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booksarebetter's review against another edition
4.0
An old favorite that I like the idea of but over time hasn't remained as good as I recall. A very, very weak book compared to The Magicians by Lev Grossman but still enjoyable. The second one is my favorite, and after that I haven't finished reading the series. Here's to hoping that I knock out the remaining six books.
jenni_elyse's review against another edition
2.0
I liked learning about Narnia's beginning, but I thought the story was a little slow and boring.
raffy23's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
5.0
Wow, definitely the best book in the series after the nostalgic first one, 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe'.
If you like Narnia as a world, it's a no-brainer that you'll enjoy reading about its origins in this book, which I have!
I LOVED seeing certain characters from previous books tie into the story. There were small yet 'oh of course!' surprises and an enjoyable antagonist. You do have to remember this is written in a time where main antagonists were typically straight up evil with no backstory, not your modern kind, though
You also have to put in allowances for it being a children's book + all an analogy for Christian beliefs. So obviously I'm not the target audience and can overlook those matters. Keeping those in mind before I got into it, as neither a child or a Christian, it's a great little 5 stars book that shows how Narnia came to be.
If you like Narnia as a world, it's a no-brainer that you'll enjoy reading about its origins in this book, which I have!
I LOVED seeing certain characters from previous books tie into the story. There were small yet 'oh of course!' surprises and an enjoyable antagonist. You do have to remember this is written in a time where main antagonists were typically straight up evil with no backstory, not your modern kind, though
You also have to put in allowances for it being a children's book + all an analogy for Christian beliefs. So obviously I'm not the target audience and can overlook those matters. Keeping those in mind before I got into it, as neither a child or a Christian, it's a great little 5 stars book that shows how Narnia came to be.
amycrehore's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.0
Kind of uneventful. The creation of Narnia was cool, though definitely lots of religious references.
abbeyroc's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
zonikavorster's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
mahmabaer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was a classic I never got around to reading myself, even though I've owned several copies of it over the years. The narrator was a delight to listen to, and made the magic of the story that much more engaging. His voice was a perfect compliment to the enchanting tale.
tylmiller's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5