While I’m an avid Philip Pullman reader, I have to admit that I never warmed up to The Golden Compass, which is why I wasn’t eager to finish the His Dark Materials trilogy. I have a tolerance point for fantasy books — I usually draw the line at unpronounceable names, epic quests, made-up languages, and maps of imaginary lands unless the author can find a way to reel me in. The Golden Compass isn’t really hardcore fantasy, but I found it too serious for a young adult novel, and religious (whether for or anti) propaganda isn’t really my thing, so the book didn’t appeal to me. I preferred Pullman’s singular works outside of His Dark Materials, such as Clockwork, I Was A Rat, The Scarecrow and His Servant, The Firework Maker’s Daughter, The Gas-fitter’s Ball, Spring-heeled Jack, and The Butterfly Tattoo.
While I didn’t take a liking to The Golden Compass, I did manage to read it twice. About a year after reading the first book, the party-planning outfit I put up with my cousin Dianne, Silverdoe Productions (hahaha, let’s see who can figure out why) got our first real assignment (outside of our own birthday parties) — Sophie’s 7th birthday party! It was a birthday party for Sophie, who’s the niece of our high school classmate Elena, held at the Powerplant Cinema with a special screening of The Golden Compass movie!
