How old were you when you read P. Pullman's THE GOLDEN COMPASS" ?

25. Read it, and listened to the audiobook while leveling a Druid in a game called World of Warcraft.

While I come from a stance where G-d is sacred, this book does have a well pronounced stance against the concept of a god, and views organized religion as oppressive. Being a person who believes she is right, but that others are entitled to their world view as much as I am, I do not fault Pullman.

There are other themes in this trilogy as well, that I believe only adults or precocious children will grasp. I have aught with Lyra being praised for her “silvertongue” (being a liar), the blood and gore, descriptive events… These are best left out – abridged for children.

But there are always those who say “kids will learn of it anyway, why bother hindering them?” and to that I respond – too many kids grow up too quickly – I believe childhood should be preserved as long as possible.

@jiboo420. That last remark is not exactly helpful literary criticism. Have you read the trilogy? Have you thought of enlarging your vocabulary?

I read it in perhaps fifth grade, four years ago. It was on a list of books that we could read at that time. I thought it was interesting; pretty much the only reason people are attacking the series is because the author is atheist and introduces atheist ideas in the series.

I was 31. Great books : )

Read it in about 1999, at age 56. Completely entranced. I think I was old enough by then. To me the most important part comes in the third book of the trilogy, all about
how the physical world is interlinked and if you destroy one process, others fall with it.

Speaking of the inter-connected worlds and offshoots of timelines – I found the concept genius. I love science fiction and fantasy, because of all the great ideas – and the trilogy really delivers a lot of conceptual treats!

i read them when the first came out, no idea how old i was

I read them when I was 11. I think I had the average reading ability of an older teenager at least, maybe a 15 year old. When I was six I had the average reading ability of a 12 year old so that would make sense. I don’t believe that I’ve grown up too quickly though, just because of what I read. I am indeed a bookworm and to say that these books are the best books I have ever read means something because I have read a lot of books in my short life. However, when I read them the first time, I rushed through them so quickly because they were so exciting and amazing. I think I did get some of the sophistocated ideas just from my advanced reading experience, but I tried to explain to my friends and they didn’t get it so I left it. When I went back to read them again, a year later, I slowed down, took in a lot more and even cried in some places when things touched me, which is in itself strange because I don’t cry easily. I read them again, another year later, and still took in more. I have not read them again since, but I think I will soon, when I’ve finished the books I recieved for my 16th birthday. I will either get even more out of them now, having a more mature mind (I hope… :P) or less now that I have surpassed Lyra’s age and can no longer imagine myself in her place.