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A review by billyjepma
The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
My first exposure to Narnia was this book, which my mom read aloud when I was probably seven years old. So, it's always held a special place in my heart, and I've often defended it as one of the best and most overlooked entries in Lewis' series. This was my first time revisiting it since childhood, and yeah, I still love it. It's got shortcomings, for sure, as Lewis' moral lessons are very binary and lack many dimensions. But it's also a lovely fable about young people discovering their agency and taking their first steps toward adulthood.
The audiobook I listened to was great, too, and you can tell Kenneth Branagh had a blast recording it—his voice for the Witch is a decadent treat. It also confirms my theory that Lewis wrote these books to be read aloud, as the language works best when you're hearing it. Lewis' playful voice is so much fun, and I will always love how he writes as if he's talking directly to the children reading (or hearing) his books. Those first scenes in the "world between worlds," where the two young protagonists discover a way to travel between worlds a marvel and captivated me just as much today as they did almost twenty years ago. And that's just one of the many imaginative moments Lewis serves to his reader in this otherwise short story.
I also love how critical the book is of adults and, specifically, men. It makes the story relatable to children while also acting as a touching reminder for adults by exposing how dangerous our ambition and pride can become when placed on too high a pedestal. The religion trappings aside—which are lovely, even though I don't count myself as religious anymore—The Magician's Nephew taps into a spirituality that's relatively accessible. The Biblical parallels are obvious and sometimes feel a bit heavy-handed. Still, for the most part, it prioritizes creativity and imagination over religious doctrine, which is a big part of what's made the series so timeless.
So yeah, I still love this book and am glad to have finally revisited it. It gets 4.5 stars from me and has me excited to continue working through the rest of the series' audiobooks.
The audiobook I listened to was great, too, and you can tell Kenneth Branagh had a blast recording it—his voice for the Witch is a decadent treat. It also confirms my theory that Lewis wrote these books to be read aloud, as the language works best when you're hearing it. Lewis' playful voice is so much fun, and I will always love how he writes as if he's talking directly to the children reading (or hearing) his books. Those first scenes in the "world between worlds," where the two young protagonists discover a way to travel between worlds a marvel and captivated me just as much today as they did almost twenty years ago. And that's just one of the many imaginative moments Lewis serves to his reader in this otherwise short story.
I also love how critical the book is of adults and, specifically, men. It makes the story relatable to children while also acting as a touching reminder for adults by exposing how dangerous our ambition and pride can become when placed on too high a pedestal. The religion trappings aside—which are lovely, even though I don't count myself as religious anymore—The Magician's Nephew taps into a spirituality that's relatively accessible. The Biblical parallels are obvious and sometimes feel a bit heavy-handed. Still, for the most part, it prioritizes creativity and imagination over religious doctrine, which is a big part of what's made the series so timeless.
So yeah, I still love this book and am glad to have finally revisited it. It gets 4.5 stars from me and has me excited to continue working through the rest of the series' audiobooks.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Genocide and War