Are you a fan of His Dark Materials, a fabulous fantasy series by Phillip Pullman, recently dramatized by HBO and the BBC?

If so, you’ll understand why I was delighted to receive my own personal daemon from HBO this week. Meet Elefteia, my lovely lynx-like caracal.

In the series, daemons are external representations of the soul. They’re inextricably linked to a single person, with whom they share an immensely intimate bond.

So in real life, what exactly is a caracal? Here’s one!

Thank you to HBO for sending Elefteia, my daemon, to me! She’ll take pride of place in our home!