The Book of Dust, Volume One: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

Update: In a conversation on Facebook, someone said she thought La Belle Sauvage more of a child's book. I can see why someone might think that but consider that this is the first in a trilogy and it ends in a dark place. You can safely say that Malcom won't be the same boy going forward in the trilogy so I expect a turn in direction from the happy Malcom we saw at the beginning.

Also, I forgot to mention that Pullman sets the stage for the anit-religion, anti-fascism tones that infuse subsequent books. The these are elements increasingly seem like metaphors for our times.

Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy grabbed me like few books have and 17 years after The Amber Spyglass it still resonates. When I learned the author was writing a prequel trilogy, The Book of Dust, I was thrilled in anticipation. Now that I have read the first volume, La Belle Sauvage, I am happy to report that is does not disappoint. It is different in tone and scope  than the books in His Dark Materials but it is an excellent lead in to Lyra's world.

This isn't so much a review as observations about the book. I have a link to a much more detailed look at The Book of Dust below.

I have thought carefully how I would feel reading this book had I not first read The Golden Compass. For me, much of the pleasure reading La Belle Sauvage came from knowing what is to follow and I can't say that I would have been pulled into this world as immediately as I was with the original trilogy. If anyone has read this book without first reading His Dark Materials I'd like to hear your reaction.

The protagonist here is eleven year old Malcom Polstead, the son of innkeepers,. He is a bright, inquisitive, helpful, and considerate young man. He takes in everything he hears from customers while serving them in the inn and is thus exposed to the thoughts and opinions of scholars and working men alike. Here is one major difference: Malcom is not like Lyra Belacqua. Malcom listens, reads, and enjoys taking his canoe, La Belle Sauvage, out on the Thames.

When he is not helping out at home, Malcom is frequently at the Priory of St. Rosamund, helping the nuns there. One evening he is asked to serve some strangers in a private room and they quiz Malcom about the priory and whether he has heard anything about a baby there. At the Priory the next day, Malcom learns that here is indeed a baby in residence. Malcom develops a bond with the baby, Lyra, and become fiercely devoted to her. He would protect her with his life which is soon put to the test.

The first half of the book moves at a slow pace as it sets up the world in which Malcom lives. As with His Dark Materials, daemons, the physical manifestations of the human soul, are promenant. For the first time we get to see a baby daemon, Lyra's Pantalaimon and how they interact. Daimons are probably the aspect of these books that stick with readers. I can't imagine anyone reading these books and not wishing that they were real. We learn about the Magisterium, the conservative and fundamentalist religious entity that looms over society ,and it's enforcement arm, the CCD, the Consistorial Court of Discipline. The baby Lyra appears to be an object of political importance with different factions having a stake in her existence. For The Magisterium, she is of concern both because of her parentage as well her destiny that has grave implications for The Holy Church. Maclom finds himself pulled into this struggle and allied with a secret resistance organization,

The second half is a full on action adventure as Malcom and Alice, a kitchen helper from the inn, try to protect Lyra from forces they fear mean her harm and get her to a place of safety. Where I strolled though the first part of the book, I found myself racing through the second half. I hadn't intended to read it at one go but before I knew it it was late at night and I was turning the last page. There is lots of action, tension, and one odd detour into something close to high fantasy.

La Belle has several scenes of staggering brutality that I wasn't expecting and Malcom's and Alice's mettle is well tested. Even a hardboiled such as myself was affected but I think these scenes are necessary to the story. Those plus some scenes that have (not graphic) sexual content make me feel that this is a book for mature young adults. Cute daemons aside, a parent would have challenging explanations to explore with a child.

The Book of Dust, Volume One: La belle Sauvage is available from Amazon.

Additional Sources

Mother Jones has a good discussion of this book, 'Philip Pullman's Masterful Prequel to "His Dark Materials" Takes Us Back to Lyra's World'.

The wiki, His Dark Materials Wiki, has a lot of information about Lyra's world and is particularly helpful if you need a refresher.