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La Belle Sauvage

(The Book of Dust #1)

Philip Pullman

4.15 · Rating details · 76,013 ratings · 7,695 reviews

Malcolm Polstead is the kind of boy who notices everything but is not much noticed himself. And so perhaps it was inevitable that he would become a spy...

Malcolm's father runs an inn called the Trout, on the banks of the river Thames, and all of Oxford passes through its doors. Malcolm and his dæmon, Asta, routinely overhear news and gossip, and the occasional scandal, but ...more

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Hardcover, 449 pages

Published October 19th 2017 by Alfred A. Knopf

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Sep 11, 2015 Emily May rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, 2017

Malcolm tried to remember the fairy tales he knew. Could you bargain with fairies? Did they keep their promises?

It's hard to believe, but I was ten years old when I first read Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. Along with Harry Potter, it is one of the standout reads of my childhood and, perhaps, my entire life. So, obviously, when I heard about La Belle Sauvage, I simply had to bury my skepticism and read it.

And I think this book digs up the past pretty well. I’ve had mixed feelings abou ...more

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Mar 10, 2017 Sean Barrs rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2-star-reads, y-a

Phillip Pullman is clearly capable of great things. He achieves an absolute mastery of tone, style and plot in The Golden Compass. However, I found none of that mastery in this book.

Admittedly, I had major reservations going into it; yet, for all that, I did approach it with an open mind. I tried to appreciate it for what it was, though sadly that really isn’t much to get excited about. The writing is average, the plot slow and the new characters rather bland and ordinary.

For me, the biggest p Phillip Pullman is clearly capable of great things. He achieves an absolute mastery of tone, style and plot in The Golden Compass. However, I found none of that mastery in this book.

Admittedly, I had major reservations going into it; yet, for all that, I did approach it with an open mind. I tried to appreciate it for what it was, though sadly that really isn’t much to get excited about. The writing is average, the plot slow and the new characters rather bland and ordinary.

For me, the biggest problem this book has is its lack of autonomy. The most exciting episodes of the plot were when characters from His Dark Materials were mentioned or even appeared in the flesh. Granted, this is a companion trilogy and, certainly, this was clearly meant to be read with the other trilogy in mind, but it still needs enough strength to stand on its own to an extent. And sadly it just doesn’t possess that strength. The plot was exceedingly underdeveloped in the first half and the second half only served to usher Lyra’s arrival in Oxford.

Is that all we’re getting Mr Pullman?

The new characters Pullman has written aren’t exactly remarkable or interesting. Malcolm, the protagonist, is a very typical leading man with his heroic traits and natural intelligence that has yet to find a proper channel. All in all, he’s a pretty standard person whose only real passion seems to be his boat named La Belle Sauvage. His friend, and possible love interest, Alice is angry with Malcolm because he doesn’t notice her. She kicks him, shouts at him and wishes for his attention. Her feelings were firmly established early on yet were majorly underworked through the rest of the novel.

In terms of narrative progression, I feel like the story barely moved forward. Again, for the first half it stayed in the same place with Malcom running errands, spying on people, checking on a six month old Lyra and reading a few books. In the second half he spent most of it on a boat arguing with Alice and looking for Lord Asriel. It lacked a certain sense of purpose and urgency. I never felt like the important characters were really in danger, obviously because we know where they’re going to end up from reading the previous trilogy.

Whist this book is far from being dreadful, it is completely unengaging. There’s so much in The Golden Compass worthy of literary criticism, but absolutely nothing here. I have no reason to actually read the rest of the series. At this point I have to ask myself the essential question: why did he even write this?

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You can connect with me on social media via My Linktree.
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Apr 18, 2016 Prema Arasu marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: dissertation

Dear Mr. Pullman,
Please never publish this book as I am writing a thesis on His Dark Materials and the addition of information to the canon will probably invalidate all of it.
Thanks bro
P. Arasu

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Jan 20, 2016 Joey Woolfardis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bookshelf, masculine, ce21, own, 2017, bairns, champion, dirigible-experience, sterling

We delve back in to alternate-world Oxford, miles from armoured bears but surrounded yet again by daemons and the mysterious alethiometers, following a young boy named Malcolm who is stuck in a world where young working-class boys are mostly discouraged from learning beyond their schooling and are fervently taught that religion is the only truth.

There is really no great ingenuity here that came previously with His Dark Materials and honestly, that is the only place to start with Philip Pullman. We delve back in to alternate-world Oxford, miles from armoured bears but surrounded yet again by daemons and the mysterious alethiometers, following a young boy named Malcolm who is stuck in a world where young working-class boys are mostly discouraged from learning beyond their schooling and are fervently taught that religion is the only truth.

