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Home > Books > Fiction > Children's Books > H Children's Books > His Dark Material I: Northern Lights - Philip Pullman

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for His Dark Material I: Northern Lights - Philip Pullman

Rating Summary based on 52 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    		44
  • 4 Stars
    		8
  • 3 Stars
    		0
  • 2 Stars
    		0
  • 1 Star
    		0

Detailed rating

  • Characters
  • How does it compare to other works by the same author?
  • How does it compare to similar books?
  • Readability
  • Story
  		• 4.7
  		• 3.7
  		• 4.2
  		• 4.8
  		• 4.8

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Previous page Next page Page 1 of 6 | 1 to 10 out of 52 Review(s)
  • 39 of 39 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of brokenangelkisses

    Level 6 brokenangelkisses

    Member since 24/11/2003

    Reviews written: 175

    5 Stars Is she bold and brave or just a pawn of destiny? 25/05/2009
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages engaging characters; cleverly created world; interesting plot

    Disadvantages Disadvantages sense of destiny could slightly undermine sense of heroine's bravery

    This has been on my mental TBR pile for years, but despite all the recommendations from just about everyone, I remained slightly wary as I am not a great fan of the fantasy genre. In fact, I’m not really a fan of it at all. I love Douglas Adams, but his unique brand of comic fantasy is not exactly typical of the genre, which has a tendency in my mind to try to take itself too seriously. I even failed to read ‘Lord of the Rings’, dropping it after a few dull chapters, and have thus far refused to consider reading any Harry Potter. Still, when I saw the first in the famous ‘His Dark Materials’ ... more
  • 43 of 43 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of mamba17

    mamba17

    5 Stars Enter a different world 03/11/2005
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Fantastic, original

    Disadvantages Disadvantages nothing

    I first heard of this book over three years ago when one of my friends kept on nagging at me to read it. Now I didn't like this friend very much so I decided not to read it but one day when I saw Northern Lights lying around in my sisters room I actually picked it up and decided to give it a go. Since reading the book I had to read the sequels to it which are The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. I have also seen the play version of the trilogy in London. His Dark Materials is legend and has won the author Phillip Pullman the Carnegie Prize for his innovativeness and mystery in the novels ... more
  • 8 of 8 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of saiyuri

    saiyuri

    5 Stars Northern Lights - an epic journey to the edge of this world. 03/06/2010
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages incredibly readable, characters which envoke compassion and a thrilling storyline.

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Could be longer and slightly predictable in parts if you have read more than a few fantasy books!

    I was rather hesitant at first reading this book as deemed it aimed at older children however I’m rather glad my boyfriend persisted (and not being able to find the next book in the series I wanted to read probably helped!) and I gave in and read it, cover to cover in just over a day. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it before as the story line seems somewhat familiar but it’s been such a long time I got the privilege or a fresh look at this book. This book can be brought under two different titles due to the film based on it (have seen it at the cinema but didn’t leave a lasting impression so will ... more
  • 58 of 58 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of ashtonluke

    Level 5 ashtonluke

    Member since 27/06/2004

    Reviews written: 41

    5 Stars An armoured bear, witches and Dust. 23/08/2004
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Great story, fantastic characters

    Disadvantages Disadvantages None

    Introduction This review forms the first of my three-part review of the ‘His Dark Materials’ set of novels. His Dark Materials is split into three books. The first book is the one that I am reviewing now and this is called Northern Lights. The other two books are called The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. These books were written by a man called Philip Pullman. They in fact came third in the BBC’s Big Read competition and have received critical acclaim from all over the World. I first came across the novels late last year. I had some gift vouchers for WHSmith and the first instalment ... more
  • 128 of 128 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Bigbaz

    Level 7 Bigbaz

    Member since 06/02/2001

    Reviews written: 115

    5 Stars Genesis The Prelude. 15/11/2003
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Gripping, Entertaining

    Disadvantages Disadvantages You will not want to put it down.

