The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

Title: La Belle Sauvage

Author: Philip Pullman

Pages: 449

Finished: June 22, 2018

First Sentence: Three miles up the river Thames from the center of Oxford, some distance from where the great colleges of Jordan, Gabriel, Balliol, and two dozen others contended for mastery in the boat races, out where the city was only a collection of towers and spires in the distance over the misty levels of Port Meadow, there stood the Priory of Godstow, where the gentle nuns went about their holy business; and on the opposite bank from the priory there was an inn called the Trout.

Summary: Malcolm Polstead works at his parents' inn, the Trout. In his spare time, he paddles up the river to Oxford, or crosses the bridge to spend time at the Priory helping the nuns. So when the nuns take in a little baby named Lyra and offer her sanctuary, he's very happy and willing to do what needs done - including building and installing fortified shutters in case of an invasion. Meanwhile, on one of his visits to Oxford, he sees a failed intelligence drop and watches a man get arrested. A man who later ends up dead. And through it all the Church is becoming more and more conservative as rumors float around about Dust and the little girl Lyra.

Thoughts: Hm... I may need to digest this one for a while. I was completely on board for the first half. I loved Hannah Relf, the scholar working with the alethiometer and for Oakley Street. I found the nuns to be fantastic, particularly Sister Benedicta who seems like she could have stood down an army. Bonneville was an terrifying villain, and the things he did were absolutely sickening. The League of St. Alexander made me so angry. It also reminded me of the kids in 1984. Just all around horrid.

Basically, it felt like the lead up to the world that Lyra lived in. But then the flood happened and the book went off the rails for me. I liked Malcolm and Alice taking care of Lyra. I liked them figuring out what was hapening. In fact, each episode felt a bit like Huck Finn to me. But the sudden inclusion of the old creatures of Faery didn't work for me as well as I feel like they should have. I didn't understand how the Gyptians would know that and no one else. And then the end is so rushed... Even down to how Lyra ends up with the Alethiometer didn't play a right to me as it should.

All in all and interesting addition to the world, though not my favorite. That being said, I am seriously looking forward to the next book!