From: Susan Daugherty <kdaugherty>
Date: Mon, 07 May 2001 12:32:23 -0500

I need to echo what several others have said. My reading long, long ago of the first book didn't make me love Lyra, didn't make me believe in the world totally (though I enjoy usually get into the worlds of fantasy), and generally left me feeling unsatisfied. It may be that the problem was that he depends upon your reading the second book to enjoy the first one totally. That strikes me as a bad idea. Books should stand on their own. For me Tolkien, LeGuin, and Lewis (except for some of the later books) represent the best of fantasy.

I purposely waited until the last book came out, so I could give it another whirl without forgetting the plot and character details. The enthusiasm most of you express pushed me to reserve The Golden Compass yesterday at the public library. After reading about the depth to which many of you have thought about Pullman's books, maybe I am just too distracted by my life to go into his world as thoroughly as you have. But then, I would think I read more like a kid reader would. I'll try to keep an open mind and see the wonderment some of you see in it. I hope it's as good as you say.

With regard to Dr. Ruth's comments about loving a book, I think when I say I love a book (the highest compliment), it means that the book was well written, makes me think, and presents a world believably that I can whole-heartedly enter into. If one of those elements is missing, then I might only like the book, or feel nothing about it, or hate it! So far I'd have to say that I liked the Golden Compass the first time but found it fairly forgettable.

Susan Daugherty
Received on Mon 07 May 2001 12:32:23 PM CDT