[BWF] The Secret Commonwealth, by Philip Pullman (4 stars)

[KateNZ]

The second volume of the Book of Dust. Goodness knows when we will get book 3, which is unfortunate as it ends on a cliffhanger.

The story is set about eight years after the events in His Dark Materials and focuses on Lyra as a young woman, studying in Oxford. For reasons that still remain somewhat unexplained, she and her daemon Pantalaimon are at serious odds - indeed, they actively dislike one another. (Distressing for those who loved that relationship in the early books). Also on the scene is Malcolm Polstead (the boy from book 1), now a scholar at Oxford, and various other old friends. When Pan witnesses a murder down by the riverbank, it becomes clear that Lyra is in danger once again and they find themselves on the run.

It took me a while to get into the book and overall it’s rather too long (at 687 pages) and too full of obscure philosophical and faux-theological references and story lines. I dithered with my rating a lot because I didn’t enjoy the book nearly as much as 4 stars would normally suggest. But the sheer imagination and craft involved, and the artistry of Pullman’s writing is still compelling. I don’t think it’s as deep as it might like to think. But it’s still a good story. Or rather part of a story. And the spy stuff is fun and tense.

Don’t believe the young adult - let alone the children’s - tags on this. One scene has sexual violence and there are other allusions to similar past events. Other kinds of violence too.

Team: Sassy Sisters. Extra for P. Tagged x 31