After watching the movie “the golden compass” for christmas (I was enchanted by the story/idea but a little disappointed by the movie) I did a little research… it is actually called “Northern Lights” and is the first part of a trilogy called “His Dark Materials” by Philip Pullman and it goes so much deeper than the movie.. I really don’t regret having banned television out of my life.. I think I might ban movies next.

This book has shaken me like few before.. partly because of the “steampunk” / fantasy setting but also because of Pullman’s way how he follows the protagonists – Lyra (and later Will) – and their “Daemons” through a fantastic adventure and (to quote wikipedia)

His Dark Materials, a trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman, comprises Northern Lights (1995 — released as The Golden Compass in North America), The Subtle Knife (1997) and The Amber Spyglass (2000). The trilogy follows the coming of age of two children, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, as they wander through a series of parallel universes against a backdrop of epic events. The story involves fantasy elements such as witches and armoured polar bears, but alludes to a broad range of ideas from fields such as physics, philosophy, and theology.

Now that I have a child (and I hope more will come) that might one day request from me to read them stories: This one is definitely on the list!!!

Spoilers follow, if you plan to read the book, don’t read on…

…the way the Daemons are described, how they interact with each other and how they are responsible for our emotions and affections but also our intelligence and curiosity… it is precisely the way it feels when you are in love or you are being loved.. I rarely have felt so much for a character in a book than I did when following Lyra and Will through their adventure and also through their coming of age and discovering love. Soooooo beautiful and sooooo tragic at the same time.

Also the way he deals with the church.. of course, at a first glance it looks like he is speaking of the church as a corrupt and imperative organisation to manipulate people and only serve itself and of the intended destruction of god.. it is different!!!
Read the book and you will be able to love life and even god afterwards – in fact: I do love life even more now. It definitely raises some questions (the church even encouraged people not to watch the movie!!!) but is never bad to question reality!

Heaven is a lie!
Love life to the max as afterwards comes nothing! :)

The only thing he has in common with the ideas of the church is: In the end we turn into Dust/dust :P

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