Customer Reviews

The Ruby in the Smoke

5 star:		(92)
4 star:		(44)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

It's been nearly ten years since I first read this book... I'm 22 now, and it remains one of my favorites. Pullman tells the story of a desperate teenage girl's search for the truth about her father's death without pulling any punches or talking down to his audience (which is probably between the ages of twelve and fifteen or so); there are allusions to sex and violence, but they are not explicitly descriptive. The novel's mystery is intricate and pervasive, but almost as important to its texture is the look we are given at how several lonely and unhappy people become a family for each other, even in the face of danger and loss. Sally Lockhart is a wonderful protofeminist heroine, whose bravery, intelligence, and independence should inspire most readers; the secondary characters, such as Fred and Jim, are charming and more than up to the challenge of being Sally's associates. The conclusion is stunning, and readers who enjoy this novel will want to read the other books about Sally and her friends (Shadow in the North is particularly heartrending). I find the Sally books generally more emotionally-involving than _His Dark Materials_, but the high quality of the writing remains constant. I still make a point of picking up Pullman's newest books when they come out, and _The Ruby in the Smoke_ is the book that started it all.

After being blown away by "His Dark Materials," I went questing for more books by Philip Pullman. I found Sally Lockhart.

"Ruby in the Smoke" is a very different style of book. There is no fantasy in this series, no armored bears or magical implements. This is straight historical mystery, set in England of 1872. Sally Lockhart is our young hero. She is an amazingly well-rounded character, at times a plucky, spirited lass, at times a shy young woman. She is looking for facts about the death or her Father. Someone else is looking for her, and her connection to the lost Ruby of Agrapar.

While this book does not have the sense of wonder and captivation of "His Dark Materials," it does posses it's own strengths. Pullman has gone very deep into accuracy and social relevance with this trilogy. The story is as much Sally Lockhart's battle with women's conventions of the time, as it is with the villains of the series. The story is very dark, and the opium trade and the Indian Mutiny are all major story points. (In fact, anyone taking up "Ruby in the Smoke" would do well to review this historical events.)

A very good, intelligent book. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

This trilogy is the story of Sally Lockhart, a young woman who overcomes obstacles and enemies to build a life in Victorian England, where young ladies should be seen and not heard. In this book, she discovers the true story of who her father is, and how her mother died. She will also hunt for a fabulous ruby, and travel through the lower depths of the East End of London.

I think that this is the best of this trilogy, although the last book is very good. The mystery is very compelling, and Pullman is brilliant at drawing you into the world of Victorian England. This will have you on the edge of your seat! Sally Lockhart is an attractive character, and takes everything that is thrown at her by Pullman in good heart. I definitely wanted to read the whole series after this one.

I came to this story after The Golden Compass and the Subtle Knife. I think that His Dark Materials is much richer and deeper than this series, but maybe the Sally Lockhart books are easier for a younger audience to read. They are set in a more familiar world, and the stories do not interwind. At the same time, Philip Pullman is a cut above most children's storytellers, as his characters and stories are more original and modern - Sally is definitely a feminist heroine. Will definitely keep this one for my daughter to read.

I probably would have never read any of Philip Pullman's books if it had not been for my language arts teacher, who handed me a copy of the Ruby in the Smoke when I asked to borrow a reading book that I was supposed to have for an upcoming class but didn't. I had tried reading The Tin Princess last year but didn't get very far at all. It was confusing, being the last book of a trilogy and not very interesting at the beginning . . . But the Ruby in the Smoke caught my attention right away. It introduced me to pretty, determined Veronica (Sally) Lockhart and cruel, greedy Mrs. Holland in a fast-paced world of pirates and convicts all wrapped up tightly around a mystical ruby and the opium trade . . . This is the best mystery I have read yet and you can bet that I will give the Tin Princess another try and take up the entire Sally Lockhart Trilogy! Don't risk missing this thrilling story like I nearly did!

Straightforward teen historical mystery, as Sally Lockhart must overcome her orphanhood, her enemies, and Victorian ideas about what is and is not suitable, to figure out the mystery surrounding the death of her father.

Pullman is a powerful storyteller, and one can feel that engine purring along just below the surface of this book. Yet there is not the depth as in the "His Dark Materials" series. He's not making any major point (other than, perhaps, that Victorian England could have used a good dose of feminism). Perhaps Pullman had not yet realized that teens could be told a story with adult ideas and concepts. Still, there are flashes of brilliance.

Pullman's Victorian England is well-researched, but there is the occaisonal gaffe, as when he has a character in a cheap dockside pub drink a GLASS of gin--it would almost certainly have been made of pewter, due to breakage and the expense of proper glassware.

