the northern lights trilogy (the best review i can manage with no spoilers)
⛰ What It's About
a girl, original sin, the meaning of life
yeah for a children’s book Pullman deals with a lot of stuff!
🔍 How I Discovered It
I cannot remember but I do remember my initial confusion reading them, then getting hooked
🧠 Thoughts
the books get better and better
from starting as a little girl brought up in a small college at Oxford University running over the rooftops, these books reach unimaginable proportions only really understandable when I think of the books influence from Paradise lost.
Most authors wouldn’t dare facing such large themes. The fact Pullman does makes these books even more impressive.
What I Liked About It
everything. almost everything
the magical element
the pure sense of adventure that encapsulates these books
the learning, and the fact that pullman doesn’t hide his young protagonist from some truly impossible choices.
escape, hunted, adventure, hunting, exploring, learning, manipulating and so much more.
Twists to fill your boots.
Fantasy inter linked with science.
Whilst this trilogy may never reach the heights of paradise lost, which is partly its inspiration, it has gone to be read by millions from across age groups and become one of the UK’s favourite books. If you are looking for a friend in a book, you will never find a better one than Lyra.
What I Didn't Like About It
The confusion at the beginning until you appreciate that Lyra truly lives in a different, yet all so similar world.
🥰 Who Would Like It?
enjoyers of fantasy and adventure books. If you have read swallows and amazons or Chaos walking and enjoyed them this book is probably a good fit.
However to limit it to the audience of those books would be to way undersell it.
📚 Related Books
Chaos Walking trilogy (eg. the knife of never letting go)