A review by dannilmp
La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

While La Belle Sauvage was a good story in itself and I enjoyed the connection back to the His Dark materials set, I must admit it has been a while since I read the original trilogy so I cannot remember the importance of a character named Malcom. I enjoyed watching Malcom mature through the decisions and trials that he faces.

I still think this series maintains a level of mysticism similar to the original trilogy, however I think a re-read of the His Dark Materials set would be needed for me to make any more solid connections, but more details about the compasses and how they work was intriguing. Moreover, I think reading this book just made me pine for the original, as these hold a special place in my heart. 

There was one small little section of this book that made me raise an eyebrow and it would be the minior reference to pedophilia, I did not see the neccessity of such a dark inclusion within the book. The story would have been the same without the mention, but the fact it was there threw me off slightly. I'm hoping for no similar references in later books in this new series. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings