Northern Lights by Philip PullmanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The world Pullman creates in the first entry of the His Dark Materials trilogy feels completely plausible thanks to it's intricate and meticulously woven story and his character and location descriptions.
In a world similar but different to ours, where humanity are accompanied by their individual daemons, a physical extension of their own personality in the form of an animal familiar, Pullman tells the magical tale of Lyra, a Skywalker-esque character who's yet to understand her own importance in events that see children being kidnapped to undergo horrible, politically driven experiments in the desolate and chilling north. She finds herself on an adventure with unlikely companions in effort to save her friends and all the kidnapped children.
I'll say little more about the plot in an effort to avoid spoilers, but Lyra is a truly likeable staring character. Despite her lying tendencies, the way she so confidently carries herself around both her peers and her elders from the truly eclectic cast of characters is enchanting. From her relationship with Iorek Byrnison, an exiled, talking polar bear with a talent for metal work whom Lyra Grows to love, to wise man Fader Coram as a father figure and mentor. She also brings in some levity with her banter with the Texan Aeronaut Lee Scoresby and his completely suitable wisecracking hare daemon, who should be more annoying than they actually come across. Scoresby is struggling to find the balance between doing what is right and supporting Lyra, who he also becomes quickly attached to, and earning a himself a living.
The whole universe feels cold and dark; descriptions of scenery are mystical and lush, and Pullman's innovative use of language specific to Lyra's world which are synonymous with things from our old world, such as Electricity being Anbaric, is a great way to cement the whole idea of this parallel universe.
I was absorbed by this book, though it's teen fiction I never felt it pandered to a younger age group, and it's even downright brutal in places. It feels tense in both the action and politics throughout and is well paced, never dragging, never rushing and always willing you to just read one more chapter.
In all, His Dark Materials is fast becoming one of my favourites series. Recommended.
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