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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Into the wardrobe, 19 July 2005
C.S. Lewis pioneered a new kind of fantasy when he wrote "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" -- the kind where people from our world somehow get swept into another one. It's old stuff now, but Lewis was among the first to attempt such a thing. Because of its originality, and despite some rather hamhanded allegory, it remains a charmingly written, classic story.
To avoid the threat of bombings in London, the four Pevensie kids are sent to stay with a wealthy, eccentric professor in the country. But strange things start to happen when Lucy finds a wardrobe during a game of hide-and-seek -- when she climbs in, she finds a snowy woodland and a friendly faun. Her siblings don't believe her... until peevish Edmund also ventures through, and encounters the beautiful but evil White Witch.
Soon all four are wandering through the snowy land of Narnia, encountering mythical creatures and talking animals. They also find that the four of them are at the center of a prophecy that will lead to the return of lion-messiah Aslan, and the downfall of the White Witch. But things don't go according to plan when Edmund defects to the Witch's side...
How many fantasy stories are written about kids who crawl through a hedge, wander through a door or pick up a magical object, and immediately are swept off into a medieval land? Lots. And they owe a debt of gratitude to C.S. Lewis, theologian, author, and drinking buddy of "Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien.
C.S. Lewis' story is, despite being set during World War II, very 19th-century in tone -- very charming, conversational and full of little details. He populates it with a mishmash of mythic creatures such as dryads, fauns, and talking beavers. The one flaw? Lewis gets quite hamhanded with his Christian allegory, such as Aslan's resurrection. However, he has a very good plot and charming characters to balance it out.
Those characters deftly avoid being cutesy, especially by virtue of the malicious Edmund, who slowly has a change of heart after falling in with the evil Witch. He's a much more enjoyable character than his noble brother Peter, just because he's so real. And as a counterbalance, there's Lewis's sweet-natured Lucy -- which was also the name of Lewis' granddaughter.
Complex characters and still-fresh stories give "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" -- which is soon to be released as a major movie -- a special ambience. Definitely worth reading.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A well presented classic, 23 Jun 2005
Quite possibly everyone has heard of the Narnia series, and many of us were brought up on the legend of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe."This particular edition is the original story repackaged for C.S Lewis's 100th anniversary, only broken down and made easier on the eyes as well as for younger children with glossed paper and colour illustrations throughout. The result is something delightful for anyone of any age to read, particularly when encouraging older children to read more sophisticated novels by enticing with bright illustrations. Something to read over and over, with a little more to look at too.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Through the Wardrobe, 4 Aug 2004
This is either the first (published) book in the Narnia series, or the second (chronologically), but order is not important when reading this excellent book.This is an Alice in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass type of fairy tale adventure story for all ages, as told by a favorite Sunday school teacher with a strict biblical syllabus. Four children find an unusual way into Narnia, now under the witch's icy spell, and their experiences pave the way for the future of this magical country. "Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bears his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again." Chock full of mythical creatures and talking animals, the story progresses at an exciting gallop. Even Father Christmas puts in an appearance with some very useful gifts for our heroes. The Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve experience compassion, bravery, generosity, greed and betrayal, sacrifice, martyrdom, suffering and redemption on their way to maturity before ascending to their rightful places in Narnian history. The ressurection and later miracles by the great and powerful King Aslan, the significance of the stone table and the great battle between good and evil are powerful symbols of faith. Read it first,read it last, but certainly read this book. Amanda Richards August 2, 2004
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