La Belle Sauvage

work by Pullman

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Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

La Belle Sauvage is the first book in Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust trilogy. This series is a companion to Pullman's earlier His Dark Materials trilogy. While sometimes described as a prequel or sequel, Pullman considers it an "equel," meaning it exists alongside the original series.

La Belle Sauvage focuses on the heroine Lyra Belacqua as an infant. The trilogy, which also includes The Secret Commonwealth and The Rose Field, explores Lyra's life before and after the events of His Dark Materials. The series delves into themes of fantasy, magic, theology, physics, and philosophy, blending coming-of-age narratives with complex ideas.123

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Philip Pullman
His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust series
In 2017 Pullman released La Belle Sauvage, the first of three planned installments in his The Book of Dust series. It continues the story of Lyra, chronicling her life both before and after His Dark Materials. However, rather than describing it as a prequel or sequel, Pullman claimed that…
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In 2017 Pullman released La Belle Sauvage, the first of three planned installments in his The Book of Dust series. It continues the story of Lyra, chronicling her life both before and after His Dark Materials. However, rather than describing it as a prequel or sequel, Pullman claimed that…
Read More