The Book of Dust

The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman
Published by Penguin Books Australia
Date: 19 October 2017
R.R.P. $32.99

Where do I start with this amazing world of words? It is my first time reading something by Philip Pullman and he easily caught my attention from the very first page.  I decided it was time to share my thoughts on the book, even though I am still reading it. Yes, you heard me right, I am starting a review before I finish the book – one of the reasons being that I didn’t want to make you wait any longer to hear about it especially with Christmas around the corner.  The second reason is that it’s that good that I can confidently recommend it before I have even finished it.

The Book of Dust, I am not sure what I was thinking when I picked this book up for the first time.  I know it was not typical of what I read but in an instant I was captivated.  It wasn’t for a couple of hours later that I put it down, but given its size I had barely made a dent in it.  This did not matter to me as I wanted to know so much more and the mystery surrounding Lyra Belacqua intrigued me.

The book begins with 11 year old Malcolm Polstead and his daemon Asta.  Malcolm spends a lot of time both in his parents pub helping out, in his much loved canoe on the River Thames, and with the nuns in the Priory.  I soon learnt that Malcolm is inquisitive, and has aspirations that he feels will never be filled because where he comes from children are prepared for craftsmanship and not a whole lot more.

It is in these early pages that the mystery begins regarding a baby, Lyra Belacqua, who is a guest at the Priory.  Her presence isn’t as straight forward as it seems, with people asking about the whereabouts of the baby, and strange things happening – like people disappearing, and an acorn that is not as it seems.  It was about here in the book that I knew without a doubt that this book had my attention and would become a much loved book by other people.

What makes this book so engaging is the quality of writing from Pullman.  He is without a doubt a gifted author who writes with everything inside of him.  Not only will Malcolm’s life be changed by the discoveries in this book, but you will be in awe of how well the story has been crafted.

So teens and adults that love teen fiction this is a must read book for summer.  It’s long so having the time to read it is important…I don’t want to put it down but the real world means I have to put it down occasionally.  Don’t be daunted by the size, you don’t notice it once you start reading because you will be too engrossed.

I look forward to coming back and sharing some final thoughts on it once I have finished.  Let me know if you read it and what you think…is it everything you imagined or more?

Thank you to Penguin Books Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.