The Golden Compass

by Philip Pullman

Although the majority of the book and the movie are the same, there are some startling differences, such as the ending. This is the story of a young girl named Lyra, who lives in a world where each person has what is called a "demon", which is essentially their soul in an living animal form. The "goblers", also known as the General Oblation Board, have been snatching children in order to do experiments to find out more about something called "dust".

Lyra is swept up into the fight of good and evil when her friend Rodger is kidnapped. She is armed with her golden compass, which has the ability to tell her the truth, as she goes on a quest to rescue the captured children. But, the plot goes deeper and the danger is closer to her than she can imagine. With the help of an armored bear, a flying balloon, and an army of witches, Lyra has the power to stop the goblers from completing their evil deeds.

The reason the book, in particular, has been so controversial is because of the mention and adaptation of Genesis in the Bible, which is incorporated into the story containing mention of people's demons. This part was left out of the movie version.

I found the story full of fascinating characters and a suspenseful plotline. Taken as a story of pure imagination and fantasy, without reading further into the religious suggestions made by the author, it is a great read.