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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Into the "wardrobe", 26 Dec 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 was recently released as a hit movie -- a special ambience. Definitely worth reading.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Bah Humbug !, 1 May 2006
C.S. Lewis was born in Belfast in 1898. In 1916, he won scholarship to University College, Oxford. He was elected a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford in , working there as tutor in English Language and Literature for 29 years, before leaving for Magdalene College, Cambridge. He died in 1963, on the same day John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Aldous Huxley died. "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe", the first of his books to be set in Narnia, was originally published in 1950. Although it was the first book written in a series of seven, it isn't necessarily the best place to start - there are many who view "The Magician's Nephew" as the 'proper' starting point for the series.
The book opens during the Second World War and tells the story of four children evacuated from London. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie have been sent to live with an old Professor who lives deep in the countryside. Initially, the children hope their stay will involve a spot of bird watching and generally bothering the local wildlife. However, following some exploration indoors, those pesky kids discover a wardrobe that leads to another world called Narnia. Narnia is ruled by the evil Jadis, better known as the White Witch. Under her rule, it is always winter, but Christmas never comes. Luckily Aslan, a very powerful lion and the rightful King, is rumoured to be close and the children's presence seems to confirm the White Witch's time is nearly up. (An ancient prophecy mentions the two 'Sons of Adam' and two 'Daughters of Eve'). Unfortunately, Edmund - a sneaky little brat - likes Turkish Delight too much for everyone's good.
I did enjoy the book as a kid - however, unlike the Potter books I can't honestly see too many adults also enjoying it. It is very old fashioned - the writing is very similar to Enid Blyton's, which isn't something I like too much - while the ending (particularly the battle) was an anti-climax. It also suffers in comparison to Tolkien's books, where the writing is much less childish and which also have the benefit of a carefully designed fictional world. The Christian element is also present which will, no doubt, please some - while I didn't notice it as a kid, it's pretty clear reading the book as an adult. However, I can't help thinking this would've been a much better book if it hadn't been written as some sort of allegory.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The FSFH Book Review says:, 24 Mar 2006
The second book, chronologically, of the Chronicles of Narnia, this was the first book of the series that Lewis wrote. Four children (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy), evacuated to a mysterious country house during World War Two, travel through an enchanted wardrobe and find themselves in the land of Narnia. Lewis does an excellent job of conjuring up images of a shadowy woodland carpeted in perpetual winter, giving the story of the White Witch's hunt for the children an excellent backdrop. Narnia's array of talking beavers (keep your mind out of the gutter!), fauns and cruel dwarves is more fairy tale than fantasy, but that didn't pose a problem for me. There are incredibly strong Christian metaphors here, particularly when Aslan sadly marches to his own execution to pay for the sins of the bully Edmund. Then, in a genuinely heart-rending scene Aslan is bound, muzzled, shaved and, finally, murdered. However, for those of you who've seen through the metaphor, you'll know that all is not lost. This book is of far higher quality than 'The Magician's Nephew' and is one of those stories that will be an eternal classic (particularly since a new movie has introduced it to a new generation, much like what happened with LotR). I was slightly disappointed by the ending of the book, however, which was a little rushed (particularly the battle sequence) and somewhat unsatisfying. Also, the Enid Blyton-ness of the writing style makes it a bit less accessible to a 21st century adult (I use the term 'adult' loosely when refering to myself, mind you!).
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