I'm always a bit disappointed in historical novels when characters introduce concepts from later times. Sally does so, both with feminism, and with introducing marketing concepts unheard of in Victorian times. In a way, she acts like a character in a time travel novel, and it is a bit grating.

Worth reading to trace the development of Pullman's writing.

I admit I am biased! Philip Pullman writes books that are readable, entertaining, educational and, sometimes, controversial. This one fits easily into the first three categories. In later books (his Dark Materials Trilogy) Pullman becomes more controversial and has opened himself up to criticism from various religious extremists who see his novels as an attack on thier own personal beliefs. The Ruby in The Smoke is NOT controversial (though doubtless some fundamentalists who have found fault with his later books will now be trolling through his earlier writing to try and find a politically-incorrect sentence they don't agree with and give it the big thumbs down).

The heroine is 16 year-old Sally Lockhart and she lives in Victorian London. Her father has been murdered and her life is about to be turned upside down by a legacy she doesn't want. Pullman does an excellent job of describing Victorian London (the educational concept). He also makes an exceptional job of plotting and holding the reader's attention (the entertainment). In terms of writing, his style is clear, often amusing, and he has the ability to draw settings in just a few brief words (the readability).

Pullman's London is full or rogues and scoundrels and vagabonds and neer-do-wells. And it seems they're all on the side of the opium dealers (who really DID exist in Victorian London). But Sally Lockhart draws loyalty from some borderline characters of her her own. People who are street-wise, and know how to help her through her problems.

If you've not yet read a Philip Pullman book, start with this one and see how you get on. They're a lot of fun and they're extraordinarily well written.

This is such a great book; I'd recomend it to ANYONE (non-readers: read it anyways!). The plot, starting with dozens of seemingly random threads, weaves its way in and out of Sally's life. I normally don't like pure mystery books, and I despise books set in historical times (ex: Victorian England), but this book is at the top of my list of favorites. When the story first starts out, Sally leads a normal life; as normal as life can be for a 16-year-old girl living alone! But her life changes abrubtly: imagine never knowing your mother, imagine your father mysteriously dying in a shipwreck, and imagine uttering a few simple words with so much power, a man who hears dies of shock and fear! I cannot emphasize enough how appealing this book is. Please, please READ THIS BOOK! You'll be glad you did.

I didn't feel as connected to Sally Lockhart as I did to Lyra of Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. However, the Sally Lockhart trilogy is still worth a read--it is educational (in that Pullman seems to know his London history and to really feel the pain of women who were not treated as full people) and suspenseful (in that Sally always stumbles into some sort of dangerous mystery which must be solved). I'd definitely recommend any of the Philip Pullman books I've read to anyone.

Philip Pullman's first novel is among his very best -- and like the highly acclaimed His Dark Materials trilogy the story and characters are beautifully written and its depth never wavers. The Ruby In The Smoke, the first of the Sally Lockhart trilogy, is often described with one word: powerful. Bold , brave sixteen-year old Sally Lockhart plunges into a terrifying journey to uncover her father's death's real meaning and a mystery that contains an item hunted for centuries. Determined to uncover the dark truth, she sets out to Victorian London in doing so -- and learns of an enemy lurking in her shadows. Her real journey begins there. And little by little, she will slowly uncover the bits and pieces of a terrifying mystery that will threaten everything -- and secrets that may destroy it all. A heartbreaking, thrilling and satisfying story, The Ruby In The Smoke shows us the talent of Philip Pullman -- and as his stories thrill many a reader we see that his deep plots get better and better over the years. With The Ruby In The Smoke, the reader falls in love with Sally Lockhart's daring personality and will want to read the next two books. I can't wait to read Book Two, The Shadow In The North. And like a ruby in the smoke, the story shrouds itself in powerful mystery with an ending so beautiful and satisfying. Philip Pullman's first novel is one that will impress many; his true talent is seen in The Ruby In The Smoke (I am certain the other two books in the trilogy are even more gripping) and The His Dark Materials trilogy, and he is unsurpassable at that.

This book is the most amazing I've read. Ever.
Philip Pullman's unbelievable description and detail makes it easy for the reader to be sucked into the story and make it seem real. The book starts off with a bang and never settles down until the end - Sally's life is always in danger. "Her name was Sally Lockhart, and within fifteen minutes she was going to kill a man." What kind of a reader could put down a novel after an entry like that?! This suspenseful mystery is best not read right before bedtime, if you'd like untroubled dreams. The Ruby in the Smoke is real, the realest I've ever seen in a mystery, and the best.

I'd also like to recommend: The Shadow in the North, The Tiger in the Well, The Tin Princess, The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass