Book Addiction

The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman

From amazon.com -

Some books improve with age–the age of the reader, that is. Such is certainly the case with Philip Pullman’s heroic, at times heart-wrenching novel, The Golden Compass, a story ostensibly for children but one perhaps even better appreciated by adults. The protagonist of this complex fantasy is young Lyra Belacqua, a precocious orphan growing up within the precincts of Oxford University. But it quickly becomes clear that Lyra’s Oxford is not precisely like our own–nor is her world. For one thing, people there each have a personal dæmon, the manifestation of their soul in animal form. For another, hers is a universe in which science, theology, and magic are closely allied:

As for what experimental theology was, Lyra had no more idea than the urchins. She had formed the notion that it was concerned with magic, with the movements of the stars and planets, with tiny particles of matter, but that was guesswork, really. Probably the stars had dæmons just as humans did, and experimental theology involved talking to them.

Not that Lyra spends much time worrying about it; what she likes best is “clambering over the College roofs with Roger the kitchen boy who was her particular friend, to spit plum stones on the heads of passing Scholars or to hoot like owls outside a window where a tutorial was going on, or racing through the narrow streets, or stealing apples from the market, or waging war.” But Lyra’s carefree existence changes forever when she and her dæmon, Pantalaimon, first prevent an assassination attempt against her uncle, the powerful Lord Asriel, and then overhear a secret discussion about a mysterious entity known as Dust. Soon she and Pan are swept up in a dangerous game involving disappearing children, a beautiful woman with a golden monkey dæmon, a trip to the far north, and a set of allies ranging from “gyptians” to witches to an armor-clad polar bear.

In The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman has written a masterpiece that transcends genre. It is a children’s book that will appeal to adults, a fantasy novel that will charm even the most hardened realist. Best of all, the author doesn’t speak down to his audience, nor does he pull his punches; there is genuine terror in this book, and heartbreak, betrayal, and loss. There is also love, loyalty, and an abiding morality that infuses the story but never overwhelms it. This is one of those rare novels that one wishes would never end. Fortunately, its sequel, The Subtle Knife, will help put off that inevitability for a while longer.

My thoughts -

I know I mentioned before how I really don’t have much experience with fantasy aside from the Harry Potter series (which, by the way, are some of my favorite books of all time).  Having read and loved that series, I’ve always wanted to read more fantasy but simply have never gotten around to it until this point.  I’m thrilled to say that I truly enjoyed beginning the His Dark Materials series and I’m very excited to continue on with it.  Admittedly, it took me a little while to get used to Lyra’s world… there was definitely a learning curve for me; trying to figure out what this dæmon thing is all about, who are all these other creatures, and what is the point of this story in the first place.  But once things started falling into place, the story really took off for me and I lost myself in it.  I don’t know what else to say, really, except that I just really loved this book and am very happy that I have the rest of the series in my possession so that I can get to reading it soon.

9 stars.

Also reviewed by: Raych at books i done read, Darcie at Reading Derby, Vixen’s Daily Reads, Trish at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’?, Dewey at The Hidden Side of a Leaf, Care’s Online Book Club, bookchronicle at Adventures in Reading, Biblioaddict, and Charley at Bending Bookshelf. (if I missed you, please let me know!)

Harriet the Spyby Louise Fitzhugh

From the back cover -

“When I grow up I’m going to find out everything about everybody and put it all in a book.”

So writes Harriet M. Welsch, who is determined to grow up to be a famous author.  In the meantime, she practices by following a regular spy route each day and writing down everything she sees in a secret notebook.

“Janie gets stranger every day.  I think she might blow up the world.  I once saw Miss Elson when she didn’t see me and she was picking her nose.”

Then one morning, Harriet’s life is turned upside down.  Her classmates find her spy notebook and read it out loud.  Harriet’s in big trouble.  The other sixth-graders are stealing her tomato sandwiches, forming a spy-catcher club, and writing notes of their own - all about Harriet!

My thoughts -

When I was a kid, I probably read this book over 100 times.  No kidding, it was absolutely, positively, my favorite book ever.  I even spent a brief (I mean very brief, like two days) period of time writing in my own notebook throughout the day all of my observations about the world around me.  I never went so far as to create a spy route, but I sure did love Harriet M. Welsch.

I hadn’t read Harriet the Spy in probably ten years at least when I decided to mooch it for the nostaligia aspect, and I’m so glad I did.  Rereading this book was like catching up with an old friend, someone that you know so well and knows you better than you know yourself.  I almost could recite every word on every page, but it was still so much fun to read about Harriet again.  I’m definitely keeping this book around for my own kids (when I have them), and probably to reread again later on.

10 stars.

 Read Valentina’s review here.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

From the back cover -

Ten year old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend, Ellen Rosen, often think about the way life was before the war.  It’s now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching in thier town.  The Nazis won’t stop.  The Jews of Denmark are being “relocated” so Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be part of the family.  Then Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission.  Somehow she must find the strength and courage to save her best friend’s life.  There is no turning back.

My thoughts -

I read this book for purely sentimental reasons.  I LOVED it when I was a little kid, and when I saw someone reviewed it a while back I decided to mooch it and reread.  Obviously, it lived up to my every expectation because I practically had the entire story memorized anyway.  But it was a fun read, curled up in bed one night I read it in one sitting and I’m glad I revisited it.  I’d definitely recommend this book to kids and adults (like I said in another post about kids books, I’m terrible with knowing what books are good for what ages, so when I say “kids” I’m not totally sure what I mean by that).

Rating - 10/10

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

From the back cover -

Jess Aarons’ greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade.  He’s been practicing all summer and can’t wait to see his classmates’ faces when he beats them all.  But on the first day of school, a new kid, a new girl, boldly crosses over to the boys’ side of the playground and outruns everyone.

That’s not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable.  It doesn’t matter to Jess that Leslie dresses funny, or that her family has a lot of money - but no TV.  Leslie has imagination.  Together, she and Jess create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits.  Then one morning a terrible tragedy occurs.  Only when Jess is able to come to grips with this tragedy does he finally understand the strength and courage Leslie has given him.

My thoughts -

I actually never got around to reading this one as a child, so when I saw that they were making a movie about it a few months ago, I mooched it just in case I ever saw the movie I’d have read the book first, and I finally read it the other day.  I can see why this book won the Newbery Medal (in 197 because it sent a great message to kids and was very well written.  I think the topics are a little heavy for littler kids, but still ok to read about, in my opinion.  I don’t know, when I was in fifth grade I was reading like high school age appropriate books so I’m never sure what types of books are good for what age kids now that I’m an adult.  But I really liked this book, I’ll be sure to pass it along to my niece when she gets older (a LOT older, she is 5 months now haha), and will be recommending it to my future children as well, it’s definitely one of those timeless books that will never grow out of style.

Rating - 9/10