philip pullman | Lost in a Good Book

Understanding Pullman’s Dæmons

14 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, Dæmons, His Dark Materials, philip pullman

Dæmons (pronounced demons) play an essential role in all three novels of His Dark Materials. They are iconic and a brilliantly original idea, and so ingenious that from my first time reading this series I have wanted one of my own.

Pullman got the idea of dæmons from paintings by Leonardo da Vinci (“The Lady with the Ermine“), Holbein (“The Lady and the Squirrel“), and Tiepolo (“Young Woman with a Macaw“) where it seems to show that a connection exists between the animal and the person, and to this day dæmons remain the single greatest idea ever that I have seen in a book. His Dark Materials is the first real reference to dæmons, but there is actually almost a small inclination of the idea of dæmons in one of Pullman’s books that was written years earlier called Spring-Heeled Jack, a children’s book that has a moth who flutters around as the villain’s conscience.

Various forms of Pantalaimon

Pullman explains that dæmons symbolise an aspect of a person’s personality. Everyone has a dæmon in Lyra’s world, and to see someone without a dæmon is like seeing a person walking around without their head. It is a part of them and a great horror to see someone without one. More than once dæmons are referred to as being like someone’s soul, and there is an invisible but evident connection between dæmon and human. The connection is strong and many times a person’s health, emotions, or subconscious can be reflected in their dæmon’s actions. This link also restricts how far they can move from one another and lets them feel what the other is feeling.

They are also used as a visual shift from innocence to experience. Pullman mentioned in an interview that he had been thinking about the transition which happens in adolescence for a long time and being a teacher he had seen this change in kids around Lyra’s age. Dæmons are a representation of this change.

As children, dæmons are able to change and shift form, often reflecting moods or used to intimidate other children. As they grow older their dæmon settle on a single, non-changing form. Having a dæmon settle is a part of growing up and while disappointing at first, it allows you to know the sort of person you are. Like the Able-Seaman tells Lyra in Northern Lights, “There’s plenty of folk as’d like to have a lion as a dæmon and they end up with a poodle”.

Hester (Lee Scoresby)

Dæmons may also not settle on a form that someone may like either. The Able-Seaman tells Lyra about a sailorman whose dæmon settled as a dolphin, which meant he could never leave the water. Despite the fact he was a wonderful sailor and the best navigator who made his fortune fishing, he was never happy.

Typically dæmons are the opposite sex to their humans, though there are a few rare exceptions. They can talk and while they take the form of animals, they are not animals themselves. Being part of a person means that are different than an animal, this includes what happens to them when someone dies. When a person is killed their dæmon disappears instantly, it also reflects their growing weakness if it takes time. But a person can be killed through their dæmon as well. In Northern Lights Iorek Byrnison kills a Tartar’s wolf-dæmon and as he does “bright fire spilled out of her as she fell to the snow, where she hissed and howled before vanishing. Her human died at once”.

The Golden Monkey (Mrs Coulter)

There are many great taboos relating to dæmons, unspoken rules but ingrained in the entire world. Dæmons can interact and touch other dæmons, often being used to settle disputes or show affection, but it is the greatest of taboos for a person to touch someone else’s dæmon. Dæmons will talk to another human, but it is also more common for dæmons to talk to other dæmons while their humans talk with each other.

What makes dæmons iconic and masterful is not only the idea, but how impeccably Pullman has used them in this series. They are not simply just an addition to a character or a quirky entity, they have a purpose and a role, they are involved in the story on a detailed and complicated level, they are just as important as any character or plot point, and are certainly not there to simply be a plot device either.

Stelmaria (Lord Asriel)

When asked, Pullman has said his dæmon would probably be a raven, a rook, or a magpie – one of the birds from that family, mainly because she steals things, like ideas for stories, or images and phrases. But he also reminds us that you do not get to choose, you have to live with what you get.

Dæmons are a fascinating and brilliant concept that adds so much to an already intricate and rich series. In honour of the 20th anniversary, Buzzfeed have created a quiz that allows you to discover what your own dæmon would be. Now of course, Buzzfeed isn’t the greatest authority on these things, nor can they come close to doing a proper analysis of a person character and therefore proper dæmon, but it is a nice thing to see what you could possibly get.

Daemon quiz When I did the quiz I was given a goose. Reading through the comments on the page and you can see what other possibilities there could have been, and again, there are so many more varied options in Lyra’s world than what’s provided so who knows what it would have been!

You can do the Buzzfeed quiz yourself here.

The Subtle Knife (#2) by Philip Pullman

13 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, fantasy, five stars, His Dark Materials, philip pullman, the subtle knife

Published: 16th October 1998
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Pages: 341
Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

70948 Will is twelve years old and he’s just killed a man. Now he’s on his own, on the run, determined to discover the truth about his father disappearance.

Then Will steps through a window in the air into another world, and finds himself with a companion – a strange, savage little girl called Lyra. Like Will, she has a mission which she intends to carry out at all costs.

But the world of Cittàgazze is a strange and unsettling place. Deadly, soul-eating Spectres stalk in its streets, while high above, the wingbeats of distant angels sound against the sky. And in the mysterious Torre degli Angeli lurks Cittàgazze’s most important secret – an object which people from many worlds would kill to posses.

This is the second book in the His Dark Materials trilogy and Pullman begins it by changing not only points of view, but also changing worlds. The Subtle Knife begins in what is presumed to be our own world, with Will Parry the new focus. From early on Will grabs your attention and sympathy, he is a young boy trying to look after his mental ill mother, and doing everything he can to keep from drawing attention to himself for fear of being taken away and his mother institutionalised.

Will is a fierce and strong kid, he is tough as he needs to be and insistent, and has years of wisdom and cunning for his young age. Will has his own troubles and like Lyra, Pullman introduces us to him in the middle of a moment and lets us catch up. Unlike Lyra though, we are given a bit more explanation about Will’s life soon after, which builds a lot of character for Will in a short space of time. When Will meets Lyra the pair joins forces and evidently brings out the best in each other, using both their skills and cunning to help one another with what they need to do.

The Subtle Knife moves between three universes, Lyra’s, our own, and a third different again. The different worlds Pullman creates are always curious and remarkable, and this time is no different. With multiple worlds to describe Pullman gives each one depth and detail, and provides description within the narrative, keeping the flow of the story strong while making it vivid and complex at the same time. With three worlds there are a range of stories to follow, but Pullman links them all together seamlessly, and each one progresses the novel on, even when the events are not technically connected.

One thing I always notice upon reading The Subtle Knife is how much it makes me miss the world in Northern Lights. Don’t get me wrong, reading about Will, the knife, the entire adventure of finding new worlds is enjoyable and exciting, but there are moments, especially in the beginning, where I long to be back on the snow-covered landscape of the North. This feeling does pass as you become invested in Will’s story, and watch as Lyra almost takes a backseat to Will’s journey. I think having Lyra out of her element and in a world she doesn’t understand makes her seem smaller and less assured. She initially goes back to being a bit lost and a follower, instead of the brave girl who marched North to rescue her friends. But she gains confidence again and the old Lyra is clearly still there.

Pullman intricately and skillfully combines the characters of Northern Lights with new characters introduced from various worlds. Favourites from Northern Lights journey into new worlds on missions of their own and in doing so show off more about these new worlds, but also add crucial aspects to the story. Even when he appears to be telling one story, Pullman is pulling together pieces for the bigger picture, subtly and quietly in the background.

Once again Pullman is also a master at limiting obvious explanations yet still offering full understanding. Through character thoughts, conversations, and various descriptions Pullman manages to explain a lot about what is happening, whether it is the detail and appearance of a window to another world, strange beings such as angels, or the strange and mysterious Spectres. This is especially important since there are moments of great technicality, especially understanding scientific matters regarding Dust, also known as dark matter. Pullman makes these explanations appear natural and real, making readers understand things alongside characters, while also using casual remarks that have a lot of meaning behind them to answer questions and fill in gaps. Pullman puts a lot of faith in the reader to put the pieces together and understand various aspects of the story, no matter how big or important, without needing to spell it out for them.

There is a different tone in this book than the first, certainly due to the content, but there are still moments of the same excitement, suspense, mysteries and surprises that were in the first book. Pullman lays hints and clues as he goes along which make for thrilling discoveries, and seeing the mixture of characters interact with one another is enchanting. The language is intellectual but simple, and the story is thrilling to read and is marvellously written. This book is both a follow-up to the first novel and a stepping stone into the last; another step towards the grand finale we’ve been told about from the start. With intelligent writing Pullman keeps this momentum going and builds on it gradually, blending it seamlessly with the main story and managing to fill you with anticipation, captivation, and an eagerness to jump right into book number three, as is the Pullman style.

You can purchase The Subtle Knife via the following

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Depository | Booktopia

Bookworld | QBD

Dymocks | Kobo

Characters in The Subtle Knife

10 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, characters, His Dark Materials, philip pullman, the subtle knife

Many of the characters from Northern Lights make an appearance in The Subtle Knife, but there are many new characters introduced as well. The story focuses a lot on the new characters and the new worlds, but there is a great mixture of existing characters and introduced ones, woven into the story superbly to show off the new world, introduce new faces, as well as continue the story on. Returning characters include Lyra and Pan, Mrs Coulter, Lee Scoresby, and Serafina Pekkala, while the minor character, Lord Boreal, from Northern Lights reappears. Most returning characters have small but important roles, but all work together to move the story on with important details and plot points.

Will Parry

Will is a character that comes from a place that is presumed to be our own world. He lives in England and is the only child to Elaine Parry. Will is a tough kid, he is strong willed and protective. Having had to grow up fast after realising his mother had mental problems, he does everything he can to protect her and himself from any unwanted attention. Wil’s life seems simple but after learning there were men who were after something that belonged to his father, he defends his home and his mother. After being attacked by and accidentally killing home invaders, Will flees his home and finds a window into another world. There he finds Lyra and Pan and becomes the bearer of the Subtle Knife. He is around the same age as Lyra, if not slightly older, but still prepubescent.

Pullman is brief on physical descriptions, but Will is described as having dark hair with straight black eyebrows, with eyes that are noticeably fierce and wide with a jutting jaw and broad cheekbones. Will travels with Lyra through multiple worlds, new ones as well as his own. Will has real world smarts that Lyra lacks, especially as his world is so much different than her own, but they both balance out in intelligence in a range of areas and Lyra knows things he doesn’t, especially regarding Dust. Being from the real world, Will has no daemon, but like people from others worlds, his daemon is on the inside.

John Parry

John Parry is the father of Will Parry, who in Will’s world went missing when he was an infant. In his world John was a famous explorer and during a trip to the Alaska he wandered through a window to another world and couldn’t return. In this new world John changed his name and become an explorer there as well, upon entering Lyra’s world his daemon appeared, an osprey named Sayan Kötör.

Lord Boreal

Lord Carlo Boreal makes an appearance briefly in Northern Lights, but has a bigger role this time around as a main antagonist. Going by a different name and in a new world, he has interests in the Subtle Knife, as well as the alethiometer. He has connections with many characters, Lyra and Will initially, but also Mrs Coulter and Dr Mary Malone. Coming from Lyra’s world he has a daemon which takes the form of a serpent.

Dr. Mary Malone

Dr Mary Malone is a physicist from Will’s world. She is investigating dark matter, the name of Dust in her world. Lyra meets her first, trying to find information about Dust, and with Lyra’s help finds a way to interact with dark matter, much like Lyra and the alethiometer. Mary discovers she has an important role to play in both Will and Lyra’s lives and she embarks on a journey of her own, discovering a new world with strange creatures. She will be the one to construct and utilise the Amber Spyglass.

Balthamos

Balthamos is an angel and part of the rebellion from the Kingdom of Heaven looking to join Lord Asriel’s army. Balthamos plays a larger role in The Amber Spyglass where his mission is to guide the knife bearer (Will) to help Lord Asriel. Angels are described as being luminous and humanlike, barely visible to the human eye. They can transform and are capable of flight though their wings have no corporeal form. Balthamos is cautious and sarcastic, and his relationship with Will has an air of ironic contempt. He also has a same-sex partner, Baruch, another angel who is also part of the rebellion.

