The Ruby in the Smoke

Link: Euro Crime: The Ruby in the Smoke.

Karen M of the highly esteemed blog Eurocrime highlights an eagerly awaited double event chez Petrona.

Philip Pullman's "Ruby in the Smoke" has been adapted for TV and will be shown on the BBC over Christmas. The Sally Lockhart quartet is a huge favourite of Cathy's, she has eagerly read all the books twice, to my knowledge. I have not read them  myself, but from what Cathy has said, they involve a young woman (maybe even a teenager?)  in Victorian times whose fiance dies near the start. She is pregnant, so becomes a single mother as well as a detective.  How powerful a theme is that?

But the second excitement is that Sally is being played by Billie Piper, the top favourite of Jenny, and probably equal top (with Keira Knightley) of Cathy. Billie Piper, of course, is "Rose", Dr Who's companion, Dr Who long having grown out of the female "assistants" that I can dimly remember from previous lives.

Jenny (11) is currently reading Pullman's "Northern Lights" trilogy and enjoying it immensely. She's almost at the end of book 2, "The Subtle Knife", so I need to catch up, as has long been my intention. Malcolm and Cathy are already longstanding fans: indeed,  Malcolm has long maintained the heretical position that "Northern Lights" is vastly superior to Harry Potter. I really must get around to finding out if this is actually possible.

Christmas in our house is going to be sublime -- lots of peace and quiet for reading and blogging; our established tradition of watching all three extended editions of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy; and now this.   

Comments

[Karen M from Euro Crime]

I still have to read 'Northern' Lights. I've had them for several years...one day...

[Jenny D]

Oh, yes, vastly superior! I love the Potter books too, but the Pullman ones are really exceptional. Lockhart ones v. good also--you would like them, Maxine--they're very Wilkie Collinsish.

[Sian]

I loved the dark materials trilogy when I read them (especially the amber spyglass) and last year we went to watch the 2-part play of it at the national theatre which was truly spectacular-- definitely worth going to if it comes back again.

[Maxine]

Thanks, Sian, I was wondering whether it would be worth trying to get tickets -- if it returns to london.