La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume One (Book of Dust, #1)

by Philip Pullman

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

I am torn about my feelings for this new book set in the same universe of His Dark Materials. But His Dark Materials holds a special place in my heart being a series I attempted at least twice before actually falling madly in love with it.

I do love the characters in The Book of Dust. Malcom, Alice and the nuns are dear to my heart. I was thoroughly creeped out by Bonneville and his wacked-out daemon. Malcom's love for Lyra and his immediate need to connect with her and keep her safe reminded me of watching my neices and nephews connect with new babies they encountered. The love is unexplainable and beautiful. And Malcom's love for Lyra comes pouring off the page.

Where I struggle with this novel is towards the end when all the mysticism and folklore comes flooding in. It doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the book and it is never explained how it fits. Based on my experience with His Dark Materials, I'm sure it will all be explained by the end of the series, but with just a single book out, at this point it time it is frustrating and confusing to me and leaves me unfulfilled in the end.