A brief summary of The Golden Compass so far.

Lyra Belacqua is an eleven-year-old girl living in a universe that the author says is "like ours, but different in many ways." Every human in this universe has an animal manifestation of their soul that is with them at all times. Lyra is an orphan, or so she thinks, and living with scholars in Jordan College in Oxford. Lyra overhears a conversation between her uncle and benefactor, Lord Asriel, and several scholars at the college. She doesn't really understand what is being said, but she knows that her uncle is asking for money to travel to the north and study mysterious particles called Dust. Around this time, children are beginning to disappear to a group called the Gobblers, whose intentions and methods are unknown. Lyra is then sent to live with Mrs. Coulter, who at first seems very worldly and educated, and Lyra is enchanted. Before she leaves, the Master of Jordan College gives her a device called an alethiometer that even he doesn't understand. All he knows is that it tells the truth, and Lyra will have to figure out how to use it on her own. While living with Mrs. Coulter, Lyra comes to learn that she is actually a member of the General Oblation Board of London, aka the Gobblers. She still doesn't know what it is that the Oblation board does, but she knows it has to do with Dust and children in the north. Fearing for herself, Lyra runs away. She is caught by Gyptians, a community of nomadic people who live on boats. They are also looking for the Gobblers because some of their children were abducted. They use the information they have and what Lyra acquired by living with Mrs. Coulter to piece together everything they know about the Oblation Board: the children are taken far north to a place called Bolvangar. There the Oblation Board performs experiments on the children concerning their daemons and Dust. Lyra also comes to learn that her uncle, Lord Asriel, has been imprisoned by the Gobblers and is being held in the north. Lyra is taken in by the Costas, a family who Lyra knew from her life in Oxford. Lyra used to play with their son Billy who was taken by the Gobblers.