The Golden Compass the Graphic Novel Volume 2 by Philip Pullman and adapted and illustratrated by Stephane Melchior and Clement Oubrerie

Summary on Goodreads:

This second volume of the graphic novel finds Lyra in the far North. With the help of Gyptian fighters, newfound witch allies, and the armored bear Iorek Byrnison, she means to rescue the children held captive by the notorious Gobblers.

The stunning full-color art offers both new and returning readers a chance to experience the story of Lyra, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary role to play in the fates of multiple worlds, in an entirely unique way.

Published in 50 countries with over 22 million copies sold, The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass are renowned for their engrossing storytelling and epic scope. These modern classics are must-reads for every book lover.

Review:

One of my favorite fantasy series of all times is His Dark Materials. I even dressed up as the third book in the series one year for Halloween. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to learn of the graphic novels being made. I was lucky enough to find the first one at BEA a couple of years ago. And I had to put a request in for the second as soon as I heard it was coming out.

I have to say, going into this review, that I am biased. The Golden Compass is one of those books I read over and over and over again growing up. This series probably comes in second to me, only after Harry Potter. I would probably love any version of this story I could get my hands on (as long as it wasn’t butchered and destroyed).

With that bias in mind, this was pure gold. I loved it. I loved getting a new perspective into this incredibly well written and complex world. I loved getting a visual for things I remember being described and working hard to get a clear image of before. Here, I get to see what a boy separated from his daemon actually looked like. I got to see a sky full of flying witches. I saw firsthand what Iorek Byrnison looked like when he first reunited with his armor.

Yes, I saw these things in the movie too. But, I kind of like to pretend that the movie never happened. Sometimes, I guess it’s okay to see things in graphic novel format, but movie formatting just doesn’t work.

I like that the graphic novels are being done in 3 parts. This is a big book, and I’d hate for things to be cut out because of time constraints. I like that I’m still getting all the details this way. It helps that there is no boring part of the story. Parts 1, 2, and 3 will all be equally compelling because the plot stays strong throughout. The artwork does a good job of showing the character’s movements and emotions.

Really, reading this feels like re-reading the book in a new perspective. And I’m so glad to have the opportunity to read this story again for what kind of feels like the first time. I love this reunion with one of my all time favorites.

I’m not sure if people who have not read the original text would enjoy this as much. It reads more like a special present for the already existing fans. It would still read as a high action adventure story with curious ideas and even more curious characters, but I do think the real magic here is in the re-read. I give it a 9/10.