBN 9780440418320

        🚨Content warning:  child abuse, death, violence, absent parents 🚨

         Unbeknownst to Lyra, a war is brewing in her world.  She's perfectly contempt running wild, that is, until her best friend Roger is kidnapped.  Determined to find and rescue them,  Lyra embarks on a journey to the North, where she discovers children have been kidnapped and experimented on.  Riddled with that knowledge and that her uncle Asriel is attempting to bridge parallel worlds, Lyra must make decisions that may affect her world and the worlds beyond.

        The Golden Compass was the first novel that I read by Philip Pullman, and I was underwhelmed while reading the book.  I felt as if there was too much world-building but also not enough.  One prime example of this is with humans and their dæmons.  Dæmons are introduced to us on the first page, but the explanation of what they are doesn't appear until you are a good portion of the book.  I had to Google early on what a dæmon was, so I could have a better understanding of what they are and why they were so important to their respective human.  It was instances like this that pulled me out of the world; as a result, me having to do research to learn more about it.

As for the rest of the novel, I did feel that the first half of the book dragged.  It was around the middle mark that Lyra's adventure finally picked up, and I felt more invested in the novel.  I enjoyed the introduction of Iorek, the banished King bear who wanted nothing more than to have his armor back.  It was admirable of Lyra to help get his armor back with nothing in return.  It was endearing to see the relationship that Lyra and Iorek had, as you could clearly tell that they both cared for each other very much.  The settings of the book were interesting, and I enjoyed reading about all the places that Lyra visited.  Finally, my favorite feature of the book was how strong-willed Lyra was. Her personality was strong, but she was also a funny, likable, and well-written character.  In addition, I loved her relationship with her dæmon Pantalaimon! Both Lyra and Pan cared so much for and about each other, and I always enjoyed reading when they interacted with each other, which was often due to Pan being her dæmon, which meant they are bound to each other as a result of Pan being a physical representation of Lyra's soul.

The Golden Compass is a highly revered book and television show.  Kirkus Reviews calls The Golden Compass "this first fantastic installment of the His Dark Materials trilogy propels readers along with horror and high adventure, a shattering tale that begins with a promise and delivers an entire universe." Carina, from Carina Books blog, loved the series so much that "this is [her] fourth time reading this.  And [she] loves it so, so much.  ... Story is epic and exciting and so evil."   You can watch Bella's TikTok here, where she made a video of the aesthetics of the Golden Compass book!  

Readers who loved The Golden Compass should continue on with the trilogy and try watching the TV show adaption called His Dark Materials, available for rent or purchasing on Vudu, Google Play, And Amazon. Other titles you may like include Eragon by Christopher Paolini, the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Awards and recognition:

•         AudioFile Earphones Award
•         2012 TimeOutNewYorkKids.com 50 Best Books for Kids
•         2000 Audie Awards
•         1999 Main Student Book Award
•         1997 ALA Best Books for Young Adults
•         1997 ALA Notable Children's Book
•          1996 Carnegie Medal

Sources

Bella. (n.d.). Bella on TikTok. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@bellareadsagain/video/6935810918303485190?_r=1&_t=8e7ieECvKZf

Olsen, C. (1970, January 1). Review: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Carina’s Books. https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2017/10/review-golden-compass-by-philip-pullman.html

Pullman, P. (2001). The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials # 1). Yearling. ISBN 9780440418320

Pullman, P. (1996, April 1). The Golden Compass. Kirkus Reviews. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/philip-pullman/golden-compass/