The Golden Compass

So I have to summarize the plot of The Golden Compass in a paragraph. There’s this girl who lives in a universe where your soul exists in two parts. One inside and one outside your body, and the one outside your body takes the shape of an animal. This animal can change shape when you are young and it becomes fixed during puberty. But already I’m going into too much detail.

Lyra the heroine of the story is a free spirited orphan, daughter of nobility, who has been left by her adventuring Uncle to be raised by the scholars of Jordan University. During this time the “Gobblers” appear, stealing the children of the poor and Gyptians. When she is old enough to need a “womanly” influence she is taken away by Mrs. Coulter, a rich and glamarous scholar to be groomed. But her best friend disappears that day and the Gobblers are never far from her mind. The Master of Jordan doesn’t want Lyra to go with Mrs. Clouter but can’t stop it. He instead charges Lyra with the alethiometer, a compass like object which can answer any question if the person knows how to use it.

Lyra finds out some of the secrets behind the Gobblers and runs away. She is rescued by a band of Gyptians and joins them on their quest to rescue the children in the far North. Lyra and her alethiometer become indispensible to the mission. Along the way she rescues an armoured bear, Iorek, who also joins their quest. As I am over length already I will simply say that Lyra has many adventures leading which lead to a gripping climax.

This book is the kind of story that I loved when I was a teen. I am partial to the fantasy genre and I love a good trilogy. Mr. Pullman was able to mix a complex story with a great heroine and a compelling plot. This book is an example of a great book that could be considered both for young adults and adult collections. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

Age range: 12 plus

Ranking: Quality – 5/5 Popularity – 5/5