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bretagnereads's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
kjulie's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this, though the first person present narration was distracting at the beginning. While I appreciated the overall message about finding meaning through story, I found it could have been explored a little bit more, though that’s just my personal preference.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
theespressoedition's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Once upon a wardrobe, not very long ago...
...and not very far away.
This book was everything my Chronicles of Narnia-loving heart could possibly want. After my annual reread of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe just days prior, it was the perfect story to fill that Aslan-sized hole in my heart.
Narnia was what fueled my love for reading when I read the series at just six years old. It was what made me fall in love with fantasy as a genre. It will always be incredibly special to me. Reading a historical fiction novel about how that world I love came to be... AH! It was like coming home in some strange way.
The characters in this book are painfully lovable. George, sweet George, is intelligent (truly wise beyond his years), creative, and caring. Megs is practical, loyal, and eager to learn everything she can to make her little brother happy. Padraig is faithful, encouraging, and adventurous - which was exactly what both Megs and George needed most at that time. And of course, we can't forget Jack (aka C.S. Lewis) who felt both familiar and brand new in this book. It was an honor to learn more about his childhood and the way his beautiful stories impacted so many lives over the years (both fictional lives and real ones like my own).
If you're someone who already loves Narnia, then this book will make you weep (with joy and with heartache) and it will be like a great big hug. If you know nothing about Narnia, let this book introduce you to the wonder of fairytales and the way they can transform someone's life - and let it transform yours as well!
...and not very far away.
This book was everything my Chronicles of Narnia-loving heart could possibly want. After my annual reread of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe just days prior, it was the perfect story to fill that Aslan-sized hole in my heart.
Narnia was what fueled my love for reading when I read the series at just six years old. It was what made me fall in love with fantasy as a genre. It will always be incredibly special to me. Reading a historical fiction novel about how that world I love came to be... AH! It was like coming home in some strange way.
The characters in this book are painfully lovable. George, sweet George, is intelligent (truly wise beyond his years), creative, and caring. Megs is practical, loyal, and eager to learn everything she can to make her little brother happy. Padraig is faithful, encouraging, and adventurous - which was exactly what both Megs and George needed most at that time. And of course, we can't forget Jack (aka C.S. Lewis) who felt both familiar and brand new in this book. It was an honor to learn more about his childhood and the way his beautiful stories impacted so many lives over the years (both fictional lives and real ones like my own).
If you're someone who already loves Narnia, then this book will make you weep (with joy and with heartache) and it will be like a great big hug. If you know nothing about Narnia, let this book introduce you to the wonder of fairytales and the way they can transform someone's life - and let it transform yours as well!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death and Death
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Once Upon a Wardrobe is the story of 17 year old Megs Devonshire and her younger brother George. He has a heart condition and doesn’t have long to live but is captivated by the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and desperately wants to know where Narnia came from. Megs isn’t much for stories - she’s studying mathematics physics at Oxford and is more into facts and equations - by will do anything for her beloved brother. In this case that involves staking out C.S. Lewis’s house and eventually having many chats with him where he shared the story of his life.
I loved the bond between Megs and George, the way Megs came to love stories and to see their power and value, the portrayal of Oxford, plus the sweet low key romance. I also liked the way George’s family eventually came to see what he could do, rather than being so focused on his illness and what he couldn’t do - such a valuable lesson. On an intellectual level it was interesting learning a little about Lewis’s life and seeing how those experiences may have made their way to Narnia.
I loved the bond between Megs and George, the way Megs came to love stories and to see their power and value, the portrayal of Oxford, plus the sweet low key romance. I also liked the way George’s family eventually came to see what he could do, rather than being so focused on his illness and what he couldn’t do - such a valuable lesson. On an intellectual level it was interesting learning a little about Lewis’s life and seeing how those experiences may have made their way to Narnia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death
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