The Golden Compass Graphic Novel, Volume 1

Starred review from June 29, 2015
Pullman’s His Dark Materials ranks with the work of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, and this graphic adaptation is the first of three books from a French team that will cover the events of The Golden Compass. It introduces the fierce and canny Lyra Belacqua, whose quest is set in a steampunk Europe where the Magesterium, a church government of Orwellian dimensions, plots to deprive its subjects of free will. Oubrerie’s characters are, at first glance, rougher and shaggier than Pullman’s polished work might suggest, but readers are quickly drawn into the dreaming spires of Jordan College, the magnificence of Lyra’s nemesis Mrs. Coulter’s mansion, and the fens of the water-dwelling gyptians, all presented in a fast-paced series of compressed, closely-worked panels. The story’s signature fantasies—the daemons, animal companions possessed by every person in this alternate universe; the armored mercenary polar bears called panserbjorne; and the alethiometer, Lyra’s truth diviner—are realized with compelling force (and, in the case of the daemons, humor). Skillfully translated back into English, Melchior-Durand and Oubrerie’s retelling will bring Pullman’s work new fans and give previous readers new pleasure. Ages 10–up.

July 1, 2015

Gr 6 Up-The first book of Pullman's acclaimed "His Dark Materials" series, The Golden Compass, appears in a well-told and well-drawn graphic format in this volume, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the book's publication. The graphic novel adaptation divides the first book into three volumes, with this first volume following Lyra up until the time that she sails for the North with the gyptians. With Lyra, readers will overhear plots in Jordan College; suffer the loss of her friend, Roger; and receive the mysterious alethiometer. They will escape from Mrs. Coulter and join the gyptians in their camp in the fens, all the while hoping to reunite with her uncle, Lord Asriel, who has gone to the North. The artists' interpretation of the work pairs well with the story. The somewhat muted color scheme reinforces the Dickensian feel of the novels. The characters and their backdrops are drawn in a style reminiscent of a child's hand, albeit with a sophistication and level of detail not expected of a child. VERDICT Whether this is a reader's first experience with the tale or they are already familiar with the story, they should be delighted by this rendition.-Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2015
Lyra Belaqua begins her journey north again in this graphic-novel adaptation of Philip Pullman's classic fantasy. Twenty years after the publication of The Golden Compass, Melchior-Durand and Oubrerie reimagine the dark fantasy series through the graphic format. This installment adapts the first third of the original novel-in which Lyra leaves her home at Jordan College, finds refuge with the gyptians, and learns the truth about her parentage-leaving the rest of the tale for future volumes. The script is well-paced and deftly condenses the original text to the demands of graphic storytelling. However, the artwork is often disappointing. While the illustrations do a fine job of establishing a sense of time and place, the figures are stiff and don't do justice to the story's many charismatic personalities. For instance, the graphic novel's Mrs. Coulter lacks the seductive magnetism that makes her so dangerously alluring when she first appears in the original novel. Purists may also be annoyed by details that aren't faithful to the novel. The original text repeatedly describes Lyra as blonde, but she is a brunette here. It's a minor complaint, but it's hard to see why a change was necessary at all. Best for readers new to the series, who won't be distracted by comparisons with the original. (Graphic fantasy. 11 & up)

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August 1, 2015
Grades 6-9 This graphic-novel adaptation of Pullman's wildly popular The Golden Compass (1996) takes readers through about the first third of the novel. Raised by the academics of Jordan College in Oxford, Lyra is a bit of a wild child. Her uncle, Lord Asriel, announces a discovery that could shake the foundations of the Church, and then he disappears on an expedition to the North. Meanwhile, Lyra learns some troubling things: the truth about her parents; her caretaker Mrs. Coulter's responsibility for the predatory Gobblers; and her own destined, pivotal role in a mission to rescue the gyptian children. Originally published in French, this adaptation boasts an accessible translation and European-style artwork in a subdued, appropriately old-fashioned color palette. The small and detailed but very clear panels are full of expressive faces, discernible action, and moody shadowing. Readers familiar with Pullman's novel will appreciate this artistic adaptation, as will readers who simply prefer graphic novels to prose. Two forthcoming volumes will complete the adaptation of the first novel in Pullman's series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)