Justin Monisit’s Reviews > The Golden Compass > Status Update

I'M DONE.

I proved I could read a book that I dislike all the way through, but I never want to prove that again. The ending to this book was garbage - tying up plot threads suddenly and way too neatly. And I still don't know ANYTHING about Dæmons. Why are they so important? How does Christianity even exist with Dæmons?

And this book leaves on a cliffhanger, but there is no way I'm reading the next book.

GOODBYE

You know you're not enjoying a book when you literally have one short chapter left and you put it off until tomorrow because you can't handle reading it anymore. (That being more than 2)

...if I gave up now, that would be admitting I was weak. The sunken cost fallacy has really gotten me to the point where I am persevering even though this book just falls into mediocre writing.

Curious to see how the adaptations fixes any problems I had with the book.

Welp - I can't wait to see the climax of this book on screen because I can't fathom how you would make anything like that not as eye rolling as it was on the page.

Will probably finish the book by this weekend or next week.

Chapter 18 was so good that it reminded me of why I liked the book so much in the first place. It took its time to develop the characters, and have them settle down, rather than get caught up in a plot. I want to get to know these people, but the book isn't concerned with that. Probably a preference thing.

Trying to get through this as fast as I can before college destroys my reading schedule.

The book isn't all that great anymore; it's fine, but as usual - the worldbuilding is shallow. The plot takes itself way too seriously, relying on emotional connections that just were not established. It's just frustrating to see it turn so generic after such a strong first half.

In college now so my reading may slow down a bit.

And this book's quality is becoming more of a Bell Curve the further I go into it. The dæmons are stupid, but the author doesn't do anything at all to explain why they're important, and we are told about the connections rather than feeling it. The book is well written, but it is that one aspect that is starting to ruin this book when it relies on it SO much.

Okay now I see why this book has the middling reviews it has. As it goes on, the flaws of the book really begin to show - especially now and I can't say that I'm enjoying it as much as I did...maybe even kinda bored?

The lack of world building is detrimental to the book, as well as the dæmons who still have done nothing! And more expository dumps.

It started off so well too :(

Getting ready for college (tomorrow) has been getting in the way of reading, but I managed to finish part 1 of 3 of the book.

Very solid book so far with minor critiques. Dæmons still don't add anything to the story and the lack of character description surprisingly throws me off.

Also, I accidentally picked this up without realizing it was being adapted into an HBO show. Now I gotta finish it before it comes out

In retrospect I could have probably read the next Harry Potter book but whatever, this book is still pretty solid so far.

My only complaint so far is finding out what the point the dæmons serve, as they have little to no bearing on the plot but are literally everywhere. But I'm sure something will come of use eventually.

Still really enjoying it, and now I'm reading a lot more than I usually do because of that.