In search of clues to the mystery of her father's death, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart ventures into the shadowy underworld of Victorian London. Pursu...
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Dec 09, 2008
Larissa
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With a subtitle of "A Sally Lockhart Mystery," one might expect the first installment of said series to be about a girl who restores pinched puppies to their rightful dowdy owners. And you wouldn't be more wrong! The Ruby in the Smoke introduces Sally, a self-made woman already at 16 years old, with an accidental death and a call to action. Her father has died under mysterious circumstances, and it's up to her (and eventually a merry, ragtag band of comrades including an equally quickw
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Dec 18, 2008
LorCon
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I'm a big fan of Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, so I thought I would give this a try. Heck, I even liked the Golden Compass movie (two words--Daniel Craig). This is what librarians call "young adult" literature i.e. "for teenagers." As such, I find it a bit disturbing. I'm a far cry from a book-burning censor but this heroine is not my idea of a role model. Set in Victorian London, Sally Lockhart is an orphan (of course)who falls in with a Dickensian cast of chara
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Dec 01, 2008
Michael
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This book is a refreshing departure for Philip Pullman, for those of us who are only acquainted with His Dark Materials. It's a great mystery, immediately engaging with authentic, realistic characters and settings. I'd recommend it for adults and mature teenagers with a taste for dark mystery. I'll read the next one.
In fact, the only reason I can't give this book four stars is that parents need to be very cautious about the age and emotional maturity of children who read it. T More...
In fact, the only reason I can't give this book four stars is that parents need to be very cautious about the age and emotional maturity of children who read it. T More...
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Dec 17, 2007
Chrissie
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i read this trilogy approximately 7.5 million times when i was younger. so good. and it taught me all i know about opium use. no kidding.
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Mar 05, 2008
Ana T.
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I started this book with great expectation having heard so much about Pullman and his His Dark Materials books. Besides it is set in Victorian London and I love those stories.
Have you ever heard the phrase The Seven Blessings?
That question causes a man to die of shock, and propels Sally Lockhart into a desperate adventure that will expose the deepest secrets of the corrupt and murderous opium trade.
Sally is sixteen when the story begins, orphaned and alone. She's had an More...
Have you ever heard the phrase The Seven Blessings?
That question causes a man to die of shock, and propels Sally Lockhart into a desperate adventure that will expose the deepest secrets of the corrupt and murderous opium trade.
Sally is sixteen when the story begins, orphaned and alone. She's had an More...
Aug 09, 2011
procrastin8or
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This is the first in the "Sally Lockhart Mysteries" series concerning a quiet, reserved young girl as she attempts to unravel the mystery of her father's death. Set in Victorian England, this short novel is populated with a colourful cast of characters: cheeky cockney Jim, the sinister Mrs Holland, a noble photographer and his outspoken sister.
With their help, Sally gets suck into and then attempts to uncovers the mystery of a coded message she receives from her father and races agains More...
With their help, Sally gets suck into and then attempts to uncovers the mystery of a coded message she receives from her father and races agains More...
Jul 20, 2011
Barb
rated it:
I listened to my first audio book recently 'The Agency: A Spy in the House' by Y.S. Lee, which I enjoyed. A friend recommended 'The Ruby in the Smoke' by Philip Pullman, she said there were some similarities between the two stories and she thought I would enjoy Pullman's book as well.
'The Ruby in the Smoke' was more a more sophisticated story with better developed characters. Opium use and addiction factor into the story and there are several murders and scenes with violence which m More...
'The Ruby in the Smoke' was more a more sophisticated story with better developed characters. Opium use and addiction factor into the story and there are several murders and scenes with violence which m More...