Baruch

Baruch is an angel who is part of the rebellion from the Kingdom of Heaven alongside his same-sex partner, Balthamos. Baruch is courageous and often is the one to fix any of Balthamos’ failings. The connection and affection between the pair is evident, they are deeply loyal and in love. Both Baruch and Balthamos are low ranking angels, but they are determined to carry out their mission at all costs. Like Balthamos, Baruch plays a larger role in The Amber Spyglass, but is introduced first towards the end of The Subtle Knife.

Fun Facts about The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

09 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, fun facts, His Dark Materials, philip pullman, the subtle knife, trivia

The Subtle Knife is the second book in the His Dark Materials trilogy. It was first published in 1997 by Scholastic Point. Unlike Northern Lights that remains solely in one world, The Subtle Knife begins to explore other parallel worlds, and frequently jumps between three worlds.

The story opens with a new perspective, this time with Will Parry, a young boy from our world. And just like he did with Lyra, Pullman introduces these characters in the middle of a moment and expands the story around them. Will’s life is nothing like Lyra’s, and in our own world a lot more familiar, and after fleeing from his own problems stumbles across a window and finds Lyra, Pan, and a range of new things, both exciting and terrifying. Together Lyra and Will continue on their destined paths and open up a whole other level of Pullman’s creation adding even more depth and complexity to that established in the first book.

Just like Northern Lights, Pullman has included his own mini illustrations. The chapter illustrations are there once more, but Pullman has also thought it would be helpful for the readers to “have unobtrusive running-heads on each page, saying ‘Lyra’s world’ or ‘Will’s world’”, but his editor suggested he do it with little drawings instead; an alethiometer for Lyra’s world, a hornbeam tree for Will’s, a (subtle) knife for Cittàgazze etc. He chose not to explain them because it would be fun for readers to work out themselves that they’re for and what the symbols mean.

The title refers to the dagger found in Cittàgazze by Will and Lyra. Named The Subtle Knife or Æsahættr (pronounced “as-hatter” by the BBC Radio adaptation) meaning “God Destroyer”, it is described as looking like an ordinary dagger but able to cut through any material or substance – lead, flesh, even able to cut through the membrane that separates the worlds from each another. It has also been called “Teleutaia makhaira” which means “the last knife of all”.

The Subtle Knife has won a range of awards. It has won the Parents’ Choice Gold Book Award, American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist Editors’ Choice, Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book, Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book, Book Links Best Book of the Year, as well as American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.

Adaptations wise, The Subtle Knife was included in the 2003 His Dark Materials audiobook with Northern Lights, as well as the 2004-5 play, and was also formed part of a radio drama on BBC 4. In terms of film, the details and information of a film adaptation are contradictory and ever changing. Deborah Forte, producer of The Golden Compass, is adamant she’ll finish the trilogy, and originally New Line Cinema said a sequel would only be made if the first film was a success, but despite making twice its budget worldwide, the film did poorly in the USA, making the sequel’s fate unclear. Pullman said in 2011 that because of these poor sales in the USA no sequel would be made, but he has admitted he would still like one. I think The Subtle Knife has slightly less obvious religious controversy that I’ve noticed so it may go down better in some places, but even then it is all about doing the story justice. It’s too important not to.

You can read an extract from The Subtle Knife here.

Adaptations of Northern Lights

08 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, adaptations, His Dark Materials, nothern lights, philip pullman

Since its publication, there have been numerous adaptations of Northern Lights. The 2007 movie is the one everyone is probably most familiar with, but there have also been audiobooks, a video game, and even a play.

Movie: The Golden Compass (2007)

11168632_ori The first discussion about turning Northern Lights into a film came in 2002 following the success of other fantasy epics, but due to significant delays it wasn’t until 2007 that a film was finally made. There are many interesting things about this movie’s production, including Director Chris Weitz being unhappiness about being controlled by the studio and having many scenes cut from the film. Overall the film was popular in some countries, a failure in others, and on average it gets 5/10 stars by reviewers and rating websites.

