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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Out of all the Narnia books I've read so far, this one took the longest. I couldn't connect with the characters, the plot was slow and uninteresting, and I just couldn't get into it. I was speed reading through the second half just to get it over with. I hope the rest of the series won't be as disappointing as this one.
This was a banger! This story takes place in the golden reign of the Penseive kings and queens in a country bordering Narnia. There, an adopted boy running to escape being sold into some sort of slavery meets a talking horse (not one of those dumb horses from his country) who wants to return to Narnia and the two set off on an epic adventure. Along the way they meet a girl and her talking horse who are also escaping to Narnia, as the girl was being offered off as an unwilling bride to an old man she has no love for. Along the way, they meet Susan Penseive and other Narnians who mistake him for the Prince of Arkenland. They also discover a plot to attack Narnia and head off on a mad dash to save Arkenland and Narnia from Prince Rabedash, who wants to destroy Susan and Narnia for rejecting him and his offer of marriage.
One of my favorite parts of this story was Lewis’s humor expressed through the Narnian horses. The dialogue between Brie and Shasta made me laugh out loud at times. The character development of Shasta, Brie, and Aravis as they get to know each other and are faced with obstacles that challenge who they are.
And in the end, we have a happy ending!
One of my favorite parts of this story was Lewis’s humor expressed through the Narnian horses. The dialogue between Brie and Shasta made me laugh out loud at times. The character development of Shasta, Brie, and Aravis as they get to know each other and are faced with obstacles that challenge who they are.
And in the end, we have a happy ending!
3-3.5 stars
This was a pretty decent chapter in the series, but I have to admit that battles are just not for me. That said, I really enjoyed the ending and I liked Aslan's role (however short) in this story. I'm not sure I was that thrilled about the dark-skinned Calormen as (mostly) the bad guys. But I think the book was appropriate for the time and I like the resistance to the misogyny that occurred in this book, although the whole "proper lady" statement was kind of annoying. But again, that was the statement of an ignorant character, so I let that pass. This story didn't feel quite as cohesive as The Magician's Nephew or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but it was still a decent story. Looking forward to the next one.
This was a pretty decent chapter in the series, but I have to admit that battles are just not for me. That said, I really enjoyed the ending and I liked Aslan's role (however short) in this story. I'm not sure I was that thrilled about the dark-skinned Calormen as (mostly) the bad guys. But I think the book was appropriate for the time and I like the resistance to the misogyny that occurred in this book, although the whole "proper lady" statement was kind of annoying. But again, that was the statement of an ignorant character, so I let that pass. This story didn't feel quite as cohesive as The Magician's Nephew or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but it was still a decent story. Looking forward to the next one.
Second review:
I recall this being one of my favorites of the Chronicles of Narnia from way back when. Now I feel like they're all my favorite!
The royal twins separated at birth trope makes an appearance in this story, but as it might have been the first time in my life I ever actually heard it, it seemed fresh at the time. Lewis clearly borrows from Middle Eastern culture in his description of the nation of Calormen, but it's quite believable. The story takes place during the reign of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy in Narnia, though Peter is the only one who never makes an appearance in the story. We learn more about Archenland, Narnia's neighbor and ally. This time through I found myself wondering how so many humans had made it into the world, though, since the previous two books made such a big deal about the fact that there were no humans at all.
My favorite part of the story is how Aslan explains Shasta's experiences to him after the fact--how Aslan himself, seeming to be an impediment (a wild lion) drives him to go exactly where he needed to be on multiple occasions. It seems like such a great allegory of how the Lord guides our lives, even when we don't recognize that it's Him.
____
First review:
I just love C.S. Lewis. His insight into characters is spot on, and he manages to put into words traits that I'd observed before but never fully described or explained. It all becomes so very clear coming from his pen!
This was one of my favorites in the Chronicles of Narnia because it's so creatively done, I think, and because it's such a great redemption story.
I recall this being one of my favorites of the Chronicles of Narnia from way back when. Now I feel like they're all my favorite!
The royal twins separated at birth trope makes an appearance in this story, but as it might have been the first time in my life I ever actually heard it, it seemed fresh at the time. Lewis clearly borrows from Middle Eastern culture in his description of the nation of Calormen, but it's quite believable. The story takes place during the reign of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy in Narnia, though Peter is the only one who never makes an appearance in the story. We learn more about Archenland, Narnia's neighbor and ally. This time through I found myself wondering how so many humans had made it into the world, though, since the previous two books made such a big deal about the fact that there were no humans at all.
My favorite part of the story is how Aslan explains Shasta's experiences to him after the fact--how Aslan himself, seeming to be an impediment (a wild lion) drives him to go exactly where he needed to be on multiple occasions. It seems like such a great allegory of how the Lord guides our lives, even when we don't recognize that it's Him.
____
First review:
I just love C.S. Lewis. His insight into characters is spot on, and he manages to put into words traits that I'd observed before but never fully described or explained. It all becomes so very clear coming from his pen!
This was one of my favorites in the Chronicles of Narnia because it's so creatively done, I think, and because it's such a great redemption story.
Narnia Books Ranking... so far!
1. Dawn Treader
2. Horse and His Boy
3. Lion Witch and Wardrobe
4. Silver Chair
5. Prince Caspian
1. Dawn Treader
2. Horse and His Boy
3. Lion Witch and Wardrobe
4. Silver Chair
5. Prince Caspian
I think Evie and Graham might both rate this as at least 4 stars. Lots of funny asides that Lewis writes in as the narrator.
The story follows a boy, who to avoid being sold to a local lord escapes with the lord’s horse (a talking horse from Narnia). They meet up with another talking horse and a girl escaping an arranged marriage and all make for Narnia together.
The story follows a boy, who to avoid being sold to a local lord escapes with the lord’s horse (a talking horse from Narnia). They meet up with another talking horse and a girl escaping an arranged marriage and all make for Narnia together.
smashing the “dial edward said” button on my phone so hard all my fingers break
Shasta, a young boy living in Calormene, decides to run away from the man he has known as his father after he hears "dad" bargaining to sell him into slavery. He takes off for Narnia with the man's horse, which happens to be a talking horse. During his travels he is chased by a lion, encounters another runaway with a talking horse, and mistaken for a prince. But will he make it to Narnia?