Jul 02, 2011
Maggie
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f I had to name a children's/teen's author of the past twenty years most likely to be remembered over the next few centuries, it would have to be J.K. Rowling - it's hard to ignore an author that rewrites an entire culture. If we're talking runners-up, though, it's Philip Pullman hands down. Not only did he write one of the most exquisitely crafted and original fantasy trilogies ever in Northern Lights/The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, he also has written exquisitel
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May 06, 2011
Faye
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This first book of this series has a lot going for it: a suspenseful writing style; rich vocabulary; a tight, yet exciting plot line; good research; a critically acclaimed author, but about halfway through, I had to ask myself, "Why is it that I just don't seem to like it?"
Then I remembered the terms "Mary Sue" and "Gary Stu." That's it! We've got a female lead that:
- has tragically lost both parents
- runs away from a wickedly mean (for n More...
Then I remembered the terms "Mary Sue" and "Gary Stu." That's it! We've got a female lead that:
- has tragically lost both parents
- runs away from a wickedly mean (for n More...
Aug 12, 2010
Michelle
rated it:
Sally Lockhart wasn't an entirely new character to me when I first decided to sit down with The Ruby in the Smoke. My mom had recommended I give them a go a few years back and then Angie did a Retro Friday post on their awesomeness and so, consequently I've had them in the back of my mind ever since. Now I'm not really a dedicated mystery reader, but after finishing Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy earlier this year, I found myself stunned with his storytelling ability and curious abo
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Jun 02, 2010
Wendolinne
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I just finished reading the book The Ruby in the Smoke, by Philip Pullman. This book is about a young girl named Sally, whose father just died. He died on ship, well, that's what everybody thought. The truth is, he was murdered, then the ship was sunken. Sally received a mysterious letter, and that made her want to find out how her father died, and why. Throughout the book, she finds clues, and ends up trying to find out wha
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Apr 09, 2010
Janet
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Sally Lockhart is orphaned at 16, and is sent to live with her father’s second cousin, who resents the intrusion.
She receives a mysterious note in the post, warning her that her life is in danger, and telling to contact a man called Marchbanks, who will help her. It also contains the warning “beware of the seven blessings.”
With help from a lad called Jim at the shipping agents that her father worked for, Sally tries to solve the puzzle, whilst other people are plotting to kil More...
She receives a mysterious note in the post, warning her that her life is in danger, and telling to contact a man called Marchbanks, who will help her. It also contains the warning “beware of the seven blessings.”
With help from a lad called Jim at the shipping agents that her father worked for, Sally tries to solve the puzzle, whilst other people are plotting to kil More...
Jan 12, 2010
Cindy
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Fans of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series will find Ruby in the Smoke very different, but in many ways just as pleasurable to read. It opens with sixteen-year-old Sally Lockhart visiting her deceased father's shipping firm and accidentally causing one of his associates to die of a heart-attack when she ask him if he knows of the Seven Blessings. The phrase was on a piece of paper dictated by her father before his death and sent to her in secret.
Fearing that her life is in da More...
Fearing that her life is in da More...
Dec 19, 2009
Historical Tapestry
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This is the story of 16 year old orphan, Sally Lockhart. After her father sudden death, she receives a strange message... Decided to unveiled the mystery, the young woman starts an adventure who will change her life.
One of my problems with this book, is the main character – Sally. Many of her decisions and attitudes are not what we expect for a young woman of the late 19th century and she really felt terribly fake to me. Also, Sally is too perfect! No matter what, she always seems to More...
One of my problems with this book, is the main character – Sally. Many of her decisions and attitudes are not what we expect for a young woman of the late 19th century and she really felt terribly fake to me. Also, Sally is too perfect! No matter what, she always seems to More...
Nov 19, 2009
Beth
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This is the first of Philip Pullman's lesser known trilogy, the Sally Lockhart Mysteries. This is a series that my teenage self would have been thoroughly captivated by, had I know about it at the time. As it is I love a good mystery, especially one with great atmosphere like this one set in the 19th century in the dark and grimey streets of London. Sally Lockhart is a 16 year old girl, orphaned and looking for answers to her father's mysterious death overseas. I was hooked from the 1st paragra
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Oct 23, 2009
Angie
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I remember buying my copy of THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE at a B. Dalton bookstore in San Antonio, Texas. I liked the cover with the young girl in the cape holding something mysterious in a white handkerchief for a slightly creepy old woman to inspect. But, in the end, this was yet another example of a book I bought for the opening lines alone.
