La Belle Sauvage was received warmly on publication, praised for the confidence and quietness of its opening half and for the strangeness of its second, which surprised readers expecting a straightforward prequel. Critics noted the shift in tone from His Dark Materials toward something closer to folk tale and myth, and several highlighted Malcolm as a distinctive and sympathetic protagonist in his own right. The novel entered the Sunday Times bestseller list on publication and was longlisted for several awards. Some reviewers expressed mild disappointment that the infant Lyra is necessarily peripheral to the plot.

Waterstones Book Of The Year

The novel won the Waterstones Book of the Year award for 2017, chosen by Waterstones booksellers from across the UK as their standout title of the year. The award marked a significant homecoming for Pullman with British readers and booksellers, confirming that the return to Lyra's world had been received not merely as a nostalgic revisit but as a genuinely new and worthwhile addition to the canon.

Lodestar Award

Best young adult book, finalist

Locus Award

Young adult book category, 2nd place

Grand Prix Imaginaire

Foreign YA novel category. Awarded jointly for La Trilogie de la Poussiere volumes 1 and 2.