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Paddyfield.com
hardcover $20.00
Alfred A. Knopf
Paddyfield.com
Powells.com (USA)
Paddyfield.com
Paddyfield.com
paperback £8.99
Scholastic
Paddyfield.com
Paddyfield.com
paperback $11.95
Alfred A. Knopf Books For Young Readers
Paddyfield.com
Powells.com (USA)
ALSO SEE
The Observer
Salon.com
See RandomHouse Teacher's Guide to the Trilogy
More reviews by Paul McGuire
Readers may purchase reviewed books from Paddyfield.com, Asia's online bookseller.North American readers may prefer to buy US editions from Powells.com.
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The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
A children's novel does not make it to the long list for the Booker Prize without good reason. PHILIP PULLMAN has completed the His Dark Materials trilogy with a stunning tour-de-force that can rightfully claim its place amongst the cream of children's literature. This multi-layered epic uses religion, quantum physics and fantasy in almost equal measure to explore issues of life and death, good and evil and right and wrong.
The story itself sees the young, heroic Will using his three hundred year-old subtle knife to enter and explore a myriad of worlds and interacting with the full range of characters from the first two volumes (alive and dead) to thwart the cunning plans of angels of the kingdom of heaven. In many ways the piece resembles a three-dimensional chess game in which a spyglass made from amber reveals the key to life in the universe.
Some may choose to see a hidden agenda: a social and democratic one. One of the key sentences in the book reads, "The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all". Combine that with the another character's assertion that the history of the world has been a struggle between wisdom and stupidity and that those in authority have closed minds and a clear picture begins to emerge.
PHILIP PULLMAN's writing is faultless and evocative and his range impressive. He has a gossamer touch and a rich turn of phrase. Some may find the ending slightly disappointing given the momentum of the rest of the material, but that would be only by comparison. The book stakes its claim to be a classic. Only the churlish would disagree.
Paul McGuire
12/11/2001
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Paul McGuire is a freelance author, writer and reviewer. He is also Deputy Principal of Sha Tin Junior School. |
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