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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
Last time I read this book was July, 2005. I clearly remember sitting on the lawn outside my apartment, on a sunny Sunday morning, reading aloud with a good friend while my ex-boyfriend moved his belongings out, and feeling a sense of incredible peace and safety at the mention of Aslan, in the midst of my terrible fear, sadness, low self-worth, and anxiety. At the time I had absolutely zero interest in being a Christian. I didn't have any particular problems with Christianity as an idea, and thought that the Bible had some very good ideas indeed. But they were just ideas.
It was interesting to reread it now after seven years of rather transformative life experiences, not the least of which was becoming a follower of Christ. Interestingly enough, I was *not* filled with the same sort of overwhelming peace in this reading, but part of that might have been the different setting - reading together out loud was much more powerful than reading alone and silently.
One thing I never noticed before, but noticed this time, is that Edmund is portrayed from the very beginning as being more careless than his brother and sisters - he alone enters the wardrobe and closes the door behind him, forgetting that "it is very silly to shut oneself into a wardrobe." C.S. Lewis says this five times in the first fifty pages, always saying slightly differently how silly or foolish a thing it is to do. Why was Lewis obsessed with this idea? Was he that worried that his Goddaughter (for whom he was writing the story) would read the story and then inadvertently lock herself into a wardrobe? Regardless, it shows that Edmund falls for the tricks of the White Witch not just through bad luck, but because he is careless, apparently with both little things like wardrobe doors and crucial matters like the state of his soul.
It was interesting to reread it now after seven years of rather transformative life experiences, not the least of which was becoming a follower of Christ. Interestingly enough, I was *not* filled with the same sort of overwhelming peace in this reading, but part of that might have been the different setting - reading together out loud was much more powerful than reading alone and silently.
One thing I never noticed before, but noticed this time, is that Edmund is portrayed from the very beginning as being more careless than his brother and sisters - he alone enters the wardrobe and closes the door behind him, forgetting that "it is very silly to shut oneself into a wardrobe." C.S. Lewis says this five times in the first fifty pages, always saying slightly differently how silly or foolish a thing it is to do. Why was Lewis obsessed with this idea? Was he that worried that his Goddaughter (for whom he was writing the story) would read the story and then inadvertently lock herself into a wardrobe? Regardless, it shows that Edmund falls for the tricks of the White Witch not just through bad luck, but because he is careless, apparently with both little things like wardrobe doors and crucial matters like the state of his soul.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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:
No
Edmund doing all this shit for a D-tier dairy milk flavour?
Still one of my favorite kids books!! This is a series that feels as engrossing and lovely to me as an adult as it has been for the kiddos I’ve read these with. Love love love me some Narnia. Highly recommend it to kiddos and adults alike.
2021 - Audio, on a summer run through Narnia.
2018- Read aloud with Ben for school.
2016 -How is this not already on my read list? Oh well. Not my first reading, but just finished reading it aloud to Ben.
2018- Read aloud with Ben for school.
2016 -How is this not already on my read list? Oh well. Not my first reading, but just finished reading it aloud to Ben.
Never read Narnia as a kid but as an adult this thing oozes Christian morals and Biblical references. Not a bad thing mind but it is not hidden
This is my year of CS Lewis and I am growing quite fond of his light yet direct approach to baking in morals and principles into his writing. He seems to have a lot of fun when writing which I appreciate.
This is my year of CS Lewis and I am growing quite fond of his light yet direct approach to baking in morals and principles into his writing. He seems to have a lot of fun when writing which I appreciate.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I thought I would give The Chronicles of Narnia a go. I've had the books for forever, but I never ended up reading them as a kid. C. S. Lewis's writing gave me a warm and nostalgic feeling, despite that.
The Christian themes are not subtle, and I don't appreciate them. Santa's sudden appearance nearly ruined the whole book for me. Why does he believe it more ugly for "women" to fight in war than it is for actual children?
I enjoyed the book more after they finally met Aslan. Edmund is a fun character; I was thoroughly entertained by his misadventures in Narnia. The descriptions of the settings are beautiful, and I felt inspired to go on my own adventures while reading them. The ending, when they return to the wardrobe, nearly brought me to tears.
The Christian themes are not subtle, and I don't appreciate them. Santa's sudden appearance nearly ruined the whole book for me. Why does he believe it more ugly for "women" to fight in war than it is for actual children?
I enjoyed the book more after they finally met Aslan. Edmund is a fun character; I was thoroughly entertained by his misadventures in Narnia. The descriptions of the settings are beautiful, and I felt inspired to go on my own adventures while reading them. The ending, when they return to the wardrobe, nearly brought me to tears.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
I read this book for the first time in years and I still loved it as much as I did when I was a kid.
Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy are sent to live with a professor in the country during the war and during a game of hide and seek Lucy stumbles upon the magical world of Narnia but when she comes back she tells her siblings about Narnia and they don’t believe her.
That night Lucy sneaks from her room to go back to Narnia and Edmond follows her but where Lucy goes to find her friend Edmond meets the White Witch who convinces him to bring all his siblings to her so that she can make him king and them his servants.
When the four children eventually get to Narnia they go to visit Lucy’s friend but he's been taken by the White Witch and while they are talking to some beavers to try and get him back Edmond sneaks off to the White Witches castle.
In the end Aslan comes along and Peter, Susan and Lucy practice to fight against the White Witch and he sends his people off to get Edmond back and they defeat the White Witch.
Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy are sent to live with a professor in the country during the war and during a game of hide and seek Lucy stumbles upon the magical world of Narnia but when she comes back she tells her siblings about Narnia and they don’t believe her.
That night Lucy sneaks from her room to go back to Narnia and Edmond follows her but where Lucy goes to find her friend Edmond meets the White Witch who convinces him to bring all his siblings to her so that she can make him king and them his servants.
When the four children eventually get to Narnia they go to visit Lucy’s friend but he's been taken by the White Witch and while they are talking to some beavers to try and get him back Edmond sneaks off to the White Witches castle.
In the end Aslan comes along and Peter, Susan and Lucy practice to fight against the White Witch and he sends his people off to get Edmond back and they defeat the White Witch.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced