Lyra Belacqua is being educated by Oxford Scholars. After her uncle returns for a trip with news about mysterious dust, Lyra becomes adventurous. Strange things began to happen and even more so when she and her daemon, Pantalaimon stay with the strange Ms. Coulter. After she escapes Ms. Coulters, Lyra's life suffers various twists and turns.

Pullman's novel is extremely complex and overwhelming. With 351 pages, the book is the first in a series. Many of the concepts in the novel are advanced and more appropriate for adults. This novel is not an easy or appealing read and some young readers may be hesitant select it. The extremely graphic content contained in the novel may be more suitable for older teens.