There is really no great ingenuity here that came previously with His Dark Materials and honestly, that is the only place to start with Philip Pullman. It begins idyllic and slow, building the story as the rain falls. Intrigue comes in to place in many parts, but it's quite often when you expect it. We meet characters we met in His Dark Materials and you are setting yourself up for some major spoilers if you read this book first, but truthfully it is the journey of a book not the ending that makes it.

Once the magic of the alethiometers turns up and the rain starts to become incredible, the story begins in earnest. It felt more like setting the scene took too long, but this alternate-world Oxford (and England) was altogether comforting and peaceful that it was difficult not to care too much about that. Returning to a world that one likes rather a lot is paramount to forgiving mostly anything.

Of course, it is written by Philip Pullman and so the writing is almost perfect. There is nothing particularly lacking, though because it is written for children you get the slightly condensed characters that usually come with that genre, where they are not wholly fleshed out but made "simple". It's difficult to defend prequels or even sequels-hey, authors have to make money, too-but the alternate history/worlds of His Dark Materials is such a vast, blindingly colourful world that there would be no end to the exploration of the place. The ideas, the daemons, the alethiometer, the dimensions and witches, armoured bears and gyptians, good versus evil and science versus religion is a ridiculously large field of such scope that even a trilogy, a double trilogy or a triply trilogy could never quite explore.

My rating is mostly based on how much I enjoyed the writing (it's so nice to read books by people who can actually, factually write) and the story, along with nostalgia for His Dark Materials. Really it is a 2-3 star story, with 5+ star ideas and 5 star writing, some 1 star characters, some 4 star. It encompasses a lot of feelings and emotions, and yet the overall feeling was simply comfort.

This book comforted me, like a freshly change duvet on a warm summer's day, smelling faintly of lavender. ...more

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Aug 19, 2014 mark monday rated it it was amazing

Shelves: inbetweenworld, fog-and-gears, alpha-team

A wonderful way to start off the new year, especially with the cold and the wet everywhere. I loved the slow pace of the first half, all of the details that brought life to sweet, curious Malcolm's world. I loved the thrill of the second half: its many surreal and threatening episodes, the rise of Malcolm's rage-dogs, the faerie queen and the witch queen, the bravery, and everything to do with grouchy Alice. The appalling villain Gerard Bonneville (and his three-legged hyena daemon) was fascinat ...more

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Nov 29, 2017 Emily (Books with Emily Fox) rated it liked it

3.5?

I was excited to read more from that world. I have to say the book left me a bit... unsatisfied? I wanted more and I will continue reading this series but it mostly felt like an intro, not a full book.

However, it made me want to reread His Dark Materials ASAP!

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May 29, 2017 Kristen rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, disappointment

*Possible spoilers ahead. Proceed with caution.*

I cannot believe that I am rating this book 2 stars.

This was my most anticipated read of 2017. After reading His Dark Materials last year and falling in love with the world and having the story shatter me and embed itself deeply into my soul, I was so excited for this book, I would honestly go to bed smiling sometimes thinking about how awesome this book was going to be. I think it's safe to say that how I'm feeling now, after reading it, is a litt ...more

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Sep 27, 2017 Phrynne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5000-books

This was really good. I liked it better than His Dark Materials. The characters were better drawn, the story was more interesting and it really seemed not to be aimed at the same market. There were references to sexual activity and rape and some of the scenes were quite brutal. Not really appropriate for children at all.

However I enjoyed it very much indeed. I must admit that credit should be given to Michael Sheen, the narrator of the audiobook. His impersonation of the laugh of a rabid jackal ...more

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Feb 15, 2017 Simona B marked it as wishlist · review of another edition

EDIT 29/05/2017: TITLE TITLE TITLE. IT IS SO LOVELY. AND THERE IS A BLURB TOO!

EDIT 15/02/2017: This comes out in October -do you know what that means? It means that Simona is going to re-read all three books of His Dark Materials before then! Yay!

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Mar 16, 2018 Philip rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-releases, ya, juvenile-fantasy, hugo, author-man, fantasy, hugo-2018

4ish stars.

My first experience with the Pullman-verse. I never read The Golden Compass, but reading this makes me want to. Malcolm is a great character, and the adventure he embarks on is exciting and interesting. There are some great secondary characters as well, particularly Hannah Relf. I wonder if/hope that they appear in the original series?? The tone is dark and adult for a book obviously meant for a younger audience (including f-bombs, sexual assault), but it's still very much a YA/child ...more

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Nov 14, 2017 Trish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The flood changed everything.

