The Rule of Three...

It is often said that things happen in three's…it is not clear exactly where this comes from, however if you have seen The Craft (great film!) you will know that in witchcraft the 'Rule of Three' is a widely held belief that whatever energy a person puts out into the world - good or bad - it will be returned to that person three fold; 'by the power of three make them see, make them see'. If bad things happen, we often have an expectation that they will happen in three's, waiting for the next thing to go wrong.

Rather than concentrate on the bad, I thought I would focus on the good things that come in three's and had some interesting responses when I asked my friends; three wise men, three wishes, Hanson, Destiny's Child (the final line-up obviously!), gammon, egg & pineapple, the Batman trilogy, Three Times a Lady. Even though this list is small, it probably provides quite an insight into the minds of me and my friends!

The 'rule of three' is also a writing principle that suggests that things that come in three's are funnier or more effective than any other numbers of things; Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, Three Billy Goats Gruff. This leads me on nicely to the theme for this post; the trilogy.

The books within a trilogy are all connected in some way, whether it is by the characters, setting or theme. The reader is able to invest more in a story and a character, and it is often upon completing the final instalment of a trilogy that I feel most bereft!  I must say here that it is extremely frustrating to finish a book which is part of a trilogy and have to wait a year until the next one is published. Before you read on, I can confirm that all of the books featured in this post are available to buy!

The trilogies that I will mention in this post are; the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver, the Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson, and, His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman.

Delirium
Pandemonium
Requiem 

"Love: a single word, a wispy thing, a word no bigger or longer than an edge. That's what it is: an edge; a razor. It draws up through the centre of your life, cutting everything in two. Before and after. The rest of the world falls away on either side."
Lauren Oliver, Delirium

The Delirium trilogy is a young adult dystopian story set in the future. I read the first book after it was recommended on Twitter, and subsequently recommended it to all of my friends. The power of social media! The story centres around a strong female lead, Lena, who lives in a society where love is considered as being a disease - amor deliria nervosa - which will eventually result in death. In order to 'save' people from this disease, every child must have the 'Cure' upon reaching the age of 18 through a surgical procedure. We learn relatively early in the story that Lena's mother committed suicide rather than have the Cure, and that as a result Lena and her sister are brought up by her aunt and uncle.

Throughout the three books there are many twists and turns, including a complex love triangle, with each book ending on a cliffhanger. The concept of love being a disease is an intriguing one that will really make you consider the consequences and the importance of all kinds of love, and how we often take it for granted.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,
The Girl Who Played with Fire,
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest

"Friendship - my definition - is built on two things. Respect and trust. Both elements have to be there. And it has to be mutual. You can have respect for someone, but if you don't have trust, the friendship will crumble." 
Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I am certain that even if you haven't read this you will have heard people talking about it. The Millennium trilogy starts with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo where we meet the central characters; Lisbeth Salander, a computer hacker, and Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, who are brought together to undertake a private investigation on the case of a missing woman who has not been seen for thirty six years. Salander is not your conventional heroine, in fact initially she is not very likeable at all, however I think that this is part of her charm. Throughout the course of the trilogy we gradually learn of Salander's past and how this has influenced the woman she has become.

Do not let the length of the books put you off, they are a gripping read and trust me, you will not be able to put these books down until you have reached the conclusion. The Millennium trilogy is unpredictable, violent, dark and in places sadistic. These elements can make for difficult reading at times, but are needed to achieve the overall effect which is explosive. The one thing that will remain consistent will be your admiration and desire for justice for Salander, for whom you will route for throughout.

Northern Lights
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass

"Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit."
Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials

I have referred in previous posts to books that will stay with you long after you have finished them, and that you will wish to revisit time and time again. For me, this trilogy is certainly one of them. In the first book, Northern Lights, we are introduced to Lyra who has been raised as an orphan in an alternate world to our own. Lyra is given an alethiometer, or truth teller, which is said to answer any question that is asked of it by a skilled user. Throughout the course of the story it appears that no one is able to read the alethiometer as well as Lyra, and it is indeed this instrument which plays a key part in her destiny. Lyra displays many admirable qualities such as strength, courage and loyalty, also using deceit and manipulation where necessary.

Throughout the story we move between alternate worlds, meeting weird and wonderful characters, considering issues of justice and morality. Although the trilogy is cited as children's fiction, it touches upon very adult themes. I won't say any more than - to do so would ruin the experience for a first time reader!


It proved difficult to narrow it down to just three trilogies, I have read so many good ones…I would love to hear your thoughts on any of the above if you have read them, or any that you would recommend.