The Rose Field: The Book of Dust Volume 3

About this book

When Lyra and her dæmon Pan scrambled over the rooftops of Oxford and into our lives in Northern Lights, she was a 12-year-old tearaway filled with grit and a restless longing to explore the world. Readers grew up with her, and came to love her sharp, indomitable spirit and the adventures she shared with Will.

Over 30 years since the publication of her first adventure, The Rose Field features a more adult Lyra, now aged 20. Pan, the other half of her being, is lost somewhere along the Silk Road after leaving to search for her imagination. We join Lyra as she doggedly follows his trail through the deserts of central Asia, while the hero of La Belle Sauvage Malcolm Polstead in turn searches for her. 

The characters’ intertwining storylines are laced with magic, tension and poignant existential introspection as allies and enemies alike draw closer to the mysterious red building at the heart of the desert – home to a secret that could change everything. 

Pullman’s final instalment in The Book of Dust builds on the rich fantasy world his books have brought to life so evocatively and showcases masterful prose and immersive descriptions. The metaphorical battle between cold rationalism and the human need for spirituality is interrogated deeply and there are many parallels drawn between Lyra’s world and our own society which will spark reflection.

It should be noted that The Rose Field is older and darker than previous books in this series. There are some graphic scenes, the book is long at 640 pages, and the overall tone is one of melancholy and reflection. For these reasons, we would recommend this book to readers over the age of 14.

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