Scan barcode
A review by book_mark1
The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
The most dangerous part about additions to the original series that take place after the fact is that they end up being the last word on the characters we come to love as readers. For whatever flaws La Belle Sauvage may have had, at least it was a prequel that didn’t lay a claim on Lyra or the characters of His Dark Materials.
SC was a disappointment not only because of its plodding plot and surface-level messaging but also because it will ultimately be the second-to-last word on His Dark Materials. And most frustratingly, it sublimates the vibrant world of the original trilogy to the characters and plot beats of La Belle Sauvage. I knew Malcolm would end up being some kind of character in this book, but for him to continue being such a pivotal hero character dilutes a plot that should be about Lyra’s growth. Malcolm himself does no growth in this book; he continues to be this do-no-wrong character, which makes any kind of plot he experiences 1) uninteresting because we know he is going to be (mostly) fine, and 2) uninteresting because this man is already a “complete” character with no flaws or growth edges…
Except maybe one, which bring me to the worst part of the book: it is weird and bad that Pullman is pushing Malcolm, a grown-ass professor, and Lyra, a college student, together as a romantic interest. The author’s fixation on the romantic aspect of their relationship (i.e. like three conversations in the plot and a history of an awkward tutoring experience) is jarring enough when Malcolm himself confesses his attraction to Lyra. It becomes almost laughable when every other member in Oakley Street seems to be able to identify that there is romantic tension between them, and, in some cases, condone or encourage that kind of relationship. And it’s worst of all when somehow Lyra is now spending portions her POV scenes pining for him. Pushing Lyra into this “weak and unsure woman who needs beeg strong man” trope is enough to put this one down and skip the conclusion of this series. (I will not get into the other weird references to women and sexuality in this book, like Alice’s raw sexuality she can exude.)
There are the bones of an interesting plot and interesting themes here. I liked the idea of making Lyra, who we know to be a brace and strong protagonist, to be less self-assured as a college student, and exploring the implications of her separation w/ Pan was a compelling way to do that. I also thought Pullman’s interest in critiquing cold rationality to be an interesting complement to the critique of organized religion in the original trilogy.
Nonetheless, this book is so caught up in its POVs, pitstops, and extra characters that its strongest points get lost in the mix. Beyond Malcolm’s Mary Sue plotline, Pan’s plotline has to take a long way to meet its eventual payoff in confronting the author. Lyra’s story also suffers from multiple layovers and intros to new characters. Some of these were interesting and retained the magic of the story, like the Prague side quest. In other areas, I’m wondering if we really need to introduce the princess or the miners when they bring with them pages of exposition that may only tangentially relate to the plot. By pushing this entire cast of temporary characters and settings, the places feel less vibrant and the plot much more formulaic: 1) go to X, 2) meet Y; 3) learn who to talk to at the next stop.
Michael Sheen once again eats as the audiobook narrator, and it is only by his grace that I finished this book. There are aspects that do feel like a continuation of the original trilogy, but the flaws feel too pronounced to not see this as a diminishment of His Dark Materials. Unless Malcolm dies in Book Three (fingers crossed), I’m worried the next book will end this universe on a low note.
SC was a disappointment not only because of its plodding plot and surface-level messaging but also because it will ultimately be the second-to-last word on His Dark Materials. And most frustratingly, it sublimates the vibrant world of the original trilogy to the characters and plot beats of La Belle Sauvage. I knew Malcolm would end up being some kind of character in this book, but for him to continue being such a pivotal hero character dilutes a plot that should be about Lyra’s growth. Malcolm himself does no growth in this book; he continues to be this do-no-wrong character, which makes any kind of plot he experiences 1) uninteresting because we know he is going to be (mostly) fine, and 2) uninteresting because this man is already a “complete” character with no flaws or growth edges…
Except maybe one, which bring me to the worst part of the book: it is weird and bad that Pullman is pushing Malcolm, a grown-ass professor, and Lyra, a college student, together as a romantic interest. The author’s fixation on the romantic aspect of their relationship (i.e. like three conversations in the plot and a history of an awkward tutoring experience) is jarring enough when Malcolm himself confesses his attraction to Lyra. It becomes almost laughable when every other member in Oakley Street seems to be able to identify that there is romantic tension between them, and, in some cases, condone or encourage that kind of relationship. And it’s worst of all when somehow Lyra is now spending portions her POV scenes pining for him. Pushing Lyra into this “weak and unsure woman who needs beeg strong man” trope is enough to put this one down and skip the conclusion of this series. (I will not get into the other weird references to women and sexuality in this book, like Alice’s raw sexuality she can exude.)
There are the bones of an interesting plot and interesting themes here. I liked the idea of making Lyra, who we know to be a brace and strong protagonist, to be less self-assured as a college student, and exploring the implications of her separation w/ Pan was a compelling way to do that. I also thought Pullman’s interest in critiquing cold rationality to be an interesting complement to the critique of organized religion in the original trilogy.
Nonetheless, this book is so caught up in its POVs, pitstops, and extra characters that its strongest points get lost in the mix. Beyond Malcolm’s Mary Sue plotline, Pan’s plotline has to take a long way to meet its eventual payoff in confronting the author. Lyra’s story also suffers from multiple layovers and intros to new characters. Some of these were interesting and retained the magic of the story, like the Prague side quest. In other areas, I’m wondering if we really need to introduce the princess or the miners when they bring with them pages of exposition that may only tangentially relate to the plot. By pushing this entire cast of temporary characters and settings, the places feel less vibrant and the plot much more formulaic: 1) go to X, 2) meet Y; 3) learn who to talk to at the next stop.
Michael Sheen once again eats as the audiobook narrator, and it is only by his grace that I finished this book. There are aspects that do feel like a continuation of the original trilogy, but the flaws feel too pronounced to not see this as a diminishment of His Dark Materials. Unless Malcolm dies in Book Three (fingers crossed), I’m worried the next book will end this universe on a low note.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault