The Secret Commonwealth - spoilers

[Loopytiles]

Had been looking forward to this, but disappointed. Started well, but was just so bleak, a drab world, way too much content about the politics, clunky philosophising and too obvious parallels to some of today’s current affairs and problems.

I did enjoy this, but i agree with others that it's less well-constructed and there are a lot of threads to keep track of. The whole rose-oil thing is introduced so early but then gets a bit lost as it becomes more about the question of what daemons represent and people who become separated, and what that all means. Also, why do all the people (aka men) that PP admires have cat daemons? Malcolm, Farder Coram, Will, ... I didn't really get the alchemist bit in the middle at all; was it just to introduce some foreshadowing to keep us guessing/engaged? (I haven't read Lyra's Oxford - should I?)
One thing I don't agree with is that it's filmic. It's too dark, emotional and episodic. I also don't fully understand the rift between Lyra and Pan - what has caused that really? Why has Lyra changed so much? That felt a bit like there was a missing chapter between The Amber Spyglass and this.
I'm now rereading LBS, and enjoying that very much with a new perspective though...

I have just finished listening to The Secret Commonwealth. I really enjoyed it, but that was due in no small part to Michael Sheen's absolutely brilliant narration. I thought it was a shame that Pan's journey was not featured as much. And it finished so suddenly! I thought I had at least a few more evenings listening left!

I'm so saddened by Pan and Lyra's estrangement that I'm finding it difficult to read. I feel absolutely heart sore at the pain and loneliness they both feel. It's making me angry at Lyra and I'm not sure that's how I should be feeling. I want to continue but I'm feeling almost dread upon picking up the book.
Please tell me it gets better?

@LadyOfTheCanyon I was and am still really sad about the estrangement too. Can't promise anything but keep reading anyway.

@timswifey Thanks -I'll persevere. The original trilogy are some of my favourite books and I had such high hopes for the pre/sequels. I don't WANT Pullman to make everything too nice and its a testament to his writing that he can make me feel so sad about his characters, but oh my heart!

@LadyOfTheCanyon I know exactly what you mean! Are you watching His Dark Materials? I'm obsessed with it!

I watched the first one and just couldn't enjoy it :Lyra was nothing like the fiesty and blonde urchin I had in my mind.
But then film adaptations always disappoint me - I was really let down by Perfume which is another of my favourite books. I think I should perhaps stick to reading!

Coming in very late here!

I found it odd that separation is so common, when in HDM it was an absolutely unthinkable, horrific thing to happen. But it was interesting the way it was described - like the breakdown of a marriage, rather than a splitting of an individual, which is what I'd have understood it to be.

I think it would be an Absolute Disaster to read La belle sauvage first (before the original HDM trilogy I mean). It would mean that you'd know from the start of Northern Lights about the real relationship between Lord Asriel and Lyra - and, I can't remember too clearly but would you also know the true relationship between her and Mrs Coulter?