On a cold, fretful afternoon in early October, 1872, a hansom cab drew up outside the offices of Lockhart and Selby, Shipping Agents, in the financial hearMore...
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Jul 07, 2009
Mary
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The blurb on the back said I wouldn't be able to put this book down. I didn't believe it.
Sure, I've read the His Dark Materials trilogy, and I love I Was A Rat, but I've always shied away from the Sally Lockhart books because they looked, well, boring. I know, I know, I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but in this case I was also judging by its setting (Victorian? England) and lack of fantasy.
What finally convinced me to give the book a shot was actually the Doctor. More...
Sure, I've read the His Dark Materials trilogy, and I love I Was A Rat, but I've always shied away from the Sally Lockhart books because they looked, well, boring. I know, I know, I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but in this case I was also judging by its setting (Victorian? England) and lack of fantasy.
What finally convinced me to give the book a shot was actually the Doctor. More...
Jun 17, 2011
Katrina
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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May 16, 2011
Alexis
rated it:
Very Holmesian--Sherlock, not Oliver Wendell. The setting, the unknown numbered things that cause death to the hearers (in Holmes it was five orange pips; here's it's seven blessings), the time period, the Indian connections, the opium dens, the sailors, the confusion of identity . . . all very reminiscent of Holmes. Which is by no means a bad thing. I love reading Sherlock Holmes.
I think I was expecting more of a fantasy novel (based on Pullman's other writings, specifically Hi More...
I think I was expecting more of a fantasy novel (based on Pullman's other writings, specifically Hi More...
Nov 22, 2008
Amitha
rated it:
This was a fun, quick read. The story was kind of an adventure mystery story revolving around a teenaged girl named Sally Lockhart and her mysterious past. Unfortunately, I had already seen the very faithful Masterpiece Theatre version (with Billie Piper) before I read the book, which ruined the plot twists for me. The movie even featured one of the most memorable lines from the first page of the story: "Her name was Sally Lockhart; and within fifteen minutes, she was going to kill a man."
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Aug 12, 2009
Ruka
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While not nearly made of the same stuff that made the His Dark Materials books so fresh and memorable, Pullman's young adult series featuring perpetual victim of circumstance Sally Lockhart are agreeable to maturing and mature readers.
A quick and jaunty read, although it's colored by the drab and depressing air that characterizes almost every single other book based in Victorian England. The Quincunx, The Anubis Gates, Harm's Way; all these books had exciting storylines, but the con More...
A quick and jaunty read, although it's colored by the drab and depressing air that characterizes almost every single other book based in Victorian England. The Quincunx, The Anubis Gates, Harm's Way; all these books had exciting storylines, but the con More...
Aug 04, 2011
Heather
rated it:
It's October, 1872, and sixteen-year-old Sally Lockhart, whose father died in late summer, has just gotten a letter from Singapore. Singapore is where her father was last, but the note's not in his handwriting, and she's got no idea what it means: it says to beware of the Seven Blessings, and it says that someone named Marchbanks will help her. But Sally doesn't know anyone named Marchbanks, and she's never heard of the Seven Blessings, either. She heads to her father's old office—he was a partn
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Apr 09, 2011
Sue
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Geeze.....sometimes it's just hard to put words down! Maybe it's just me, but there are times that I just don't know what to write! Suffice it to say - I did enjoy the book. Well written, pretty good plot (probably alittle far fetched on the heroine's can do attitude for the era of the story, but I can forgive that) and really well paced (Lordy I hate a book that NEVER gets to the point!).
The story basically follows a young girls determination to find out -ultimately- why her fa More...
