In case we don't get it, Aslan continuously addresses the boys as "Sons of Adam" and the girls as "Daughters of Eve" and says that only they can rule over Narnia. As the story progresses, it becomes more prevalent - and now racism and intolerance of the heathens also come into play. The Calormenes - dark-skinned foreigners who worship a savage god Tash, wear turbans and carry scimitar-like swords - are an Englishman's fantasy of the bloodthirsty and lecherous Turk.
In their country, young girls are routinely married off to old codgers, and they wage war on the free countries like Narnia to rape and pillage. Their God Tash, however, is a pagan deity who is loosely associated with the gentleman I mentioned earlier - the guy with horns. The unlikeable brat Eustace Scrubb is the son of liberal parents who are pacifists and vegetarians.
He studies in a school which does not have corporal punishment and which does not teach the Bible - and is therefore full of bullies who are encouraged by the Principal! However, Eustace reforms after a visit to Narnia, and returns back to the school and hammers the living daylights out of the bullies.
The Principal is removed from the school and ultimately becomes a Member of Parliament, where she lives happily ever after note the point: M. It is in the last book that Lewis outdoes himself. There is an ape who presents a donkey as Aslan. The ape is part of a conspiracy with the Caloremenes who present their God Tash and Aslan as the same, but don't believe in either.
Also, the ending is patently silly view spoiler [ all the friends of Narnia being killed in a train accident so that they can inhabit Aslan's timeless paradise hide spoiler ] and for me, it was disgusting. Then why the three stars? Well, if you can ignore the allegory and the preachiness, there are some pretty interesting adventures here. The first three books are rather well-written although a bit simplistic and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is your classic sea adventure.
The Magician's Nephew is extremely funny in parts. One advise to prospective readers though - please give the last book a miss. View all 48 comments. Mar 20, Michael Finocchiaro rated it really liked it Shelves: fantasy , classics , fiction , englishth-c , kids. Read this as a kid and re-read later on, these 7 books were a great form of escapism despite the somewhat overbearing Christian symbolism that is pervasive throughout.
A must for kids. View 1 comment. Mar 30, Christian Guzman rated it liked it. Overall I would give this book 3 stars. At first I was skeptical about reading the book in chronological order as opposed to publication order. Now that I look back at it, it works well both ways. I also had some trouble at first with the way the style of writing was presented, but I got used to it pretty quickly.
The world of Narnia is well written and detailed thanks to C. S Lewis. I can safely say that I liked the introduction of e Overall I would give this book 3 stars. I can safely say that I liked the introduction of every story. This book nonetheless will be someone else's treasure, not mine. Such an original plot! I enjoyed every minute of it.
Getting to know the backstory and how Narnia was created was interesting to me. There were a few metaphors between Adam, Eve, and the tree of wisdom. Digory and Uncle Andrew were my favorite characters, even though at times the uncle seemed quite cynical. My favorite moment would have to the fight at the lamp post and how they escaped. It also depends on what sort of person you are. My favorite character were the two youngest ones: Lucy and Edmund. They seemed to always have something going on with them.
Again, there are several religious metaphors present in this story too. It was pleasurable reading and seeing all the symbolism.
We also get to see more of the magical world of Narnia in this story so that is exciting. I had fun with this story! The desert scene felt eternal to me and unexciting. It was ok.
Prince Caspian: 3 stars In this story we are introduced to Prince Caspian and I must say he was a well written character. The backstory about him and finding out how he commences his journey is interesting. I seem to enjoy the introductions of each story quite immensely, this one being one of my favorites.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: 3 stars My favorite part of this story was the involvement of the new character Eustace.
Even though he was portrayed negatively at first it was interesting viewing how he slowly changed. The dragon scene was enjoyable to me. The Silver Chair: 2 stars The beginning of the novel was fun, which is when Eustace and Jill embark on their new adventure. They are sent on a mission and we read about their journey. I found many parts dull. View all 11 comments. Apr 20, Mansoor rated it liked it.
The Magician's Nephew is easily the best story of the Chronicles. First of all, it's the least overtly religious. There is a creation-of-the-world element, but it's not our world so it seems more fantastic than religious. Not only is there a veil over the religiosity, there's so much creativity in this story: the magical rings, the in-between place, the Deplorable Word, the founding of Narnia.
And because of the talking, fighting animals, the fantasy seems aimed at children. I might have enjoyed it more at age The next story in the series, The Horse and His Boy , takes a dark, ethnocentric turn with its unfavorable depiction of the Arab-like "Calormen" shoes turned up at the toe, scimitars, suffixed phrases of praise, "son of" lineage declarations. They bowed most politely to Caspian and paid him long compliments The Voyage of the Dawn Treader demonstrates the problem with using God or Jesus in a story: there are no real conflicts.
