The Secret Commonwealth
Book review: The Secret Commonwealth
*Spoiler alert — this review reveals some events from the plot, if you have not read the book yet, proceed with caution!
The second volume in The Book of Dust series by Philip Pullman, called The Secret Commonwealth, is absolutely captivating. Once again, we are brought back into the exciting world of Lyra and Pan, but this time the setting takes place about ten years after the events of the His Dark Materials trilogy. This is a story that teaches us the importance of living with consequences, taking risks, and what happens when we are estranged from ourselves (it begs the question, how does a person truly find peace with oneself?).
The book begins with Lyra Silvertongue, who is now in her twenties, studying the alethiometer at the University of Oxford. She and her daemon, Pan, don’t get along like they used to — they constantly argue, and seeing as Pan can separate from Lyra, he often goes off to explore without her.
This is a huge discrepancy from the close relationship that Lyra and Pan had throughout the HDM trilogy. Personally, this tugs at my heartstrings. I cannot stand when Lyra and Pan are separated or not getting along! I was crying my eyes out in HDM when Lyra had to leave Pan behind to enter the world of the dead. While reading this book, and knowing that they have a rocky relationship, I had to brace myself for what was to come.
In the first few chapters, Pan leaves Lyra to “go find her imagination.” I won’t give too much away (for those that have not read the book yet), but this came as a huge shock. I questioned how Lyra would ever find Pan again. After this happens, you realize you *must* find out what happens next!
Thoughts:
Throughout the book, Pullman jumps between the plots of Lyra, Pan, Malcolm, the brother of Lyra’s mother (Marcel Delamare), and Olivier Bonneville (the son of Gerard Bonneville from volume one). This strategy makes the book even more thrilling, as you want to find out what happens to each of the characters, particularly Lyra and Pan, and each plot slowly intertwines.
From the beginning, it is evident that Lyra is clearly suffering from anxiety and depression, and she is at an age where finding peace with oneself is critical. She overanalyzes everything and often forgets to live in the present moment. I feel that this is what Pan’s biggest concern is, she is so caught up in analyzing every detail of every moment, she forgets to simply live, and thus loses her ability to see things with a creative perspective.
The ending of this book leaves many questions…when Lyra finally arrives at the ruined city in the desert, is this indeed the “Blue Hotel?” Will Pan be waiting for her there?
When I finished The Secret Commonwealth, I was at the edge of my seat, wanting to know what would happen next. That being said, I will anxiously be awaiting the release of the third installment, as Pullman has set the stage for the third book. I’m not quite sure what to expect, considering the dramatic plot twists that occurred throughout HDM. I am curious as to whether or not we will see Will return, since we know Lyra thinks about him constantly. Perhaps, there will be a romance between Malcolm and Lyra instead, as it does seem that things are leading in that direction. Something else that I’ve been considering is whether the building in the desert of Lop Nor will lead to an entrance into the other worlds. Maybe they really weren’t all closed at the end of The Amber Spyglass after all…
Overall, I highly recommend this book — it’s a must read if you’ve begun the Book of Dust series!