What nostalgia this bought back for me! I was immediately back in His Dark Materials in Lyra's head, hearing her voice. I loved it. I definitely want to re-read the series now! It was also beautifully illustrated with lino prints.

This was a fun little story about the relationship between Lyra and Pantaleimon. It adds a bit to the ongoing story of the world, but is definitely not a must read.
The illustrations and layout were damn beautiful, though.

A great short story featuring Lyra and Pan when they revisit the witches consulate. An insight into the changing relationship that they share after they were separated

It’s always wonderful to be back in the world of His Dark Materials, particularly with Lyra and Pan. This is for those readers who don’t want to miss a second of the journey but not essential reading for continuity purposes.

Serpentine is a brief dalliance with Lyra and Pan, following the events of the Amber Spyglass. I can't stress enough the importance of having caught up to this point in the series prior to reading this novella, because there are spoilers absolutely everywhere!

I really like that Serpentine explores the potential separation of humans and daemons. What I don't like so much is how much that potential is totally stifled by the lack of content within this novella. It may promise to be 70 pages of Pullman, but in reality is about 30 pages, some only half pages at that, because the majority of it consists of illustrations; the illustrations are, however, very lovely.

If you love Pan and Lyra then I'm sure you will love this novella, but I really struggle with the obvious marketing trick this is as opposed to a genuine addition to the series and as such can't rate it any higher than a two stars.

ARC provided from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

More of a deleted scene in some ways but I enjoyed this short episode of Lyra and Pan trying to come to an accord with each other after she was forced to leave him behind in the underworld. It's an interesting concept, the idea that you might end up seriously at odds with part of yourself. Not so much that perhaps as having that part of yourself be sentient and able to reproach you. This is a big divider from child to adult, when you learn what you are capable of and have to come to terms with liking yourself again. The illustrations are lovely and really capture the spirit of the story. I imagine this will make a great stocking filler for a fan.

This novella would make a wonderful Christmas present for devotees of His Dark Materials trilogy. The artwork is amazing and really complements the writing. Although it is a while since I re read the trilogy, I had no trouble getting back inside that exciting world again.
Ultimately tis is a tale of friendship, trust and difficult conversations with an insight into Lyra and Pan's relationship..

This was a short and sweet story for the fans of the series. Lyra wants to connect emotionally with Pan that she's now able to separate from, but is afraid to approach him directly. Having read The Secret Commonwealth where the two are pretty estranged, it was nice to see that they have at least tried to become friends again. I'm not entirely sure why it's called Serpentine, other than a snake daemon making a brief appearance in it.

The book is full of illustrations by Tom Duxbury that add nicely to the story. They're drawn with strong black lines and are pretty stark-looking, reminding me of similar illustrations in readers from before the WW2. The story is quick to read, but the illustrations make the book a visual delight that can be often returned to.

When I saw this book on NetGalley, I immediately asked for it: I'm a huge fan of His Dark Materials and I wanted to dive back into this universe before finally re-reading the series... and starting the new trilogy. I'm afraid to read it because of the comments I can read from time to time.

Unfortunately, this novella didn't work for me for multiple reasons.
First, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that the author was publishing it to show the readers who don't like the new trilogy that, in fact, his new ideas were there all along, from the beginning. Maybe it was not what he intended, but it was how I received it, so I was a bit ill-at-ease.
Then, I read the series long ago... I don't remember everything, every character, and clearly, I should have reread the first trilogy to perfectly get this novella. And so, I didn't. I didn't remember the names, the events...
Finally, I wanted more, be it universe-wise or information-wise. I thought it would be a novella in which something happened, where there would be action. It felt more like a transition between the first and the second trilogies.

But, I was glad to meet Lyra and Pantalaimon again! It made me really want to reread His Dark Materials sooner than later! It made me want to know more about the universe too, and ... to have my own daimon. I remember what I felt the first time I discovered the series: I wanted a daimon, an animal companion, a part of my soul outside of me. It still holds magic to me.

So, a bit disappointed by this novella, but still fascinated by this world!

A wonderful glimpse into Lyra and Pan's lives after the events of the His Dark Materials trilogy.

Lyra and Pan have never had secrets before, but Lyra can't stop thinking about what Pan might have done while they were separated, and isn't sure if it's okay to ask him. The Serpentine is a story about friendship, honesty, and knowing yourself.

This short story is a perfect winter read and would make a wonderful gift for fans of the series. The artwork is beautiful, even in digital form, and I'm looking forward to buying a physical copy to look at it in greater detail.

