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The Rose Field
The Rose Field – The Book of Dust Volume Three by Philip Pullman brings readers to the end of a journey that began with the publication of The Golden Compass, the first book in the series His Dark Materials. The names of the two protagonists, Lyra and Pan, now stand shoulder to shoulder with other icons of Young Adult literature and have been etched into the memories of anyone who has read their adventures.
As readers of The Secret Commonwealth – The Book of Dust Volume Two will know, Pan and Lyra have separated. Ever since Lyra had to abandon Pan when she entered the world of the dead in The Amber Spyglass, they have been able to live apart. Unfortunately, without a daemon Lyra stands out among the regular population, as humans without daemons are considered dangerous.
While the religious order – The Magisterium – had a setback when Lyra’s mother and father defeated them in a war, they have managed to not only regain their lost power but come back stronger and more aggressive. Now they seek to control every aspect of everybody’s life – particularly Lyra’s.
The man responsible for The Magisterium has a particular hatred for Lyra as he blames her for the death of his sister, Lyra’s mother, Mrs. Coulter. Personal vendetta and ambition for power and control drive The Magisterium as they spread their power around the world using military might and spies.
Their goal is to shut down the trade in a special rose oil. This oil allows people to see Dust – the essence which is the bond between humans and daemons. The Rose Field of the book’s title refers not to a literal field of Roses but a plane of existence. The Rose Field is a plane of being where Dust lives – a plane that can only be seen indirectly or through the aid of this rose oil.
Knowledge and awareness are two of the most dangerous things for those seeking to impose autocratic rule. In Pullman’s world, The Magisterium are well aware of this, and their attempts to stamp our the rose oil trade are all in an effort to control people’s knowledge. They literally will stop at nothing to ensure nobody has the “wrong” thoughts.
While The Rose Field deals with lofty ideas of freedom of thought and speech, through its examination of the relationship between Lyra and Pan it also does a wonderful job of looking at the personal growth of a young woman. Lyra is no longer the young girl of the first series – she’s a university student who swears and has sex.
As she hunts for Pan across the known world in The Rose Field we see how this quest is in reality a hunt to find herself again. Pan says he’s left her to look for her lost imagination, but in reality they are both looking for the spark that had made her special in the first place. While Lyra initially dismisses imagination as childishness, she eventually comes to see it for what it really is. It is the essence of what makes us human, allows us to see beyond the limits of the rules imposed on us by authorities; to create a better world.
Pullman has done a masterful job in not only warning us of the dangers our own world is causally drifting towards, but giving us a satisfactory conclusion to the story of a beloved group of characters. While the book is not an easy read by any means, Pullman respects his audience enough to never talk down to them. The Rose Field is so well-written the story plays out beautifully.
The Rose Field by Philip Pullman brings the story of Lyra and Pan to a resounding and beautiful conclusion. An eloquent and satisfying read, it will quickly join the rest of the books in the series as a must-read.
