The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage

First published in 2017, La Belle Sauvage is the opening installment of The Book of Dust trilogy by British author Philip Pullman. A prequel to Pullman’s acclaimed His Dark Materials trilogy, La Belle Sauvage takes place when Lyra Belacqua, the protagonist of His Dark Materials, is six months old. The novel tells the story of 11-year-old Malcolm Polstead, a kind and curious boy living on the banks of the River Thames. When the river is swept by a devastating flood, Malcolm and 15-year-old Alice rescue baby Lyra and begin a treacherous journey in Malcolm’s canoe, intent on delivering Lyra safely to her father. With themes of Maturity and the Loss of Innocence, Authoritarianism and Religious Control, and The Complexities of Good and Evil, Malcolm navigates his youth amidst the uprooting of familiar societal foundations. Out of necessity, Malcolm travels down the river, protecting Lyra and journeying into adolescence.

This guide uses the 2017 Alfred A. Knopf Kindle edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide include references to and descriptions of sexual assault.

Plot Summary

Eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead lives on the banks of the River Thames outside of Oxford.