The Golden Compass

Pullman, P. (1996). The golden compass. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0679879242

Plot Summary

                      Orphaned Lyra Belacqua and her daemon – a manifestation of the soul in the form of a spirit animal – live at Jordan College and spend much of their time playing pranks and starting trouble with a kitchen boy, Roger.  When her uncle, Lord Asriel, visits the college, she learns through eavesdropping of his plans to study a mysterious substance known as dust.  After Lord Asriel moves on, tragedy strikes when Roger is kidnapped by a child-stealing group known as Gobblers.  Lyra is determined to rescue him but first accepts an apprenticeship with the beautiful Mrs. Coulter.  Before leaving the college, Lyra is given an alethiometer, a complicated pocket watch-type device that can answer any question if manipulated by a skilled user.  This device must be kept secret and delivered to Lord Asriel.  Immediately Mrs. Coulter’s daemon tries to steal the device, making Lyra suspicious; soon after she overhears that Mrs. Coulter is one of the Gobblers and runs for her life.  This marks the beginning of Lyra’s dangerous and thrilling journey.  With the help of allies such as an exiled bear prince, good witches, and a balloonist, as well as the alethiometer which begins responding to her with eerie accuracy, she quests to escape the Gobblers, deliver the alethiometer, and stop the atrocities acted out upon the stolen children.   

Critical Analysis

                        This is a rich and gorgeous tale filled with treacherous landscapes, diverse and fascinating characters, tragedy, adventure, and narrow escape.  Despite Pullman’s creation of a completely new world with its own unique set of rules and characters, the reader has no trouble following the complex plot line.  There is a great deal of sadness in this story, such as Iorek’s plight, the bear prince who has lost his kingdom and his armor, and the heartbreaking practice of intercision, wherein a child is severed from its daemon, effectively robbing the child of its soul. The sadness is offset by triumph and beauty throughout as Lyra gathers allies, frees the children, and draws closer to her goal.  Lyra is a wonderful character, reminiscent of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird in her fearlessness, intelligence, and sense of right and wrong.  Lyra thinks nothing of putting herself in peril in order to help others – foremost her friend Roger and the other stolen and damaged children, but also Iorek and Lord Asriel.  The premise behind the story is fascinating and densely layered, keeping the reader constantly engaged and leaning towards what will happen next.  There are heavy issues addressed here such as death, exploitation, abandonment, and betrayal, and Pullman does not shy away from them, making this a somewhat dark novel at times.  His prose is tight and his descriptions are luminous.  The alethiometer, the Gyptian’s ship, the college, Mrs. Coulter’s apartment and Mrs. Coulter herself in all of her evil glory, the brutal landscape in the north, Bolvangar where the children are mistreated and ultimately severed from their daemons in what is arguably the most upsetting part of the book – all of this is seen in perfect detail.   In short, this entire book is compelling and completely original. There is an undeniable momentum that makes it hard to put down and will definitely leave the reader ready for the next in the series. 

Reader’s Annotation

                              When Lyra’s best friend is kidnapped, she knows she must rescue him.  What follows is a quest to save her friend and the other stolen children, deliver a priceless instrument to her uncle, and solve the mystery of dust, the strange, ethereal substance her uncle is studying.   

About the Author

                           Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, England and received his education in England, Zimbabwe, and Australia.  His family finally settled in North Wales.  He went to college for English and became a teacher in his mid-twenties, sparking a lifelong interest in education.  He began publishing books in 1982 and continues to write and publish today, as well as speak publicly on writing, education, and other matters. 

                            Many of his books are quite critically acclaimed.  He has won awards such as the Eleanor Farjeon Award for children's literature, the Carnegie Medal and Carnegie of Carnegies (a best-of the Carnegies Award, basically), and the Astrid Lindgren Award.  His novel The Amber Spyglass won the Whitbread Award; it was the first children's book to receive this honor.

Genre

        Science fiction - steampunk

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include magic, witches and other mythical creatures, discussion of theological issues such as the soul, and discussion of religion.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                        English and Writing: the genre of science fiction, creating an alternate world, prose, and imagery.

Booktalk

             Kidnapping, parallel worlds, evil scientists, cruel surgical procedures in the name of research, bears and witches and spirit animals – this book has everything.  The story of The Golden Compass is packed nonstop with one amazing twist after another.  It will make you sad, it will make you laugh, it will keep you engaged from the first word to the last – and the best part is there’s more.  This is only the first book in the series.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                               Grades 8-12.    

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                       Pullman creates a rich and complete alternate reality in The Golden Compass.  In addition to the fact that this book is a great read, fully absorbing and entertaining, there are also important issues addressed, such as the exploitation of children.  Teens will respond to this book and find themselves compelled to read the next two in the series.

References
Pullman, P. (2009). About Phillip Pullman. Retrieved from  http://www.philip-pullman.com/about.asp