Serpentine is a wonderful novella, which brings us back to the essence of His Dark Materials, (the trilogy which defined my late teens/early twenties) which is the relationship between Lyra and Pantalaimon. Although it takes place after His Dark Materials, it essentially brings her full circle, back to the start of her journey in the North where she visits Doctor Lanselius.
It was refreshing to dip back into Lyra's world for a short time, rather than the epic journeys readers will have previously joined her on. It felt the same but different - the dynamics between Lyra and her daemon have shifted and have a new edge to them as both are learning to trust and find closeness to the other again after experiencing separation. I adored the interaction between them but, as it has been some years since I read the trilogy, I struggled with some references to the old characters and couldn't quite slot all the secrets/clues/references together.
The themes of the novella spoke out to me as being two joined characters trying to rebuild themselves, their relationship and their communication following trauma, grief and events which have changed them forever. This is something we as readers can connect with in our own lives and relationships.
I felt Pantalaimon had as much ownership and agency in this story as Lyra. He notices things that she doesn't and you get the sense that they are two rather than one. However, the end suggests they are moving towards being one again and the future offers some hope.
I would recommend this novella for all fans of His Dark Materials but would advise readers to refresh themselves of events of the trilogy first. It is a wonderful accompanying story which helps to build a sense of Lyra's life and the world she lives in before and after the trilogy.

It has been a long time since I read His Dark Materials (HDM) books and reading this short has made me want to go back and re-read. WARNING if you haven't read HDM trilogy then this contains spoilers!
If you love Lyra's story then this short would be lovely to have as a physical copy ( I read on a Kindle) as the illustrations are beautiful lino block cut and enhance the narrative. This book is set some time after the final events of HDM and is a peek at the relationship between Lyra and Pan. I liked the dialogue of how to broach a difficult subject with someone you love, should you mention this or just let it lie, how will affect the relationship? Everyone's situation is unique, but for me it seems that if you care, are empathetic and judiciously honest then a potentially damaged relationship can be reclaimed, all be it on a different footing. I enjoyed this immensely and adds to the series - but it is short.
I read this book courtesy of Netgalley and Penguin Random house, my thanks to them for the opportunity to do so.

Serpentine is a very lovely look into the relationship between Lyra and Pan, after the events in The Amber Spyglass and their separation. It’s barely more than two conversations (between Lyra and Dr. Lanselius and afterwards between Lyra and Pan), but it gives a little bit of insight to how the relationship between Lyra and her Daemon changed after the original trilogy. The art by Tom Duxbury is lovely and the simplistic look of the illustrations fit the simpleness of the story perfectly. It doesn’t add a whole lot to the story of Lyra and Pan, but for fans, it’s a nice addition.

Short but sweet, Serpentine centres around a conversation between Lyra and Pan as to what happened while they were separated on the shores of the Dead, and like the daemons of the witches: what happens next for them? It was lovely to dive back into the glittering world of the Northern Lights franchise but the story was incredibly short, a snapshot at best, although the story behind how it was created - an original story for a charity auction over 17 years ago - is lovely. I wouldn’t recommend reading it unless you’re already a fan of the series as it’s so closely intertwined to the events in the series and also works as a taster of what’s to come in the Commonwealth series. It is also beautifully illustrated.

I cannot tell you how much I loved being back with Lyra and Pan, and in Svalbard too, which has always been my favourite part of the original trilogy. This short story is a lovely insight into the relationships between various characters, but most importantly that between Lyra and her daemon, and the accompanying woodcut illustrations are beautiful and evocative. This would make the perfect stocking filler for any fan of these books or the recent TV series.

This is an illustrated novella following the events that occur after both the His Dark Materials trilogy and the other short story that follows it, Lyra's Oxford. This focuses on the series' central character, Lyra Belacqua, but her daemon, Pan, also shares equal focus. Other characters from the preceding books also feature, either physically or in speech, and much of what has previously occurred between them is mentioned.

This didn't provide the reader with a whole amount of new information about this world and focused, instead, on bringing emotion rather than knowledge to reader. It was just a pleasant little story to experience that left with a big silly smile on my face, after reading it. The gorgeous black and white imagery that featured throughout also enhanced the warmth I felt emanating from it.

A very quick visit to Lyra and Pan briefly back in the Arctic in the time following the Amber Spyglass.
This short story is worth the investment for the beautiful woodcut illustrations throughout.
An aperitif to keep the Pullman fans sweet until the next full length offering.

A truly beautiful, wintery little story, set in the snows of the far North. A must-read for anyone who loves Lyra and Pantalaimon's world, and wants to know more about their relationship!

With thanks to Penguin Random House, Netgalley & Philip Pullman for my ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really short story which picks up after the events of The Amber Spyglass. It was a nice little read which explored Pan & Lyra’s feelings towards one another after these events and a nice dip back into the world of His Dark Materials.

I loved Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series but I have not read any of the connected short stories. Serpentine comes after Lyra's Oxford but before the new Book of Dust series. Philip explains in his notes at the back of Serpentine that the story was intended as a one-off - he handwrote the original version several years ago to be auctioned for charity. It does, therefore, read like a deleted scene or an epilogue, rather than a short story.

A few years after the events of The Amber Spyglass, Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon return to a town they first visited in Northern Lights and meet up with an old friend. As this is a short story, to tell you any more would involve spoilers!

Fans of His Dark Materials will love the book. It's a snapshot into an older Lyra's life where she learns something about herself and her relationship with Pantalaimon. The book is beautiful to look at and the illustrations are gorgeous. It would make a perfect stocking filler. However, it is very short (80 pages, including the illustrations and a note from the author) and takes less than 20 minutes to read.

Best suited for the fan who wants to read everything about Lyra and her world.



Thank you to Philip Pullman and Penguin for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.