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[Fiction]Review: The Ruby in the Smoke - Phillip Pullman(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)
Posted by: BattleAxe Nancy
The Ruby in the Smoke
Phillip Pullman
Young Adult Mystery
This is the first in his Victorian era mystery series for young adults. The book is set in England around the 1880s. Knowing him, it is historically accurate.
Its the story of Sally Lockhart and her quest to understand her father's death and a mysterious note leading to a ruby that she is apparently entitled to. The story is loaded with typical Pullman foreshadowing which makes them very addictive. Not to mention, the feeling of wanting to re-read them to see the plot come together.
One interesting thing about this book is that it involves opium houses. . Now, being historically accurate, these did exist at the time (from my understanding). What was strange about it is that Sally is 16 and two things happen in relation to opium: she walks into an opium house and gets overwhelmed by someone else's smoke which triggers the 'nightmare'; and, she smokes opium at one point to envoke the 'nightmare'  She's 16... Pullman gives a descent description of lighting up the resin, etc. I could smoke it after reading that.... I thought this was a little wierd due to the fact it was a kid's book. There wasn't any "don't do this" message in the book. It was just very mature for a 9-12 age book.
Anyway, the story was very good. His writing is always fantastic. I recommend it highly if you like that kind of almost Bobbsy Twins' mystery. 
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