ILOVETHISBOOKSOMUCHICANHARDLYSTANDIT!! FORREALS!!!!! ALLCAPSNOSPACES!!!!! ELEVENTYONE!!!!!With THAT out of my system, I can tell you now that you need to go read The Golden Compass for us to continue being friends, and because the sun is shining and the universe has given me pudding, I will even accept it if you see the movie. Serious, this story is the shit. Everything about it is perfect and I don't even care that Philip Pullman called the Narnia books 'one of the most ugly, poisonous things' he'd ever read. Oh Philip, you are so full of rage. Come let me give you some snuggle wuggle puddums lum lum lum. Don't you feel better?
I don't even want to summarize. I feel like I'll taint it with my dirty fingers, it's so good. But hell, here goes. Lyra Belacqua is a young orphan growing up pell-mell in Jordan College, being 'taught' from time to time by the scholars but mostly allowed to run wild on the college grounds and play 'Gobblers and kids' with her playmates and their daemons. Because here, in this world, your soul walks outside your body and takes animal shape. Awesomeness, no?
A-doin's transpire and Lyra is thrust from her comfortable home into a dangerous world of intrigue! And treachery! And is given a magical object (*spoiler!* It's the golden compass!) and meets many friends who help her on her way. Total RPG Mad Libs, right? AND THAT'S NOT EVEN A CRITICISM, BECAUSE IT'S PERFECT! It's exciting in all the right parts and funny in all the right parts and TERRIBLY, HEART-BREAKINGLY TRAGIC *le sob* in all the right parts. I feel like I'm carrying on, here.
And I've read the whole trilogy and I see where all the controversy stems from, but this is fiction, people, and damn good fiction. Let's all stop taking ourselves so seriously. Although, I've also seen the movie, and they've weeded out almost all the uncomfortable issues for Movie I but if they ever plan on making Movies II and III, they're going to have to find some way to shoe-horn those issues right back in because without them, there is no story. So.
I feel like I can't even be coherent and objective here. I am so full of love and bubbles for this book that I can hardly keep my skin on.
Nine and a half caterpillars.
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19 comments:
I'm dying to know what it takes to get 10 caterpillars from you. I thought for sure with all these accolades I'd finally see a 10, but nope.
I haven't read the book yet, but I think I pretty much have to after that gushing review.
You're a bit, ummm, enthusiastic about this. Sounds like you stayed up all night reading and then had 16 cups of coffee! I'm with Becca, what's a book gotta do to get 10 caterpillars??
Totally agree with you! Maybe we can both offer Pullman snuggles? lol
I'm with you there, with the love and the bubbles:D
This series is on my shortlist of books to read in the immidiate future, and I get so excited about them every time I read a glowing review like this one!
I love (and fully endorse) your opening statement :D I love this series to smithereens. I need to read it again. And again.
I've seen the movie - and have the trilogy on my TBR for later in the year :)
The Golden Compass is great. The idea of daemons was cool (I took a quiz - mine's a crow), and I loved Serafina. Plus Lyra was such a great little kid, she was full of so much fire and adorable sass.
It is a very, very good series. There's a mini-prequel too, Once Upon a Time in the North. Very short, less than 100 pages. It's about how Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison meet.
I nearly peed my pants, reading your method of getting old Phil out of his rage. That is what puts The Golden Compass on my wishlist.
Hee! Love this review and of course in total agreement with it.
I need to read this series again, and finish it this time! Having heard its so much crap, I've no desire to see the Movie, and wonder too how will they make a sequel without the Issues? But I love the book.
Have only read the first one but plan to read the rest; was disappointed in the film, especially the end. Love your enthusiasm!
And the second book is BETTER.
I have never even had the urge to read the "Golden Compass." Nor have I wanted to see the movie either.
But all those CAPS and No Spaces has now got me curious. Hmmmmm.
We can't be friends? Because while I am delighted with your passion about this book, I somehow can't see myself reading it. Are you challenging me?
This is such a great series!!! I really wish he'd hurry up and write The Book of Dust. In the meantime, you still have Lyra's Oxford and Once Upon a Time in the North to look forward to.
I haven't seem the film yet but probably will at some point. Why do they always have to make everything so tame and unoffensive? :(
Definitely reminds me to go back and pick up the second book in the series.
I guess it's kinda silly to leave comments a year after the review, but...
I have to disagree. This book (and the series) was decently written, but I could not figure out why everyone seem to fall instantly and irrationally in love with Lyra. She was such a snotty little brat. It always seemed like she just ran around and everyone else solved her problems and sacrificed themselves for her because they loved her.
The bittersweet ending was really the only redeeming feature of the series - no thick, cloying, unalloyed happiness.
However, even when I don't agree with your reviews I still enjoy them. They are hilarious.
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