When the Dawn Treader stops at Dragon Island, the boy passenger Eustace wanders off, encounters a magical spell, and is turned into a dragon. This raises all kinds of serious issues about how to keep Eustace the Dragon with them, but none of these problems matter because, within 24 hours, Aslan just changes Eustace back to a boy.
To save Edmund's soul, Aslan sacrifices his life. But it wasn't Aslan's only life, he had another one ready. One thing I found especially creative about The Chronicles is how a story involving talking animals justifies eating animals. I can't even begin to count how many times I've read "The Chronicles of Narnia. Sure, I followed the story, but the deeper meaning was completely lost on me. Someone later told me that it was a Christian story and when I read the I can't even begin to count how many times I've read "The Chronicles of Narnia.
Someone later told me that it was a Christian story and when I read the book again as a young teenager, I picked up on that element of it. In the many times I've read the books as an adult, I've come to find that the underlying meaning - not just of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," but of the other books as well - becomes gradually clearer until you can't believe you didn't see it all along. The books are like Narnia itself, unfolding like an onion, layer upon layer, Narnia upon Narnia, but each layer is bigger and better than the one above it.
In order of the events that unfold in the story but not in the order that the books were published , the Chronicles of Narnia include: "The Magician's Nephew" - the Narnian creation story.
Two children living in London are magically transported to other worlds and witness the dawn of Narnia. The story incorporates such familiar elements as a Tree of Knowledge and the fall of man. With the help of Aslan, the great Lion, they seek to free Narnia. This is the most obvious Christian parable, as Aslan represents Jesus and the story parallels the Resurrection story.
Shasta, a Calormene fisherman's son, runs away when he hears his father negotiating to sell him into slavery. Together with two talking horses and a noble Calormene girl running away from an arranged marriage, he tries to get to Narnia. The book is a meditation on faith and the concept that God helps those who help themselves. It's also my favorite of the seven books.
Not the most overtly religious of the stories. It doesn't seem all that religious until the end of the book, which encourages people to seek God in their own lives. The book is a parable of the End of Days, with chaos, confusion, war, unbelief and the worship of false gods.
Tirian, Eustace, Jill and their friends can only hope that Aslan returns to Narnia to deliver them. Read them, then read them again and again and again. You won't be sorry. View all 5 comments. Shelves: favorites , harper-collins , fantasy , physically-owned , middle-grade , adult. The film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was what made me want to read this thick, heavenly book.
Little yet valiant Lucy was very close to my heart, as well as her siblings who occasionally thought she was crazy. I was so enthralled by the movie, and I asked my parents if they could buy me the series for my birthday.
My uncle in the US was the one who granted my wish. Hence, this book literally traveled to my hands. I was overwhelmed with happiness when it finally arrived. After all, it was the first series I had ever owned. After caressing it for a long time, I tucked myself into bed and got down to business. Little did I know that this would be the series that would transform me into a devoted booknerd. At the age of 12, I managed to fly through each novel because they were just so beautiful and fantastic.
The perfect mix of magic, adventure, and biblical allusions captivated me from start to finish. In totality, The Chronicles of Narnia will always have a special place in my heart and library. Just looking at Aslan's face on the cover fills me with much happiness and nostalgia.
If I were the Ruler of Books, I would require everyone in the planet to read this timeless series. One of my favorite series growing up. Very formative to me as it combined a love of fantasy with my religious upbringing. The chronicles of Narnia strikes me now as a unique series.
Not only does C. S Lewis push Christian ideology over commercial appeal. Which oddly enough lead to lasting commercial success. But he has One of my favorite series growing up. But he has a rotating cast of human characters from our world in the four Pevensie children, their cousin Eustace his friend Jill Pole uncle Digory and his friend Polly Plummer.
The only constant character in the book is Aslan the lion. R Tolkien. Lewis takes you to other kingdoms, across the eastern sea, and to the underworld. Also spans the whole expanse of time in narnia from creation to destruction. Which is a really neat concept for a series. There's so much good in here magic, honor, valor, and friendship lots of lessons taught in this series. Great for kids and adults alike.
The sixth book in particular the silver chair i did not remember at all. Recommend to everyone young and old, Christian or not, fantasy or non fiction reader. View 2 comments. Nov 17, Erth rated it it was amazing. This read could not be described any better than this: Journeys to the end of the world, fantastic creatures, and epic battles between good and evil—what more could any reader ask for in one book?
At the sound of his roar, sorrow will be no more. When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death. And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again. Narnia is a magical place that feels me with warmth and dreams, hope and wishes. Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face. It was like coming back home after a long while traveling, comforting and comfortable. But it also brought a new sight to my eyes respecting them.
