Book of Dust (Pullman) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
La Belle Sauvage sometime lags. Curiously for such a gifted storyteller, Pullman includes long stretches of flat dialogue in which Malcolm essentially repeats information he has already heard.… [But] even with its longueurs, the book is full of wonder. By the end, when Malcolm and … Alice embark with Lyra on a perilous watery odyssey replete with strange undersea creatures and various other things not dreamed of in our philosophy, it becomes truly thrilling.… It's a stunning achievement, the universe Pullman has created and continues to build on.
Sarah Lyall - New York Times


"High-octane adventure accompanies ingenious plotting.
Times (UK)


A phantasmagoric waterborne odyssey. Mr. Pullman is a supple and formidable writer.
Wall Street Journal


Enthralling, enchanting. The first half reads like a thriller. The story becomes darker, deeper and even more engrossing when a cataclysmic flood overtakes Southern England. Too few things in our world are worth a seventeen year wait: The Book of Dust is one of them.
Washington Post


Once again, Pullman’s fantasy arrives precisely when it can teach us the most about ourselves, as if it were guided by Dust itself.
Entertainment Weekly


(Starred review.) [A] thrilling alternate landscape of animal daemons, truth-revealing alethiometers, and the mysterious particle known as Dust.… [T]his tense, adventure-packed book will satisfy and delight Pullman's fans and leave them eager to see what's yet to come (Ages 14–up).
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.) Luminous prose, heady philosophical questions, and a lovable protagonist combine with a gripping plot sure to enchant fans and newcomers alike.
School Library Journal


(Starred review.) Pullman demonstrates that his talent for world building hasn’t diminished, nor has his ability to draw young characters — here, Malcolm, who is layered enough to carry an adventure through multiple dimensionsal.
Booklist


(Starred review.) Magisterial storytelling will sweep readers along; the cast is as vividly drawn as ever; and big themes running beneath the surface invite profound responses and reflection (Age 13–adult).
Kirkus Reviews