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Book Review By David Loftus
The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials 1 by Phillip Pullman

Lyra Belacqua has lived a fairly care-free 11 years at Oxford, climbing and playing. One day, in hiding, she overhears her powerful uncle, Lord Asriel, tell of a city in the sky, in the Aurora Borealis, and of Dust that travels between the city and earth. He mounts an investigatory expedition and disappears into the far north, into Lapland. Meanwhile, "Gobblers" have been stealing children -- rich and poor, educated and nomadic -- and Lyra is sent to London to study under the beautiful and myterious Mrs. Coulter. Her caretaker at Oxford, the Master, gives her a golden compass called an alethiometer and tells Lyra she must learn how to read it. Eventually, she will join a team of warriors who will ship north to Lapland to find and rescue the stolen children. Pullman's 1995 novel creates an entire world filled with magic and intrigue.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - rescue mission/escape from confinement
Political plotlets - factions fight within govt for control
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)
Descript. of chases or violence - 20 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30 %

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - a kid
If magical mental powers: - can talk to animals - clairvoyant

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status:
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can change shapes - can read emotions
Eccentric: Yes
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters

Setting
Terrain
Earth setting: - 20th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog
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