Philip Pullman once said, “There are some themes, some subjects, too large for adult fiction; they can only be dealt with adequately in a children’s book.” I can agree with this sentiment; adults aren’t nearly as imaginative as children, and are less open to listening to opinions differing from their own.
I had heard ofThe Golden Compassback in 2007, when the controversy surrounding the movie release was everywhere. I remember hearing the conservative Christian base calling for theaters and citizens alike to shun it, due to its anti-Christianity views.
When I saw Northern Lightson this list when I began in February, I didn’t give it much thought. After reading The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife earlier this month (working on The Amber Spyglass right now), I had to check the 101 list to see if this series was included. It’s so amazing, so it had to be, right? I saw Philip Pullman’s name, googled “Northern Lights,” and come to find out, it’s the original name! Whoa! I had read a 101 book without even realizing it (and as a sidenote, I prefer the name Northern Lights to Golden Compass).
So, onto the review.
I never thought I’d come across a fantasy series greater thanThe Chronicles of NarniaorHarry Potter,but this series has blown me away. Pullman really has a gift with words, character development, and the creation of alternate worlds. Lyra Belacqua/Silvertongue is such a well-crafted heroine; at the young age of eleven, she has an otherwordly maturity about her, but it’s not unbelievable. Pullman manages to keep Lyra’s childlike sense of wonder and folly alive, even while she is faced with such a tumultuous task. Iorek Byrinsson, the King of the Panserbjorne, stole my heart in a way I thought only Aslan could. There’s just something about a creature so big and violent, able to crush a person with a single swipe of a paw, but possessing human intelligence and caring for the greater good that always gets me.
Overall, an excellent book.
5/5