... extreme weather had its own state of mind ...

I'm usually weary of prequels of any kind. It often sounds like a movie company, author or whoever wants to cash in on past successes. In case of Philip Pullman, I was a bit more optimistic - especially after reading His Dark Materials only last month (I had only known the very first book up to that point). Also, Pullman was indeed asked if this was a prequel, to which he gave the perfect answer, calling i ...more

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Oct 18, 2017 Lori rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I'm not sure how much is nostalgia for His Dark Materials, but I really liked this book.

I wish that I could remember more of The Faerie Queene ...more

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Mar 12, 2017 ☙ nemo ❧ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, adventure, high-fantasy, paranormal, physical-books-i-own, young-adult, elves-faeries-etc, 4-star, parallel-world

objectively speaking, if you divorce it from HDM, it's probably a 5 star. however, considering how utterly superb HDM is, and considering this a prequel, giving it the same score would imply that i found them to be on a par, or at least nearly so. and i did not.

i liked it a lot, but it just wasn't, y'know, His Dark Materials. typically good pullman-esque character building though, and i am very excited to see where the story goes next.

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Feb 14, 2017 ✨ jamieson ✨ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: random-choice-tbr

must a book be good? Is it not enough for me to just enjoy the daemons and get excited when a character from the original trilogy appears??

rtc

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Nov 29, 2017 Natasha Hurley-Walker rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Short version: Tedious and utterly unnecessary prequel to the brilliant Dark Materials series. DO NOT READ.

Long version:
(view spoiler) Short version: Tedious and utterly unnecessary prequel to the brilliant Dark Materials series. DO NOT READ.

Long version:
(view spoiler) ...more

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Jan 29, 2018 Emma rated it it was amazing

Shelves: childrns, re-read, fantasy, favorites

reread September 2019
Pure magic.

Wonderful! It feels simpler than Northern Lights, but that may be because we are already used to this alternative Oxford. There are a few new elements of fantasy that I hope will come into play in the sequel. Happily the sequel is already written and should be published later this year. Pullman said in an interview that this was neither a prequel or a sequel, but an equel. But it read like a prequel to me. Malcolm was a most endearing character. I read this with w ...more

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May 26, 2017 Brierly added it

Shelves: reviewed, fantasy, young-adult

We return into the world of Lyra Belacqua and His Dark Materials with The Book of Dust, a companion triology that begins with La Belle Sauvage, taking place during Lyra's infancy. As with the original trilogy, The Book of Dust shines when it comes to world-building and classical adaptation. Anyone who has started The Golden Compass will be drawn in by daemons, animal-like creatures that represent your soul. Your daemon shape-shifts throughout your childhood before settling into one form, a lifel We return into the world of Lyra Belacqua and His Dark Materials with The Book of Dust, a companion triology that begins with La Belle Sauvage, taking place during Lyra's infancy. As with the original trilogy, The Book of Dust shines when it comes to world-building and classical adaptation. Anyone who has started The Golden Compass will be drawn in by daemons, animal-like creatures that represent your soul. Your daemon shape-shifts throughout your childhood before settling into one form, a lifelong companion that comforts and protects you. And as His Dark Materials rewrites Paradise Lost; so does The Book of Dust and The Faerie Queene.

I had a unique reading experience with this one... I felt like I was rushing through it, desperate on unraveling its mysteries. But the beauty is in the details. From the beginning, Lyra remains the protagonist, despite the POV from Malcolm. All events pivot around Lyra and her infancy with Pantalimon is truly wonderful. If you have ever wondered about birth, death, and daemonology, The Book of Dust will answer some of your questions. Ultimately, though, I still do not like the way Pullman writes youth romantic relationships. He writes well when discussing an individual child but when he starts talking about young love, whether in this book or in The Amber Spyglass, it doesn't sit right. Take it from someone married to her high school sweetheart.

So what happens in the narrative? Spoilers aside, we know Lyra spends her youth under scholastic sanctuary at Jordan College, Oxford. She's a highly coveted child that will fulfill a heretical prophecy, so numerous organizations want her dead or in captivity. So that's where she is headed... Pullman faces the impossible prequel task of writing towards a set ending. Therefore, since most of the book follows a heist-novel pacing (in which infant Lyra is the grand prize), the suspense is diluted because child Lyra will be safe from imminent harm. But as the next two novels in the trilogy are set post-Lyra's Oxford, I sense that La Belle Sauvage exists primarily as exposition. You discover more about Dust and alethiometers, as well as the Magisterium. And The Secret Commonwealth picks up when Lyra is 20 and an undergraduate... how exciting! Malcolm (and Alice) clearly care deeply for Lyra, so I hope they can continue to influence her life in a positive manner. Final note: I am also reading now that Malcolm is featured in Lyra's Oxford which I plan to read before the next release. ...more

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Mar 23, 2018 James rated it really liked it · review of another edition

‘La Belle Sauvage’ (2017) is the first part in Philip Pullman’s ‘The Book of Dust’ – companion trilogy and prequel to his much revered and critically acclaimed ‘His Dark Materials’ series (1995-2000). As such, ‘Belle Sauvage’ is set in the same parallel world(s) of an alternative Oxford, London, England et al, where we find ourselves again in the realm of daemons, alethiometers, witches and of course Dust.

The story of ‘Belle Sauvage’ centres on Malcolm and Alice, their relationship, the quest or ‘La Belle Sauvage’ (2017) is the first part in Philip Pullman’s ‘The Book of Dust’ – companion trilogy and prequel to his much revered and critically acclaimed ‘His Dark Materials’ series (1995-2000). As such, ‘Belle Sauvage’ is set in the same parallel world(s) of an alternative Oxford, London, England et al, where we find ourselves again in the realm of daemons, alethiometers, witches and of course Dust.

The story of ‘Belle Sauvage’ centres on Malcolm and Alice, their relationship, the quest or odyssey that they find themselves on and along with their foundling, the backdrop of a near apocalyptic flood and an extremely dark, evil and unrelenting pursuer – this all feels very biblical and elemental in nature. With Malcolm and Alice – there are clear echoes (presumably intended) of Lyra and Will from ‘Dark Materials’. As with ‘Dark Materials’ this is also a coming of age story, about growing up, relationships and the advent of emerging adolescence. There is much here also about the rise of religious fundamentalism and the fight against totalitarianism, which is simply but very powerfully told.

Although ‘Belle Sauvage’ explores and expands on similar themes to those of ‘Dark Materials’ – ‘Belle Sauvage’ feels somehow more grown-up, more adult than ‘Dark Materials’. In many senses, Pullman’s new book feels perhaps even darker in nature and certainly more gothic than the preceding trilogy.

Unsurprisingly ‘Belle Sauvage’ is written with the literary skill and dexterity that we’d expect from the accomplished pen of Philip Pullman – although there is nothing specifically new here thus far that has been added to the world so brilliantly created in the original ‘Dark Materials’ trilogy. Neither does ‘Belle Sauvage’ seem to possess the depth and complexity that were evident in ‘Dark Materials’ – having said that, ‘Belle Sauvage’ is of course merely book one in ‘The Book of Dust’ trilogy and as such – we have no real idea of where Pullman is taking us with this new set of stories…

Well paced and compellingly delivered - let's see where Pullman will take us next..
...more

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May 28, 2017 Bettie rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: bbc radio listeners

Shelves: series, eng-oxford, winter-20172018, autumn-2017, oochi-coochi-baby-aaw, published-2017, fantasy, floods

BABT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b099xz23

Description: Eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead and his dæmon, Asta, live with his parents at the Trout Inn near Oxford. Across the River Thames (which Malcolm navigates often using his beloved canoe, a boat by the name of La Belle Sauvage) is the Godstow Priory where the nuns live. Malcolm learns they have a guest with them, a baby by the name of Lyra Belacqua . . .

1/10: We open in Oxford, at The Trout Inn, with a pot boy named Malcolm Polstead, and t ...more

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Feb 15, 2017 Sara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, fantasy

A prequel to the His Dark Materials trilogy, with Lyra as an 8 month old baby? I've waited nearly 20 years for this book, and the anticipation during the countdown to release nearly killed me. I also knew going into this that I shouldn't compare it to the trilogy, and for that reason alone I put off reading it. I shouldn't of though, because as with everything Phillip Pullman writes I fell in love with these characters and this world.

The tone of the novel is much darker, I feel, than His Dark Ma A prequel to the His Dark Materials trilogy, with Lyra as an 8 month old baby? I've waited nearly 20 years for this book, and the anticipation during the countdown to release nearly killed me. I also knew going into this that I shouldn't compare it to the trilogy, and for that reason alone I put off reading it. I shouldn't of though, because as with everything Phillip Pullman writes I fell in love with these characters and this world.

The tone of the novel is much darker, I feel, than His Dark Materials. Malcolm is the same age as Lyra in the trilogy, but the themes addressed are that little bit more intense. Lyra for the most part was protected and treasured from abject harm, whereas Malcolm and Alice are faced with a number of socially immoral confrontations. I think where Phillip Pullman excels is in his young adult/child main characters. He never shies away from making them curious, complex and forcing them into these awful situations. Malcolm is no exception. He's deeply interesting, intelligent yet naive and likeable. There's something essentially very pure about him and his love for this baby. Alice is more complex. At first she comes across as very off putting, snide and mean. But we see as time develops that this is doen to a deep seated amount of self loathing and doubt she holds about herself. It takes Malcolm to bring out her good side.

I couldn't mention characters withiut bringing up the man with the hyena deamon. Everything about him screamed revulsion, loathing and horror. Her contempt for life, constantly knawing on her stump, cackling and voiding her bladder and his (essentially) self harm from hitting her made me feel reviled. It's been a while since I've had such strong contempt for a character, and I'm honestly still not entirely sure I have the full feel of who he is as a character. He was very interesting. I also loved the little introductions and expansion on familiar characters Farder Coram, Lord Asriel and Dr. Relf. My little heart did a leap when we see Farder Coram and his beautiful cat deamon again, younger and more whole than when Lyra meets him in the future, and it's alluded we'll meet him again in The Secret Commonwealth. Mrs Coulter is also mentioned a number of times, and we see her once in the presence of Malcolm and Dr. Relf which was wonderful to read. I would have loved to have seen more of her, and see more of the relationship she seems to share with the man with the hyena deamon, as I felt this wasn't fully explored or explained.

The plot itself feels like two distinct novels. The first part follows in a very similar vein to Northern Lights and Lyra's Oxford, as we discover more of Oxford and its inhabitants as Malcolm becomes embroiled in a murder mystery with spies and secret acorns. It's quite slow in its unravelling and presentation of the action, and I admit I did struggle at first to get to know these characters. The second part, called 'The Flood' is more dynamic and I enjoyed it immensely. I loved seeing Malcolm and Alice's relationship develop, and the numerous strange situations they find themselves in as they try and keep Lyra safe. It does delve into the realms of magical realism near the end, and went a little 'out there' which I wasn't necessarily expecting, but I still really enjoyed it.

I did think the ending was a little abrupt, and left a few doors open as to Malcolm and Alice's fate in the future, but it also left me desperate for the next book. This was worth the wait. ...more

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Feb 15, 2017 Kai marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

For everyone who hasn't yet heard the news and is desperate to dive back into Lyra's Oxford: this trilogy is going to be a thing.

Find more of my books on Instagram ...more

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Dec 04, 2017 Gary rated it it was amazing

From the moment its existence was announced, there hasn’t been a novel I’ve looked forward to more than La Belle Sauvage, the first volume in The Book of Dust, Philip Pullman’s prequel trilogy to His Dark Materials. I had little doubt the book would be good; the pleasant surprise is that it turned out to be great, if not quite the unparalleled classic that is The Golden Compass/Northern Lights. Set a decade or so before, La Belle Sauvage is the story of eleven-year-old Malcolm, who, with the hel ...more

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Jan 19, 2018 Matthew Quann rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I'd like to say, right at the top of the review, that a three-starred review does not mean I didn't like this book.

Pullman's original His Dark Materials trilogy made an immense impact on me when I was younger, maybe 12 or 13, and there's much of the same to be enjoyed here. Yet, for all the joy I had in returning to a world filled with daemons, religious tyranny, and Dust, La Belle Sauvage does not land with the same impact as I remembered all that time ago.

I'll admit that this is partially my I'd like to say, right at the top of the review, that a three-starred review does not mean I didn't like this book.

Pullman's original His Dark Materials trilogy made an immense impact on me when I was younger, maybe 12 or 13, and there's much of the same to be enjoyed here. Yet, for all the joy I had in returning to a world filled with daemons, religious tyranny, and Dust, La Belle Sauvage does not land with the same impact as I remembered all that time ago.

I'll admit that this is partially my fault. I failed to read even a Wikipedia summary of the original trilogy, which left me scratching my head when objects like the alethiometer land on the page. In fact, it took quite a while for me to remember that the titular compass of the first novel in the original trilogy was one such object. I think I would have found the book more rewarding had I reviewed the mythology of the original books. The relationship of various characters to one another (barring Lyra and her parents) also took some time to sort out, and I left the book wondering who appeared in the original trilogy and who was entirely new.

