The Amber Spyglass

This is the long-awaited final volume of Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials. The trilogy title is taken from Milton's Paradise Lost, which is just one inspirational source for the three books, though William Blake and his fascination with conscious experience, is a more influential one. In this volume, more than in its predecessors, we see the links to the great story of the emergence of the human race. Lyra, heroine of Northern Lights and Will, owner of the eponymous Subtle Knife, from separate but parallel worlds, must together find the right answer to solve the problem which is threatening the universes in which they live. Pullman cunningly ensures the particular conundrum they have to solve reflects life, which must be lived forwards in advance of understanding. As with the most significant mythic heroes, for Lyra and Will this involves sustaining grave loss. Characters from the earlier books return - Iorek the armoured bear and the subtle witch Serafina Pekkala - and Lyra's power-hungry parents, Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter. That the narcissistic Mrs Coulter ultimately places maternal feeling before self-interest is characteristic of the whole tone of the book, and its apotheosis, for the answer Lyra and Will finally embrace is one of passionate and moving moral integrity. They are helped to this end by two new characters - a physicist and ex-nun, Mary Malone, and a delightful Kendal Mint Cake-eating angel. This is a rich, erudite, powerful conclusion to a series which can be given to your granny, your children, or kept to read yourself when more allegedly adult books seem vapid. Don't be put off by the fantasy/children's fiction label; this knocks spots off Harry Potter! Reviewed by Salley Vickers, author of Miss Garnet's Angel (Kirkus UK)