Title: The Golden Compass
Author: Philip Pullman
Pages: 399
Finished: May 4, 2018
First Sentence: Lyra and her daemon moved through the darkening hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen.
Summary: Lyra, an orphan living at Jordan College in Oxford, spends her days getting into trouble. One day, she hides in the Scholar's receiving room and foils an attempt to poison her uncle. Her reward is to stay hidden and learn about a mysterious substance called Dust. But like most kids, what she learns soon leaves her head as more interesting things happen. Things like the Gobblers who steal children, or a lovely woman named Mrs. Coulter who comes to take Lyra away, or the gold disc called the alethiometer that the Master of Jordan College gives her before she leaves. Soon, Lyra is running North to rescue kids from a terrible fate while the Church tries to stop anyone from learning what's happening.
Thoughts: This book was written in 1995, but I first listened to it in high school. I was totally taken by Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon back then, and I still am taken with them now. This is fantasy at it's best. Where, even though the world is totally different than ours, the characters are us. Lyra is the embodiment of a prepubescent kid. Invincible, cocky, and headstrong.
I remember there being a huge controversy about this novel (trilogy) as well for its "antichristian themes." Considering we have Lewis, Tolkein, and L'Engle backing us up on the Christian front, I don't necessarily see how it's a bad thing to have some diversity. As an atheist kid, it was nice to see something different. Lyra was questioning many of the same things I remember questioning as a kid.
This time reading it, I started thinking about how and when to introduce it to my daughter when she gets older. I don't own these yet, but they definitely deserve space on my shelf they way Harry Potter does.
Read just for fun.
Thoughts: This book was written in 1995, but I first listened to it in high school. I was totally taken by Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon back then, and I still am taken with them now. This is fantasy at it's best. Where, even though the world is totally different than ours, the characters are us. Lyra is the embodiment of a prepubescent kid. Invincible, cocky, and headstrong.
I remember there being a huge controversy about this novel (trilogy) as well for its "antichristian themes." Considering we have Lewis, Tolkein, and L'Engle backing us up on the Christian front, I don't necessarily see how it's a bad thing to have some diversity. As an atheist kid, it was nice to see something different. Lyra was questioning many of the same things I remember questioning as a kid.
This time reading it, I started thinking about how and when to introduce it to my daughter when she gets older. I don't own these yet, but they definitely deserve space on my shelf they way Harry Potter does.
Read just for fun.
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