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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's a fair question whether, or to what extent, this book is a racist parody of Islam and/or Middle Easterners, as there were a few (but only a few) passages that seemed problematic to me.
Aside from that, this is a fairly interesting story about a boy who runs away with a talking horse intending to reach Narnia, and ends up thwarting an invasion. It's fun to have an expansion on the lore of the series (the story is mentioned in passing in a previous book as a ballad sung by one of the characters), and it's also fun to see other locations/people/cultures in the universe. The story is good, although it moves a little slower and doesn't have quite the same interest as some of the others in the series (especially coming on the heels of The Silver Chair). I didn't care much for Shasta as a character, and the on-the-nose interior monologue stuff kinda rubbed me the wrong way as a storytelling technique. I also didn't like Aslan's use of shame tactics or the overarching allegory of providence. God's action/intervention in human affairs is a difficult, nuanced subject, and relaying it as the mysterious activity of a magical creature in a fantasy story seemed to create more problems than it solved. But I'd like to see anybody else do better!
Aside from that, this is a fairly interesting story about a boy who runs away with a talking horse intending to reach Narnia, and ends up thwarting an invasion. It's fun to have an expansion on the lore of the series (the story is mentioned in passing in a previous book as a ballad sung by one of the characters), and it's also fun to see other locations/people/cultures in the universe. The story is good, although it moves a little slower and doesn't have quite the same interest as some of the others in the series (especially coming on the heels of The Silver Chair). I didn't care much for Shasta as a character, and the on-the-nose interior monologue stuff kinda rubbed me the wrong way as a storytelling technique. I also didn't like Aslan's use of shame tactics or the overarching allegory of providence. God's action/intervention in human affairs is a difficult, nuanced subject, and relaying it as the mysterious activity of a magical creature in a fantasy story seemed to create more problems than it solved. But I'd like to see anybody else do better!
My favourite of the Narnia Chronicles. A simple and fun adventure story about a boy and a talking horse. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because Calormen, the empire in which most of the story takes place, read to me like a thinly veiled depiction of the cultures of the Arabian penninsula with all the subtlety and sensitivity you'd expect from a white man living in the British empire in the first half of the twentieth century. I don't think C S Lewis had malicious intentions but it gives off the vibes of someone who has only learnt about Middle Eastern cultures by watching Disney's Aladdin (1992).
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-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
Another fine entry in this classic series. This story is full of adventure and should keep you interested as you read through the chapters. I won't be writing many details about the plot as that has been done so many times before by thousands of Dedicated readers. Suffice it to say it was an enjoyable book to read to my granddaughter and I would recommend it to any reader 8 years and older.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book wasn't as good as the previous ones...
But I can't hate it because it's part of an amazing series
But I can't hate it because it's part of an amazing series
adventurous
medium-paced