The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman

[Katy]

The Golden Compass

Chose this one for the first week. I figured I would ease into this challenge as I don't read as often as I would like...yet ;)

[Sophie]

For me this book was a page-turner, I really hope it's going to help you read more!

[Bana AZ]

I loved this! I read it in 2014 and became one of my favorites. Although book 1 is already good for me, books 2 and 3 get even better. I hope you'll enjoy it enough to stick to the whole trilogy.

[Krissy]

I thought it was decent. The audiobook narration was great. I doubt I'll ever finish the series though.

[Zaz]

I read the series years ago, so I don't really remember it. However, I remember that I didn't enjoy the story.
It's a very well liked series, so have fun with it! :)

[Katy]

Just finished the book. I can't wait to read the next two! I'm afraid to watch the movie and destroy the visions of all the creatures in my head ;)

[Lee]

I love, love, love this series. I read it when I was in high school and it has stuck with me ever since. I hope you enjoy it! :)

[Sophie]

Katy, seriously, don't watch the movie, it's a waste of time.

[Kirsten]

I loved this book. I really wanted to enjoy the movie too, but... oh, well can't have everything.

[Maple]

The Golden Compass


GR synopsis:
Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the alethiometer. All around her children are disappearing—victims of so-called "Gobblers"—and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person's inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.

I recently read this as part of my 2016 PopSugar Challenge, a book from the library. I've wanted to read this series for a long time, and this seemed like a good time to start. I was pretty disappointed in it, but I think that may have been my age. I probably would have enjoyed this more if I read it as a kid instead of someone in their 20s. I don't have any interest in continuing on in the series, but I can see why so many people enjoy it.

3/5

[Joan]

I thought I would like this one more but I just didn't connect with the characters. I did like some of the mystery involved. I thought the world building wasn't that good. I had a lot of questions in the book going along and I wasn't really dying to find out the answers. It was a slow read for me.

I read it for the 2018 ATY prompt #41 - author with the same first and last initial

[Jody]

I was totally underwhelmed by this too Joan. I was so disappointed as I thought I would love it.

[Matthias]

I read this for ATY 2018, challenge 41 (a book with an author who had the same first and last initial).

I had meant to read Pullman for a long time, and some other factors made it expediant now - and conveniently it fit one of the categories. The story started slow, but the intensity built in interesting ways, and I enjoyed not clearly knowing the 'sides' in the debate and seeing the development of the child protagonist. There are interesting sf/fantasy nova to explore/understand, which also makes it interesting outside of its YA audience, imo. I look forward to the other two volumes of the trilogy.

[Stephanie]

I finally got around to reading this - I actually added it to my 2019 plan before I knew the television series was in the works! I liked it, didn't love it, but I can see why people would (might also be because I'm a 44 year old woman, not a young adult!) I did enjoy Lyra's characterization. I watched the first episode of the series and didn't enjoy it as much as the book. I think I'll end up finishing the book series in 2020.