Subtle Knife, The

Inhoud

His Dark Materials - Book 2
Having slipped through a newly formed astral portal, the intrepid Lyra finds herself in the beautiful, haunted world of Cittàgazze -a city where soul-eating Specters stalk the streets and the wingbeats of distant angels sound against the sky. But she is not without allies. For young Will Parry, in search of his father, has also stumbled into this strange new realm via a magic gateway.
Together the enlightened pair forge ahead on a perilous journey between worlds teeming with witches, angels, and sorcery -and uncover a deadly secret: an object of extraordinary and devastating power. But with every step, they move closer to an even greater threat- and the shattering truth of their own destiny...

Bespreking

Welcome back to Lyra's magical world

In The Subtle Knife we meet again the 11-year old courageous Lyra Belacqua on her quest for the origin of the Dust. Having just slipped through a newly formed astral gate, she finds herself in the world of Cittàgazze, in a city ruled by children because all adults had to flee for the soul-eating Specters. But Lyra is not alone. The 12-year old Will Parry has stumbled by 'accident' in this weird realm too. Will is special. He comes from a world where people do not have personal daemons and where they preserve food in tin cans. Despite their differences both decide to continue the search for the truth behind the ever mysterious Dust. Will's own quest to find his father doesn't seem that important anymore, but little do they know that ultimately both will have to pay for this ignorance.

The Subtle Knife is the second part of the His Dark Materials-trilogy. Whereas the first part (Northern Lights, aka The Golden Compass) took quite some time to draw the characters and their setting, it becomes clear early in the second episode that the story really has begun. The breathtaking narrative is dispersed over a few interwoven storylines that neatly come together in a superbly composed climax. But do not be fooled: the climax drives you to a humongous cliffhanger that will let any reader beg for the final episode.

What makes His Dark Materials so special is that although intended as a book for young adults and dealing with a fantasy world, its plot is surprisingly mature. Nothing is taken for granted; the main characters have a strong conscience and consequently will have to deal with it. As a 12-year old boy having to kill a man, no matter how evil he turns out to be, is not something you can easily put away and ignore. Pullman takes this as a given fact and works it neatly into the story. This kind of depth makes His Dark Materials worthwhile for any imaginative young adult, but of course also for anyone who felt like one before.