The film takes the American title of The Golden Compass, and starred Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Dakota Blue Richards as Mrs Coulter, Lord Asriel, and Lyra respectively. During production and before its release there were criticisms by fans and secularist organisations about the dilution of the anti-religious elements. I have to agree there, not because it was bashing the Church exactly, but because of what the books are meant to be telling us, the themes and entire message that Pullman created is based on the anti-Church sentiments. Weitz said the studio ordered changes to the film late in post-production which was a terrible experience.

Anti-religious elements aside, and knowing that film adaptations are not going to be the same as the books, I really did not like this movie. There were some bits that were good, but others, especially that ending, that ruin it. It had such potential to be something wonderful, but it failed and now, just like Tomorrow, When the War Began, we are left with a film adaptation of a first book in a series, ending on a cliff hanger that is never going to be continued. Not only that, but a cliff hanger that cuts out a major event and three chapters of the book. Pullman did state that he supported the cut off ending, saying that “every film has to make changes to the story that the original book tells — not to change the outcome, but to make it fit the dimensions and the medium of film.” Which I understand, but I still say it changed the outcome in a big way. Interestingly enough, there was a script that had a running time of three hours, but this was scrapped in favour of the failed length of less than two hours in order to maximise revenue.

There were some good points, the film won a BAFTA for Special Visual Effects as well as an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, and rightly so; bringing daemons to life on screen was wonderfully done. It was also nominated for numerous other awards. Talks of any sequels have been put on hold with many speculating the Catholic Church for putting pressure on the studio.

Play: His Dark Materials (2003)

800x600.fitdown In 2003-2004 a play entitled His Dark Materials premiered at the Olivier Theatre in London. The play was written by playwright Nicholas Wright and was adapted from the entire trilogy. Because of complications in staging something based on the narrative of three books, the play was performed in two parts in alternative performances. The plot is the same as the books – a coming of age story of the two key characters Lyra and Will, but there are clear differences, the absence of Dr Mary Malone (from The Amber Spyglass) being a major one, her role being reallocated to the witch Serafina Pekkala. The amber spyglass that is typically associated with her is largely absent as well. The play was extremely popular and it sold out its entire four-month run before reviews were even published.

The play won two Laurence Olivier Awards in 2005 for Best Set Design as well as best Lighting Design.

Audiobook: Northern Lights (1996) and His Dark Materials (2003)

1855495767 There have been two audiobooks made based on Pullman’s trilogy. The first in 1996, was an audiobook of Northern Lights narrated by Natasha Richardson. The second was in 2003 and was an abridged dramatisation of the trilogy by BBC Worldwide. An unabridged version was released by BBC Audiobooks and was narrated by Philip Pullman himself. Cast voices included Joanna Wyatt as Lyra, Alison Dowling as Mrs Coulter, Sean Barret as Lord Asriel and Iorek Byrnison, and Stephen Thorne as the Master and Farder Coram.

Video Game: The Golden Compass (2007)

_-The-Golden-Compass-PS3-_ Based from The Golden Compass film, this game of the same name was released in 2007. The game is an action-adventure/puzzle game, told from a third person point of view and you take the role of Lyra and must travel through the North trying to find her kidnapped friend from the Gobblers.

As you play you solve puzzles as well as do some fighting, as well as use the alethiometer to help progress the story. Pan and the armoured bear Iorek Byrnison travel with you as you explore the land and fight. Pan’s changing ability is a main feature and he helps you explore levels with different abilities from different animal forms, and with alethiometer symbol meanings to uncover, you can use it to work out clues and ask questions.

The game was released on multiple playing platforms by Sega, and is classed as the official videogame of the movie. Having been released before the film, the sequence of events is slightly different, and there are additional scenes and footage not seen in the movie. The music is also entirely original, composer Jamie Christopherson saying that he wrote the entire game’s score in a month, before the movie score had been completed.

Unfortunately the game got predominantly negative reviews, the main criticisms being the confusing plot if you were unfamiliar with the movie or the books. Poor graphics and glitches, as well as poor gameplay and level designs also hindered reviews, and yet funnily enough, it sold rather well.