The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

 Reviewed by Jackson 

Imagine living in a world where magic, science, and theology mixed together to form the most wonderful, dangerous place. Lyra, living in Oxford, must brace the dangers of living in this world and uncover mysteries that are unknown and save her friend, Roger, taken from a shady organization with sinister intentions for their victims. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman is a harrowing, exciting adventure. 

11 year old Lyra has spent her life at Oxford college playing with her best friend, Roger, the kitchen boy. But rumors are spreading that an organization called the  Gobblers is taking children, and kids are disappearing. One day, Lyra finds Roger missing and is very suspicious that he has been kidnapped by the Gobblers. Lyra is told that he has not, and will show up sooner or later, but she is convinced that he has been taken by the Gobblers and may be right. Alongside that, her uncle, Lord Asriel, is a captive under the most powerful beings, the Armoured Bears, who wear armour made from a powerful material. Using her brave, courageous and daring self, she convinces the company to take her along to the North, a dangerous place. Will she save her uncle and her friend Roger?  What mysterious things is her uncle doing and will she save him? Caught on a journey, Lyra, along with her companions, has to save both her uncle and friend. 

One reason I liked this awesome book is because it really showed a lot of detail, and the journey of Lyra really captivated me when I read it. The plot made me actually think about the story and try to predict what would happen. With Lyra's bravery and courage, she easily escapes from dangerous places and becomes the leader of a group of people which helps her immensely in her journey. The story really was awesome with the action and love that Lyra shows to her companions. 

The second reason I liked this book was because of the action. The action of this story was electrifying, with battle and almost real scenes of chaos. Pullman is constantly dropping unexpected, compelling, and sensational action-- for example, when Lyra breaks out of the Gobblers’ jail for victims along with other captured kids. The story was awesome to read and surprising turns make it full of suspense. 

I would rate this book a 10/10 for its awesome action, plot, and suspense! Anyone can read this book unless they don’t like gory things, for example, when barbaric warriors start ripping each other apart, and bears crashing into each other. Overall this story does contain a considerable amount of blood. This book is part of a series called His Dark Materials which contains The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber SpyGlass, which continue Lyra’s epic journey! Philip Pullman has also written many other books, like The Book of Dust, and The Secret Commonwealth all of which take place in the same world as Lyra’s. Is a library near you? Why don’t you check it out?!

Scholastic Corporation, 399 pages