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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
Where others of the Narnia books are nearly impossible to put down, this one had it's moments that were slow for me and caused me to draw out how long it took me to read it. The introduction of Jill and Puddleglum proved to be rather charming for me. I am always intrigued by Jill and Eustace's banter contrasted with the wet blanket effect that Puddleglum has is memorable for me. Closing out the book I can't help but be simply astounded by the splendor incorporated in the scenes near the end that involve Aslan. In the final pages there was more than one instance of me audibly expressing, "wow," at the beauty of which CS Lewis maintains and incorporates biblical rhetoric to his Jesus character in these novels.
I definitely miss having the Pevensies around, I'm not going to lie. Eustace feels like a character with a bit of an aimless purpose in this story, because he was the spoil-sport who needed to learn a lesson in the last book, but he did learn his lesson so he can't be that again this time, which means that I guess Jill is the disagreeable one, but she's not, really, she's just kind of scared and confused sometimes? So I don't know.
I also really felt the Christian message bonking me over the head in this one. Like, yeah, you've always got Jesus Lion and it's all allegory or whatever, but the part in this book where it was like... "it's better to believe in a wonderful thing and behave as if it's true, than to just keep your head down and live your dreary life without hope" was just... very on the nose. I always find that such a bizarre Christian argument because it seems to carry the implication that the world sucks and we all agree that the world sucks, so the only place to look for hope is in the afterlife? And I reject that premise, I think it's limiting and a giant bummer.
Anyway.
I did like the comedy of Puddleglum and his constant pessimism, I liked the creativity of the different settings, the giant city and the words carved in the ground, the underground world with its giant lake, etc. It was cool that the book was a journey out of Narnia to see other places in the world, although kind of odd that this book and the last were both quests to go rescue presumed-dead noble people in faraway places.
C.S. Lewis's politics were leaking all over this one, not just the religious stuff but also his obvious distaste for the liberal-minded school that Eustace and Jill attend, which I thought was mildly amusing even though I know I wouldn't agree with Mr. Lewis about most of the shit he seemed to hold as true. I liked the simple friendship between Jill and Eustace, the way he was willing to share Narnia with her to just give her a bit of hope and boost; it actually makes him a better ambassador of Narnia that the Pevensies ever were, because Lucy and Edmund definitely didn't take Eustace with them by choice in the last book, did they?
Anyway - it's been fun to revisit these, I'm kind of trepidatious about the last one because I remember it making me very angry when I read it a while back. We'll find out!
I also really felt the Christian message bonking me over the head in this one. Like, yeah, you've always got Jesus Lion and it's all allegory or whatever, but the part in this book where it was like... "it's better to believe in a wonderful thing and behave as if it's true, than to just keep your head down and live your dreary life without hope" was just... very on the nose. I always find that such a bizarre Christian argument because it seems to carry the implication that the world sucks and we all agree that the world sucks, so the only place to look for hope is in the afterlife? And I reject that premise, I think it's limiting and a giant bummer.
Anyway.
I did like the comedy of Puddleglum and his constant pessimism, I liked the creativity of the different settings, the giant city and the words carved in the ground, the underground world with its giant lake, etc. It was cool that the book was a journey out of Narnia to see other places in the world, although kind of odd that this book and the last were both quests to go rescue presumed-dead noble people in faraway places.
C.S. Lewis's politics were leaking all over this one, not just the religious stuff but also his obvious distaste for the liberal-minded school that Eustace and Jill attend, which I thought was mildly amusing even though I know I wouldn't agree with Mr. Lewis about most of the shit he seemed to hold as true. I liked the simple friendship between Jill and Eustace, the way he was willing to share Narnia with her to just give her a bit of hope and boost; it actually makes him a better ambassador of Narnia that the Pevensies ever were, because Lucy and Edmund definitely didn't take Eustace with them by choice in the last book, did they?
Anyway - it's been fun to revisit these, I'm kind of trepidatious about the last one because I remember it making me very angry when I read it a while back. We'll find out!
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*Real rating: 2.5 stars*
Puddleglum is my favourite character in the whole series, without a doubt. I had forgotten how wonderfully pessimistic he was (and the only one in "The Silver Chair" with any sense!). And after a re-read, I've decided that he is a good enough reason to raise the rating of this book.
There's something about how C.S. Lewis wrote his characters that just don't do it for me (Puddleglum being the exception, obviously...), which is a shame, because the ideas of the Narnia books are quite interesting. But his writing style and characterization irk me and that stop me from truly enjoying these books :/
Puddleglum is my favourite character in the whole series, without a doubt. I had forgotten how wonderfully pessimistic he was (and the only one in "The Silver Chair" with any sense!). And after a re-read, I've decided that he is a good enough reason to raise the rating of this book.
There's something about how C.S. Lewis wrote his characters that just don't do it for me (Puddleglum being the exception, obviously...), which is a shame, because the ideas of the Narnia books are quite interesting. But his writing style and characterization irk me and that stop me from truly enjoying these books :/
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first and second acts were not bad, but the final act? Oh, phenomenal. While The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe provides a beautiful depiction of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for the sake of traitors, The Silver Chair paints a clearer picture of the false reality in which we live, that we have exchanged our crowns and true jewels for life in the Shallows.