Despite all of this, it is hard not to be charmed by new lead Malcolm Polstead who bursts on to the scene with precocious intelligence, a moral compass that always points true north, and a bevy of practical skills. While working at his parents' inn, Malcolm begins to overhear conversations meant to be kept quiet, and slowly insinuates himself into a game of secret societies who each have designs upon baby Lyra. Malcolm's warm disposition and curiosity makes for a compelling young protagonist, and I can imagine relating to his struggles when I was his age. Unfortunately, I found myself more taken with the adults who stew in the background, hatching plans that concern the dramatic phenomenon of the original trilogy.

Perhaps most surprising of all is the revelation that the first half of the book is more or less a spy novel. Malcolm is recruited by a character who (I believe) was in the original trilogy in order to understand the Church's plans for Lyra. From there the book segues into a story of Malcolm being forced to steal Lyra away on his canoe, La Belle Sauvage. The second half definitely reads a lot quicker than the first and suggests some interesting wrinkles to the world as I remember it.

The book does feel as if it could have been shaved down to a more workmanlike final draft. There are passages that delve into the entirety of Malcolm's thought process that I found tedious as the book went on. With this said, the book is not aimed at seasoned, 20-something readers, it's meant for a younger audience who are beginning to come to an understanding of motives, thought processes, etc. It would have been a bit nicer if the books had aged up with their audience, but I would have been endlessly pleased to discover and unfolding second chapter of the series when I finished the first trilogy all those years ago.

La Belle Sauvage ends abruptly with the promise that more is on the way. Indeed, before reading this book I heard the sequel, The Secret Commonwealth, would take place 20 years after this book, and follow a young-adult Lyra after the end of the original trilogy. Colour me intrigued at this exciting trilogy structure that moves around in time. I do hope we see more of Malcolm and Alice in the sequel, and I hope Pullman gets into the nitty-gritty of what he's been cooking up after respectably setting the table in La Belle Sauvage.

What's more, three and a half stars gives the sequels a lot of room to blow my socks off! Here's looking forward to the second instalment of The Book of Dust sometime in 2018.

[3.5 stars] ...more

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Jan 08, 2019 ~Poppy~ rated it liked it

“War asks many people to do unreasonable things.”

...more

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Oct 22, 2017 Peter Boyle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

What a joy it is to return to the world of daemons and alethiometers! The original His Dark Materials trilogy is one of the greatest reading experiences I have ever known, and I could not have been more excited at the prospect of a new episode. I am delighted to report that it did not disappoint.

Eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead is the hero of this tale. A kind, intelligent boy, he lives above The Trout inn, which is owned by his parents. Malcolm spends his evenings serving guests at the pub, alo What a joy it is to return to the world of daemons and alethiometers! The original His Dark Materials trilogy is one of the greatest reading experiences I have ever known, and I could not have been more excited at the prospect of a new episode. I am delighted to report that it did not disappoint.

Eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead is the hero of this tale. A kind, intelligent boy, he lives above The Trout inn, which is owned by his parents. Malcolm spends his evenings serving guests at the pub, along with an older girl called Alice, but he also runs errands for the nuns who live in a priory across the river. When three strange men arrive at The Trout one night, everything changes. They are somehow connected to a baby girl named Lyra, who has been discreetly entrusted to the nuns. Lyra is a very special child, and dangerous people want to capture her, none moreso than the creepy Gerard Bonneville. With the aid of his trusty canoe, and an unlikely companion, Malcolm will have a major part to play in Lyra's survival.

The story is split into two main sections. The first involves Malcolm being drawn into the world of the resistance, a shadowy cabal of spies and secrets. And the second half is a gruelling, breathless journey set during a biblical flood.

As in the previous trilogy, religion has a big part to play in this story. Society is ruled by the oppressive Magisterium, a totalitarian regime that regards science and knowledge as the enemy. They have the power to kidnap and torture anyone who dares to question their authority. This wicked organisation even sets up a movement called the League of St Alexander, which encourages schoolchildren to inform on their teachers. But not all religious figures in the book are evil - the nuns that Malcolm befriends are a benevolent and well-intentioned bunch.

Phillip Pullman's rich imagination is once again a treasure to behold, but I think the reason La Belle Sauvage works so well lies in the strength of its main character. Malcolm is as brave and as noble as any hero you would like to meet. He is always tenacious and resourceful, especially in times of great danger. But he is also incredibly thoughtful, caring deeply about the fate of Lyra from the moment he first lays eyes on her. Even in the slow thaw of his relationship with the prickly Alice, I couldn't help cheering him on.