    Have you ever been to Oxford? Yes, well I wonder if you have because you know there are at least two Oxfords and perhaps thousands of others all existing at the same time unseen but non the less existing in parallel universes and it is into one of these parallel Oxford's that the story begins. You see I first became aware of “Northern Lights” by Phillip Pullman while reading a review here on Ciao. Who the writer of the review was eludes me but I owe him or her a great debt of gratitude for introducing me to this the first part of Pullman’s “The Dark Skies Trilogy”. It has to be said that the ... more
  • 75 of 75 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Collingwood21

    Collingwood21

    4 Stars A Weapon of Mass Distraction 16/03/2003
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Totally and utterly original, Suitable for children and adults

    Disadvantages Disadvantages The opening was a little weak

    "Stories are the most important thing in the world. Without stories, we wouldn't be human beings at all." Philip Pullman. Not so long ago, my search for something new and interesting to read brought me to the covers of "Northern Lights" by Philip Pullman (via Harry Potter). For those of you unfamiliar with the title, it is book one of the His Dark Materials trilogy; a publishing phenomenon that I'm sure will have filtered into your consciousness on some level over the past few years. Now, I am not normally one to read children's books (although in my defence, the author does actually say that ... more
  • 33 of 33 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Merv

    Merv

    5 Stars A Daemonstrably Good Book 22/11/2002
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Very well written, imaginative storyline, wonderful descriptive passages

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Can't put it down

    “The Aurora blazed all of a sudden into brilliant life. Like the long finger of binding power that plays between two terminals, except that this was a thousand miles high and ten thousand miles long: dipping, soaring, undulating, glowing, a cataract of glory.” This is how Phillip Pullman describes his Northern Lights in the book of the same name. My Brother in law is from Aberdeen and the very mention of the ‘Northern Lights’ brings a tear to his eye and a unique rendering of “The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen mean home sweet home to me...” I’ve ... more
  • 20 of 20 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of No_name

    No_name

    5 Stars His Beautiful Material 22/11/2003
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Beautifully written, expertly crafted, unbearably emotional

    Disadvantages Disadvantages It has to finish

    Philip Pullman was a name known to me and his work something I saw on the periphery of my vision. I saw the title The Northern Lights but that was all. If someone mentioned the book, on TV or something, it registered vaguely, but I was kind of uncertain as to exactly what it was all about. I’m not quite sure why I went and looked at it in the bookshop a month or two back, I simply did. I picked it up and read a paragraph or two as is my wont in a bookshop. I bought it with two other books and returned home. The next day I rushed out to buy the two sequels. I rest my case. But more specifically ... more
  • 21 of 21 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Bryn_Pearson

    Bryn_Pearson

    5 Stars A Gripping Tale 11/02/2003
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages excellent story and setting

    Disadvantages Disadvantages none

    'Northern Lights' is the first book in the Dark Materials trilogy. As is usually the case with first instalments, it stands alone very nicely, but the odds are good that once you've read it, you will be unable to resist the other two. I gather this is a children's book. I'm no expert in children's reading, but I have to say this must be aimed at older children - the language is diverse and challenging, the plots complex and some of the key concepts take some thinking about (more so in the later books though.) Furthermore, there's a fair helping of violence and tragedy, with 'good guys' having ... more
  • 12 of 12 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Sheet

    Sheet

    4 Stars Northern Lights Review 21/10/2001
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Interesting Read

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Patience Required

    This was an essay written by me for my Year 9 English class. Phillip Pullman brings another masterpiece to readers, in Northern Lights. First published in 1995 by Scholastic, the book is re-issued again by the same publishers. The story revolves around a young spitfire named Lrya. After sneaking into a forbidden room and hiding in a closet, she discovers some startling and mysterious facts. She vaguely learns about Dust, but wants to learn more about this mysterious entity. The plot revolves around her trying to unravel more and more answers to questions, which prevent more questions ... more
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