His Dark Materials in Review

I recently finished reading Philip Pullman's The Amber Spyglass, the third and last installment of the His Dark Materials trilogy, and I can honestly say that no book or series has affected me quite like this one has.

Book I, The Golden Compass, is the enchantingly exhilarating tale about a young girl's magical adventure through a fantastical world. As the story progresses with The Subtle Knife and finally The Amber Spyglass, Pullman masterfully unveils additional characters, worlds, and themes that make His Dark Materials become a tangible and personally emotional journey.

Marketed for children and most likely catalogued under "YA," I am glad that I did not discover this trilogy until my mid-twenties. Had I read this series during my teen years I think I would have understood and enjoyed the general plot, but would have perhaps overlooked or failed to fully comprehend and appreciate Pullman's overarching theme surrounding religion and its hindering burden on humanity.

The Golden Compass masterfully sets the stage for the trilogy by introducing Lyra, her world, the mystery of "Dust" and the missing children, and by introducing many other leading characters. By the end of Book I you begin to formulate your own theories as to what Lyra's true mission is, although she is still uncertain what that is herself.

The adventure continues in Book II, The Subtle Knife, beginning in a more familiar world: late 20th century England. The Subtle Knife starts by introducing a young boy named Will and following the personal trials and tribulations he is faced with concerning the disappearance of his father and his mother's mental illness. However, the first few chapters are almost difficult to read as there is no mention of Lyra or her magical world. But when Will and Lyra's paths collide in yet another world, Pullman plugs you right back in to the adventure, weaving together Lyra and Will's journey into one.

Now aching for more, Pullman goes above and beyond in the final installment of His Dark Materials, with The Amber Spyglass. Pullman continues Lyra and Will's adventure by following them on their journey to the Land of the Dead, revealing the mysteries of Dust, and by unveiling the important roles that Lyra and Will play in fate of humanity through the symbolic war fought by Metatron and the Magisterium against Lord Asriel and his army.

As I read the last few chapters of The Amber Spyglass I couldn't help but allow myself to succumb to the emotional experience I was having as my time with Lyra, Will, and their adventures was coming to a close. Thumbing through the final pages, I strained to read the final words through blurred vision as my eyes swelled with tears.

That being said, it is understood that Pullman is working on a sequel to the His Dark Materials trilogy titled The Book of Dust. If you've read the series and wanted more, the wait will soon be over! I am eagerly anticipating the release of The Book of Dust, and knowing Pullman, I'm sure he won't leave his fans disappointed.

xo.