If I do have a slight criticism of this story, it's that it doesn't quite possess the same level of ingenuity that the previous trilogy was famous for. It's a more straightforward tale, where the truth slowly unravels and an almighty chase ensues through a dreamlike landscape. But it is always thrilling and gripping, full of memorable characters and unpredictable twists. La Belle Sauvage is the worthy beginning of an exciting new trilogy, and I will be first in line for the next installment. ...more

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Nov 09, 2017 Kaitlin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a book which has been long anticipated by most. I read His Dark Materials both as a child and as an adult just a year or so ago. I loved the series both times through, and so I was very excited to hear that this book was going to be set before the HDM series and follow the young childhood of Lyra and the guardians who have protected her...

In this story we're following a young boy called Malcolm who is the main protagonist. He's a sweet-natured if inquisitive child, and the adventure he g This is a book which has been long anticipated by most. I read His Dark Materials both as a child and as an adult just a year or so ago. I loved the series both times through, and so I was very excited to hear that this book was going to be set before the HDM series and follow the young childhood of Lyra and the guardians who have protected her...

In this story we're following a young boy called Malcolm who is the main protagonist. He's a sweet-natured if inquisitive child, and the adventure he goes on in this story is all thanks to love. He's a young boy who is keen to learn and curious to a fault, which makes him an asset to those around him. He's forever trying to protect people he loves, and he enjoys exploring in his canoe: La Belle Sauvage.

The story starts when three men turn up at the pub where Malcolm works and which his family run. He's curious about them and they start asking him questions about a young baby who may be nearby. As things unravel we find out more about who the baby is and why she is in the area where Malcolm lives. We also find out a lot more about the properties of Dust and the theory behind what it is, along with more on the Alethiometer and how to read it. I would say this book is really an exposition about some of the things we touch on in the HDM series, and I think that this is all set up for what will happen in the later books.

Another element I enjoyed about this one were the bizarre twists in the second half. We end up getting some magic and fey influence, and this was something I didn't quite expect and found pretty interesting. Particularly the main characters visit a land where they seem invisible to everyone and then the Giant of this land tells them why it is this way and the reasoning was highly interesting to me.

Daemons are again a big part of Lyra's world, and seeing the way they are so interwoven and vital in this society was great. I really love the Daemons and the way they portray so much about their human counterparts.

In the end, I think this is a very solid if slightly different story. It starts out fairly slow and the second half is very fast. I do think it felt quite simple at times, and I wanted a few more surprises earlier on, but I enjoyed it a lot and I will certainly keep reading the series. 4*s overall. ...more

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Nov 21, 2017 Lucy Banks rated it it was amazing

Stellar storytelling (as you'd expect), thoroughly immersive.

Words cannot describe how profoundly I adored the His Dark Materials series. Reading them as a teen, I remember being so relieved that here was an author who didn't pander to his young audience; who wasn't afraid to show brutality and fear; but also who gave his characters such depth and personality that they'd stay with the reader forever.

So, as you can imagine, I dived into this book with huge excitement, but also trepidation. Would Stellar storytelling (as you'd expect), thoroughly immersive.

Words cannot describe how profoundly I adored the His Dark Materials series. Reading them as a teen, I remember being so relieved that here was an author who didn't pander to his young audience; who wasn't afraid to show brutality and fear; but also who gave his characters such depth and personality that they'd stay with the reader forever.

So, as you can imagine, I dived into this book with huge excitement, but also trepidation. Would it live up to the first three? Would it stick in my mind as the other ones did? Well, the answer is yes, for the most part.

La Belle Sauvage reads like a calmer, more grown-up sibling of the first three. It's less wild, less action-packed, but thoroughly engaging nonetheless.

The star of the show this time around is Malcolm, a son of a pub landlord, who lives a fairly quiet life, waiting on tables and sailing his little boat. He's friends with the local nuns, and curious when they take on a little baby called Lyra, and her daemon Pantalaimon.

As you probably already guessed (if you've read the other books), she's no normal baby, and her presence is of great interest to several powerful figures. It's up to Malcolm to keep her safe from the menacing figures that pursue her - and start the chain of events that leads to His Dark Materials.

So - what's good about this book? Firstly, Pullman's narrative style. God, I love it so much. It's so simple, so straightforward, yet so wonderfully effective. Not a word is wasted - wonderful stuff. The characters are also remarkable - deftly drawn and thoroughly believable. The most incredible (and genuinely frightening) character is Bonneville - a seemingly friendly man with a deranged, three-legged hyena for a daemon. Gosh - I really want to know more about him!

