Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
I decided to re-read this novel because I wanted to watch the BBC adaptation, His Dark Materials, and I felt I needed to revisit the story before watching it. I first read this trilogy as a teenager, and can’t remember much of the story.
I have mixed feelings about the book. The storyline itself is quite interesting. I also like Lyra – a strong girl who holds right to her beliefs. She is brave and fierce – she has some character traits that can be admired. Honestly, I prefer Lyra in the novel more than Lyra in the TV series.
There were a couple of things I didn’t like. The slating of the church/religion felt unnecessary. I’m not sure an author needs to push their own agenda or personal beliefs in a novel.
I also found the book a bit wordy. There were times I felt the writing was a bit dull and dragged; but then something exciting happened – enough to keep me reading. I reckon a chunk of this book could be removed and it wouldn’t be missed.
Overall, this is an OK book. I’ll probably read the other two in the series again. I will ignore the anti-church storyline, like I did with this book, and push through the dry spells in the book.
3 out of 5