I love how the story-telling employed by Lewis how it was very simple, yet you could always picture everything perfectly. Though sometimes it became a little too specific in areas that would have done well with just a quick mention. Still, most of the time, the narrative is engrossing and simple and fast. Of course, we can't forget the beautiful characters!
I love them so much, especially Edmund!!! I would get so excited whenever a mention of any of the Pevensies came out. I love them so much except Susan I can't even. I have known one that did. Let me see Oh, yeah! I can talk about my favorite book. I think it has something to do with the fact that it fills, a little, that big, empty space where I wish there was a novel about the golden age of Narnia.
Of course, that's just a part of it. The book really captured me in its own right and can safely say I love it. And helped filled any voids or questions I had respecting the history, timeline, or creatures of Narnia. Really appreciated. Let the music blast people, life is getting back on track. Here is what happened. My brother and I share the kindle account, which apparently is connected to my Goodreads account - who knew?
Ugh, so frustrating, especially since it's not the first time it happens. I am planning to read it soon though! View all 15 comments. Mar 28, Ruth rated it it was amazing.
I love how you can see Aslan as Jesus giving up his life for us. And the greater power or deaper magic that brings him back to life. View all 4 comments. Aug 16, Jarod rated it really liked it. A mostly well-written, very imaginative, thoroughly enjoyable read.
The narration is warm and witty, the protagonists are well developed and likable but not perfect written perfectly, but with flaws that give the stories depth , and the settings are vivid and fantastic remember those loony one-footed invisible things that hop around? I'm always annoyed when people confound the qualit A mostly well-written, very imaginative, thoroughly enjoyable read. I'm always annoyed when people confound the quality of this series as literature with the quality of the worldview it allegedly expounds, as if the literary world is some kind of neo-Stalinist monolith where the only legitimate art is that which edifies us by propounding a correct ethical system.
It's just a story, and a good one at that. Furthermore, as an atheist, I think 1 the religious content of the novels is overstated, and 2 even if it isn't, oh fucking well, that doesn't detract from the novels one whit. The books really don't have any more to do with Christianity in particular than does any other story with a character who gives up his life to save others.
See Harry Potter 7; see also, religious archetypes in general. As for the Calormen, I think it's highly possible that the garb was just supposed to convey the exotic, and this particular nation just happens to be bad in the world of the book.
Do we trust the dominant narratives of our culture? Or are there other stories that make more sense of things, and help us figure out who we are, and what we are meant to be doing? Lewis also helped his readers in another respect — thinking about how to become good people. Realizing that academic books on morality were rather dull, Lewis set out to tell stories in which characters embodied virtues. Lewis tried to show his readers what goodness, nobility, and dignity looked like.
Lewis, I'm culling not one, not two, not three, not Get ready for a mini-Masters class on fantasy classics. One of the best-selling children's series in history, with over million copies sold; Goodreads ratings of 4.
Where do I even begin? No, seriously, where do I begin? The Chronicles of Narnia were published in the order I listed above, but chronologically the books would be listed 5, 1, 6, 2, 3, 4, 7.
This is actually a major point of contention for people who contend points, but for our purposes we're going with publication order. I'll just start by saying that I'm not actually culling 7 classics here. I'm only culling 6, because you should read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
There is no loving or loathing; that's the final verdict: read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. There are six other books, though. Who has time for six other books? And what are they even about? Children's fantasy? Sounds like fluff and nonsense. Oh, but it's good fluff and nonsense. The Chronicles of Narnia detail the entire history of the magical world of Narnia as seen through the eyes of a handful of British schoolchildren.
In the first book, four siblings discover this enchanted land through a portal in a musty old wardrobe. At this point, Narnia is under the thrall of the White Witch, who has made it so that it is always winter but never Christmas. The four children set out to free Narnia and the Talking Beasts and all other manner of magical folk who live there from the witch's spell with the help of the Great Lion Aslan.
It's all very allegorical, but in a way that isn't annoying unless someone wants to talk to you about how allegorical it all is. In each of the subsequent books, some or all of the four siblings are brought back to Narnia from England to help in various quests and voyages.
Do you happen to be a fan of joy? How about smiling? Fanciful storytelling? Good triumphing over evil? Good and evil even being a thing at all? Lewis was a self-proclaimed atheist during his teenage years, but converted to Christianity at the age of In his essay collection, Of This and Other Worlds , Lewis claims that his intention was to speak to children about Christianity without explicitly mentioning it.
Therefore, he chose the medium of a fairy tale. He said that his religious allegory was suggested by a set of images — for example, Aslan as a Christ-like figure who sacrifices himself for the sins of Edmund and is later resurrected. Edmund himself symbolises the temptation from the Garden of Eden as he is tempted into eating sweets from the White Witch. However, this may not be the reason that The Chronicles of Narnia are still so popular today.
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