Let me start by daying this: I did not finish reading this book. I rarely do this because even when I do not like a book I push myself into it, I always think the ending could be great & I would be missing something worth reading. That said, I couldn't finish the Golden Compass maybe it was because I read it in spanish & I'm not use to translations, but either way it sucked. It's about a FREAKING 12 year old! I just can't believe that, there's so much implausible things going on I better don't get started on them. I reached midway through it before I stopped reading & I got that far because I wanted to read about the bear. Maybe someday I'll read it again and love it, until then I'll hang my head in defeat.