The story basically follows a young girls determination to find out -ultimately- why her fa More...
May 01, 2010
Casandria
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This story takes place in Victorian England, and the protagonist, Sally Lockheart, is a distinctly modern young woman. 16-year-old Sally knows that something mysterious surrounds her father's death at sea. She receives a note from a friend of her father, warning her of the Seven Blessings. When she mentions this to a partner in her father's export firm, he has a heart attack and dies. Sally must figure out who she can trust with this information. Other characters weave in and out of the st
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Aug 19, 2010
Margaret
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I liked these more the first time I read them, but they stood up fairly well to rereading. As The Ruby in the Smoke starts, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart has just lost her father, a businessman who drowned when his ship went down, and is trying to figure out the meaning of his last message to her; the second and third books follow her further suspenseful adventures.
The setting is well-done, and the characters, especially practical, brave Sally, are memorable. The one thing I didn't lik More...
The setting is well-done, and the characters, especially practical, brave Sally, are memorable. The one thing I didn't lik More...
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Aug 11, 2011
Leone
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I really liked this book. As usual Pullman has authentic characters, female and male, and builds a unique and interesting story. This is a book I would give to a boy or girl starting in grade five and up. While the story and the premise is quite dark, filled with murder, deceit, and drugs, it's kept very light because it doesn't dwell in these places. The main character, Sally Lockheart, is very straightforward and headstrong and moping isn't like her. The story, while complicated in sectio
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Feb 06, 2012
Anna
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The ruby in the smoke is a adventure book based in Victorian London following a 16-year old girl named Sally whose father is drowned in mysterious circumstances. Shortly after Sally receives an anonymous note in the post. Sally takes the note to a colleague of her fathers, immediately she mentions what was in the letter to her father’s secretary he has a heart attack and dies. The story gets more thrilling when Sally finds herself being followed and has to hide from the woman pursuing her. Th
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Jul 29, 2011
Elsa
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Dans les bas fonds de Londres.
C'est avec cette nouvelle série que Pullman nous offre à nouveau l'étendu de son talent de conteur et nous emmène cette fois-ci dans le Londres de la fin du dix-neuvième.
Très bon roman qui présente les péripéties d'une jeune femme qui a tous les archétypes de l'aventurière . A travers des thèmes inattendus (tels que la guerre de l'opium, l'inexorable montée du capitalisme ou la naissance d'une conscience politique), l'auteur nous dépeint une atm More...
C'est avec cette nouvelle série que Pullman nous offre à nouveau l'étendu de son talent de conteur et nous emmène cette fois-ci dans le Londres de la fin du dix-neuvième.
Très bon roman qui présente les péripéties d'une jeune femme qui a tous les archétypes de l'aventurière . A travers des thèmes inattendus (tels que la guerre de l'opium, l'inexorable montée du capitalisme ou la naissance d'une conscience politique), l'auteur nous dépeint une atm More...
Mar 27, 2011
Terry
rated it:
Things I love about Philip Pullman's books: 1) a great central plot with lots of interesting subplots and details (a cursed, stolen ruby! mysterious assassins! a villain stolen right out of Dickens!); 2) a strong female protagonist (Sally Lockhart, even better than Lyra! Less whiny, family issues saved until the very end.); 3) amazing use of vocab and description; 4) lots of characters (5 or 6 in this novel who are main characters helping out Sally); 5) an interesting, detailed setting--the worl
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Jan 24, 2012
Kendra
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This historical fiction teen book features a very mature sixteen year old girl by the name of Sally Lockhart. The setting is London in 1872 and Sally has recently learned that her father, a shipping agent, has died overseas. A series of strange communications makes Sally realize that there was more to his death than meets the eye, and she is determined to find answers. Those answers seem to be tied to a particular jewel, a ruby, with a dark past.
The mystery part of the book is fun, More...
The mystery part of the book is fun, More...
