Title: The Secret Commonwealth (The Book of Dust #2)
Author: Philip Pullman
Edition: Audiobook
Rating: 4/5
It’s been a while since I listened to the audiobook of La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust #1), and I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Secret Commonwealth. The ending of La Belle Sauvage tied in neatly with the beginning of Northern Lights, and The Secret Commonwealth picks up Lyra’s story after the His Dark Materials trilogy.
Lyra is twenty, and studying at Oxford. Separated from Pantalaimon after the events of His Dark Materials, she finds herself increasingly at odds with her daemon. When Pan disappears, Lyra sets out to find him. The book tells the story of her journey across Europe in the shadow of a developing conflict in the Middle East, and a power struggle at the heart of the Magisterium. Malcolm Polstead, now a professor at Oxford, sets out on a journey of his own to discover more about the conflict, and about the attacks on rose gardens and rose growers in the desert. Lyra’s journey brings her into contact with refugees from the rose-growing regions, while Malcolm searches for information on the causes of the fighting.
Where La Belle Sauvage was Malcolm’s story, The Secret Commonwealth is Lyra’s adventure. Travelling without a daemon alienates her from the people she meets, and she relies on word-of-mouth connections to find people to help her at every stage of her journey. It’s a long, dangerous journey, and Lyra’s determination, courage, and quick thinking keep her one step ahead of disaster. She’s still an engaging character – intelligent, thoughtful, and resourceful, and while a continuous progression of trains, boats, and places of refuge could be dull in the wrong hands, Pullman manages to keep the reader’s attention. As Lyra crosses Europe, she learns more about the relationships between people and their daemons, and about people who exploit that relationship in various ways. Each stage of her journey feels more dangerous than the last, and there are some edge-of-the-seat moments towards the end of the book as she grows closer to her goal.
As in the previous books, the author creates a believable alternative world where agents of the Magisterium are to be feared, unconventional relationships between humans and daemons are viewed with revulsion, and asking questions about Dust attracts attention from dangerous people. This is an intriguing instalment in Lyra’s story, and I’m looking forward to Volume Three.
I listened to the story as an audiobook, and I’m pleased to say that Michael Sheen continues to be a fantastic narrator. He provides distinct voices for a large cast of characters, conveys the tension between Lyra’s fear and her determination, and brings a sense of drama and danger to the story. I’ll be sticking to the audiobook for Volume Three.
Have you read The Secret Commonwealth? What did you think of Lyra’s story? And what about the people she meets as she travels? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!
Review cross-posted to GoodReads.
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