Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman
Bibliography:
Pullman, P. Ruby in the Smoke. Alfred A. Knopf. (1985).
Summary:
Sally Lockhart needs answers. Her father's untimely death in the China Sea seemed to be a tragedy of his shipping trade until a mysterious letter brings to Sally a warning and a clue. Wanting to find the truth behind Captain Lockhart's death, Sally finds herself in a web of suspicious and sinister characters, all tied together by the legend of an enchanted ruby and their desires to posess the treasure themselves. An evil old woman, threatening bodyguards, and former "friends" of her father are all in pursuit of Sally and the knowledge they believe she holds regarding the ruby. Finding help of her own from unlikely friends, Sally manages to weave through the maze of mystery created by lost journals, cryptic clues, and clouded visions brought about by the Victorian drug-of-choice, opium, to get to the bottom of her father's death.
Thoughts:
Gripped by the first page of this story, where the reader is promised both death and intrigue, I was anxious to see how Sally Lockhart, a young, seeminlgy frail girl, would turn out to be the heroine of a critically acclaimed mystery novel. As I continued to read (and was, in fact, unable to stop), I found that Sally Lockhart, though quiet and unassuming, was a complex and deep character. She is obedient to her superiors, polite, inquisitive, and yet shows bravery and initiative in seeking out the truth of her father's death, despite the dangers and unpleasantries she must face.
The assortment of characters keeps the reader on his toes, as it is possible that any of the sinister (and even seemingly innocent) men and women may be related in some form or fashion to either Sally's father, the ruby, or Sally herself. The plot twists and turns as it takes us from London to Oxford to South China, and back to the slums and opium dens of the wharf. Suspicious settings and relationships between characters add to the novel's intrigue, and I could not put it down until the death of Sally's father was resolved. Though this book does contain heartache- murder, drugs, kidnapping, etc. and has a melodramatic flair, it is just what the reader of a mystery wants to read, all neatly tied up at the end. I recommend this book to both young adult readers and adults!
Reviews:
"Pullman's Victorian melodrama boasts a sufficiency of mystery, murder, and hairbreadth escapes involving a big cast of honest and ignoble types. 'On a cold, fretful afternoon in early October 1872,' the story begins, young Sally Lockhart is in London where she tries to find out the meaning of 'the Seven Blessings.' The phrase appears in a message from her recently deceased father, drowned in the South China Sea. When a colleague of her father hears the words, he dies instantly of a heart attack. That event marks the start of crises that go on with no let-up in the colorful Dickensian tale. Sally's legacy, supposedly a fantastic ruby, is nowhere to be found. A gang of cutthroats pursue the girl and her loyal allies, as the story sweeps on to a resounding close." - Publisher's Weekly
"A rip-roaring adventure story filled with cutthroat villians, dastardly deeds, sleazy opium dens, filthy London slums, and a delightful heroine.... Splendind descriptions, plot twists and turns, and understated humor engage readers in this tale of murder, mayhem, and mystery." - School Library Journal
Ideas for Use:
Activities for this book would be fun to do in the midst of reading, rather than waiting until the end. After talking briefly about "suspects" and how mysteries provide many suspects that could be involved in the mystery, teach the students how to make a chart or web of characters, keeping track of how they relate to each other. Each student can work individually or in a group, and as characters are introduced or developed, making a chart or web will help to keep their relations with one another straight. This could also give students a chance to play "detective," making a chart or web of clues, suspects, settings, etc., and enable them to make predictions regarding the death of Captain Lockhart.
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