Lyra Silvertongue, Pantalaimon, Malcolm Polstead and Asta are all travelling east to the Red Building in Central Asia, which holds an opening to another world; the home of the rose oil that allows you to see Dust. The Magisterium has a holy mission to destroy all doorways into the multiverse, and Lyra is being stalked by Olivier Bonneville, who is desperate to steal her alethiometer. The book is an epic conclusion to Lyra’s story, as she meets gryphons, witches, sorcerers, and more people without their dæmons on her journey to the rose fields.
As a lifelong fan of ‘His Dark Materials’ and a new lover of ‘The Book of Dust’, there are so many things I adored about this final entry. It is the most epic of its series, Pullman creates an incredible sense of scale and magnitude in writing the different worlds. The structure is also so compelling; the story is broken up to follow about eight different characters, but every point of view switch stays engaging with new information and keeps you guessing in every single chapter.
The main thing I appreciated was how, even after six entries into this world, Pullman still managed to shock me. Certain characters and plot devices that you just assume will always be there are ripped away and whole new ideas are introduced. The bond between human and dæmon has always fascinated me, and Pullman flexed his horror skills in this entry, with the most chilling descriptions I’ve experienced since the silver guillotine in Northern Lights.
Not a wholly satisfying conclusion (as there were multiple dropped plot threads), but I still loved this chance to close the door on the series.
Reviewed by Rachel Denham-White
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Philip Pullman was born in Norwich and educated in England, Zimbabwe, Australia and Wales. He studied English at Exeter College, Oxford.
To date, he has published 33 books, read by children and adults alike. His most famous work is the ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy. These books have been honoured by several prizes including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children’s Book Prize, and (for The Amber Spyglass) the Whitbread Book of the Year Award – the first time that prize had been given to a children’s book. Pullman has received numerous other awards, including the Eleanor Farjeon Award and the Astrid Lindgren Award. He was knighted in the 2019 New Year’s Honours List for Services to Literature.
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