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

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A bit hard to get into but worth it once you get past the first few chapters. The book begins with Lyra as a baby being cared for by the nuns at the priory (The sisters of the Order of St. Rosamund). Malcolm Polstead the innkeepers son takes an interest in Lyra when he is helping out at the priory. He also becomes involved with Oak Street (a group fighting the CCD) after finding an acorn a spy dropped before being arrested by the CCD (Consistorial Court of Discipline).

Mrs Coulter (Lyra's Mother) comes to Malcolm's school and starts the League of St. Alexander, which encourages the students to inform the CCD on their teachers, parents and other students. Many of the children join including Malcolm's friend Eric. Through Eric Malcolm is able to gather intelligence on the League.

Lord Asriel comes to see his daughter even though he has been forbidden to do so by the CCD. Malcolm helps him see Lyra and loans him his boat (La Belle Sauvage) so he can get away. Lord Asriel arranges to have it returned after several improvements have been made to it.

Shortly after Bonneville arrives and makes several attempts to get Lyra. The nuns manage to thwart the attempts even after a young nun comes under his spell and leaves a shutter open. Malcolm witnessing one of the attempts goes to warn the nuns about Bonneville and the coming flood. The Mother Superior doesn't believe him about the flood and assures him she has the Bonneville situation under control, but while Malcolm is there the flood comes and Malcolm, Alice (a girl who works at the inn as well as the priory) and Lyra flee in La Belle Sauvage.

Malcolm plans to take Lyra to Jordan College and ask for Scholastic sanctuary for her even though he doesn't know the Latin phrase to do so, but the flood makes it impossible. He then decides to try to take her to Lord Asriel in London. Unfortunately Bonneville and the CCD are pursing them. Eventually Bonneville catches up to them and Malcolm is forced to kill him. Malcolm finds himself in possession of the lost alethiometer as well as Bonneville's research papers. The CCD is closing in when Lord Asriel comes to their rescue. Lord Asriel takes Malcolm, Alice and Lyra to Jordan College where he ask for Scholastic sanctuary for Lyra. Lord Asriel leaves them with the Master (who he trust to make a scholar of Lyra) and Malcolm gives Lyra the alethiometer.

Now we just have to wait for Book 2 to see what happens.

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