The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set
by C. S. Lewis
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Book Reviews of The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set
Book Review: One of the world's treasures
Summary: 5 Stars
These books are my only links with childhood,for I have forgotten much of my childhood emotions and memories. But when I open the books again,and read for the tenth time how Lucy enters a dark cupboard and ends up in a magical land white with snow where animals talk and children are not children but people of great importance,I remember those first readings in a dingy library where I had to wait weeks in between books.The imagination of Lewis is so powerful that the numerous images become part of your memories and feelings. Without realising it a child is taught about the fundamental difference between good and evil,and how very important the truth is. When each story ends you wish that you too had the magic wardrobe in your room so that you could reign in Cair Pereval. If you have young children then one of the most precious gifts you can give to their imagination is a set of these books.And if you have older children whom you think have grown up too fast,try giving them a copy and maybe it will make a difference ! If you don't have children and you want to forget some of the reality around you, buy these books and read about a world where even children want to escape to. The only thing which saddens me is that publishers have now the power to eradicate an author's name from publications and even change it. CS Lewis wrote these books, Amazon, not "Dillon et al".We could at least try to repay the gift to our inner mindscapes by remembering the name of the man who created these beautiful thoughts. A couple of years back a time capsule was sent into space holding items that humans considered an important part of their civilisations. A copy of these books should have been included, for no alien civilisation could truly appreciate us unless they knew the kind of things we dreamt about in sleep, for childhood too is part of our conciousness.Book Review: An imaginative piece of fluff; for kids only.
Summary: 3 Stars
I'll admit it - I'm stumped. I see people everywhere saying that this series works on different levels, or that it's just as enjoyable for grownups as for kids. But I'm clueless as to why. Revisiting Narnia as an adult, what I found was a simplistic religious allegory wrapped up in an imaginative fantasy so thinly sketched out it borders on lazy. The books partly deserve their fame since they work very well as a simple & timeless children's story, but I can't recommend them to anyone who's past adolescence. (Before you reflexively click that 'no' button, just remember that it asks whether the review's helpful.. not whether you agree.)
To be fair, I did greatly enjoy the series when I was nine years old. The stories are full of imagination and lots of it; there are all kinds of mythical creatures, magic & enchantments, strange adventures and the like. But Lewis basically coasts on imagination alone. The religious symbolism is heavy-handed and clumsy at best, preachy at worst. The plots are paper-thin, the characters are so shallow they might as well be cardboard cutouts, and the writing itself never rises above mediocre. (Brevity can be good, but not at the expense of depth & detail.) Lewis admittedly aimed the books at children, but he failed to balance the whimsy with the depth, dimension and solid writing that could have made Narnia a work for all ages. Instead he superficially breezes through everything while embellishing nothing. It also doesn't help that he gives insultingly condescending asides to the reader at every turn.
The Narnia books can be enjoyed by children and by adults who don't mind reading at the children's level, but that doesn't mean it's for all ages. Let's not pretend it can stand with Tolkien or Pullman; their works reach levels of maturity that C.S. Lewis never even touched here.
Book Review: Which book should you read first?
Summary: 5 Stars
It is my personal opinion that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the best introduction to the series for the following reasons:
1) The title - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - introduces three foundational elements of the whole Narnian saga: the noble character of Aslan, the reign of the White Witch and one of the most memorable of a series of bridges built between Earth and Narnia. The Magician's Nephew, who is revealed to be the Professor Kirke, while an important character is not as important to the series as the above.
2) Storytelling - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a story about freedom from oppression and is one of the most captivating stories of the series. It is the book that will inspire your curiosity about the rest of the Narnia series. The Magician's Nephew does not reveal Narnia or Aslan until late in the book. Without prior knowledge of Narnia or who Aslan is, the patient reader will have to wade through an interesting, though not as captivating story that in the end does not inspire as much curiosity about the rest of the series.
***I would venture to assume that this was the reason why The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was selected first to have millions of dollars invested in it to become a major motion picture.***
3) Spoilers - The Magician's Nephew is a great book that explains some of the lesser-known details about Narnia's origins. However, in doing so, it also takes some of the mystery out of elements originally first introduced in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. (I already mentioned the Professor's origins from the title above. For those who have not yet read the series, I will not reveal any more! However, I will recommend that one way or the other, you buy and read this excellent series!)
Book Review: Now I truly appreciate it
Summary: 5 Stars
As a kid, I tried reading _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ and just found it plain boring and nonsensical. Now that I'm 34, I'd have to say the Chronicles of Narnia has been a sheer delight to read. The main reason is that now I can appreciate the Christian imagery that is throughout the books. Without understanding the deeper meanings, one can easily wonder what the heck is going on. For example, in _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_, when Eustace was a dragon, Aslan told him to take off his dragon clothes before getting into the well to be returned to a normal human. Without a Christian understanding, one would wonder why would Aslan ask such a thing. But it makes sense when it's compared to a sinner asked to lay aside the deeds of darkness and the going into the well as baptism. Also, in order for things to make sense, it's best to read all the books. When I just read _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ when I was younger, I thought it silly to walk into a wardrobe to be transported. But in _The Magician's Nephew_, it explains why the wardrobe has such magical powers.
The books does a fantastic job of describing Christianity without any religious wording. Quite a feat considering I've never run across any other book that has been able to do so. As a matter of fact, it does it so well that I've gotten a richer understanding of Christianity through the Chronicles.
The books are also a great way to teach Christian truths to children (as well as adults). They'll be able to learn truths through the power of stories (isn't that what Jesus did?). Father heart of God, love of Jesus, power of God, sin and consequences, good vs evil, spiritual warfare, salvation, and much more - it's all there.
Wonderful series. I wish there were more books of this calibre.
Book Review: Ya gotta read these after the movie too!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just saw a preview of the coming Narnia movie. Immediately I had flashbacks to the most powerful series of books I've ever read. About 25 years ago I started reading the first of the Chronicles of Narnia. By four in the morning I was done. I couldn't put it down. Day and night I couldn't stop until I had devoured all of them....and I'm not a big reader. I was in my freshman year of college. Most of my kids have read them as well and we have even read some of them in the living room as a family together.
These books are great fiction. If you decide to decode them, there are many great theological themes hidden in these delightful fictional stories about other worlds and creatures alien to earth.
Since Narnia is coming out in December...a high end version, I think ya gotta read these before December. Then when you see the movie you can experience even more because you have an imagined insight into all of it already.
Only one other book in all my life kept me up unable to go to sleep because I had to know what happened next. This is a fantastic series. If you don't own it, I think you will be very happy with a copy of each one.
Did you know that regarding the first volume, 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe' that CS Lewis had a real wardrobe that was the inspiration for this movie? Wheaton College has it on display in Wheaton, Illinois. It is inside a special dedicated library to seven great classic authors...one of whom is C.S. Lewis. Lewis and Tolkien and Sayers...all incredibly great authors from the 20th Century. I think of all the great books Lewis has written, this series is by far the best selling and most influential of his works. Great fun, and well thought out at the same time!