There were moments where the book dragged ever so slightly - it's certainly not as sharp as the first three; but the softer pace complements the plot of the book, particularly given that a lot of it is set on the river. The elements of magic and mystery are perhaps less too - but when in appearance, are gorgeously poetic.

Only one small thing - after reading, I wasn't sure if I'd just finished a kids' book, or a book for adults. Thematically, it fits into children's literature well - but then, there's swearing in it, not to mention violence and mentions of child molestation - not exactly child-friendly topics. I personally wouldn't want my children reading this until they were quite a bit older; not because of the swearing so much, but the darker themes, which are genuinely quite freaky. And of course, there's Pullman's usual obvious distaste for organised religion, which never bothered me personally, but may be a problem for others.

But overall - superb read. I eagerly await the second in the series! ...more

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Mar 30, 2015 The Book Queen marked it as to-be-published · review of another edition

Shelves: hand-it-over-now

What is this?! More Philip Pullman? More Northern Lights? More Lyra?

YES!

Pullman, just take all my money and gimme the book. Write fast. Give me an advance copy.

Please, please feature Will too. And if Lyra falls in love with someone else, someone is going to get MURDERED.

XXX, the Book Queen

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Aug 08, 2018 Calista rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017, series-unfinished, genre-fantasy, award-goodreads-choice, series, z-philip-pullman, award-various, bage-young-adult, genre-drama-tragedy, genre-thriller

One of my favorite trilogies I’ve read is ‘His Dark Materials’. It was such a brilliant series. This is the prequel trilogy to the original. I wonder if there really needed to be a trilogy. I do know this book needed to happen. What a wild ride it is. It starts off one way and in the middle it becomes a completely different book.

Lyra is a baby in this book and she is vulnerable here. Luckily she has Malcolm to look after her interests from afar. The book has fairies and nuns, conspiracies and fl ...more

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Nov 27, 2016 Madisson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

i looooooved this and can't wait for the next two instalments!!

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About Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman

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In 1946, acclaimed author Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, England, into a Protestant family. Although his beloved grandfather was an Anglican priest, Pullman became an atheist in his teenage years. He graduated from Exeter College in Oxford with a degree in English, and spent 23 years as a teacher while working on publishing 13 books and numerous short stories. Pullman has received many awards In 1946, acclaimed author Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, England, into a Protestant family. Although his beloved grandfather was an Anglican priest, Pullman became an atheist in his teenage years. He graduated from Exeter College in Oxford with a degree in English, and spent 23 years as a teacher while working on publishing 13 books and numerous short stories. Pullman has received many awards for his literature, including the prestigious Carnegie Medal for exceptional children's literature in 1996, and the Carnegie of Carnegies in 2006. He is most famous for his His Dark Materials trilogy, a series of young adult fantasy novels which feature free-thought themes. The novels cast organized religion as the series' villain. Pullman told The New York Times in 2000: "When you look at what C.S. Lewis is saying, his message is so anti-life, so cruel, so unjust. The view that the Narnia books have for the material world is one of almost undisguised contempt. At one point, the old professor says, 'It's all in Plato'—meaning that the physical world we see around us is the crude, shabby, imperfect, second-rate copy of something much better. I want to emphasize the simple physical truth of things, the absolute primacy of the material life, rather than the spiritual or the afterlife." He argues for a "republic of heaven" here on Earth.

In 2007, the first novel of the His Dark Materials trilogy was adopted into the motion picture The Golden Compass by New Line Cinema. Many churches and Christian organizations, including the Catholic League, called for a boycott of the film due to the books' atheist themes. While the film was successful in Europe and moderately received in the United States, the other two books in the trilogy were not be adapted into film, possibly due to pressure from the Catholic Church. When questioned about the anti-church views in His Dark Materials, Pullman explains in an interview for Third Way (UK): “It comes from history. It comes from the record of the Inquisition, persecuting heretics and torturing Jews and all that sort of stuff; and it comes from the other side, too, from the Protestants burning the Catholics. It comes from the insensate pursuit of innocent and crazy old women, and from the Puritans in America burning and hanging the witches—and it comes not only from the Christian church but also from the Taliban. Every single religion that has a monotheistic god ends up by persecuting other people and killing them because they don't accept him. Wherever you look in history, you find that. It's still going on" (Feb. 2002). Pullman has received many threats by ardent believers over his choice of subject matter.

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