[.ca] The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe (ISBN 0694524786)

A grand story!:
One of the miracles of C.S. Lewis is that he is able to incorporate a sense of the mystical and magical with the form of the world in a Christian framework without either aspect becoming forced or stilted. The stories that Lewis has crafted in the Chronicles of Narnia stand on their own as good storytelling even without the underpinning of Christian imagery - they are strong tales, kin in many ways to the Lord of the Rings cycle, which makes sense, given the friendship and professional relationship of Lewis with Tolkein. This particular text, 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', is the second installment in the overall Narnia series, but each story is able to stand on its own. This is a story that almost begins with 'once upon a time...' It is a good story for children of all ages (including 40-year-old children like me). The story begins in the dark days of the London blitz, with the children being sent away for their protection. This was common for people in all social classes, from the royal family on down, to send the children out to the countryside for the duration of the war - when Lewis was writing and publishing the Narnia books, this experience would have been fresh in the minds of the readers. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are the family children sent to stay with old Professor and his less-than-amiable housekeeper; it comes as no surprise that the children hope to escape from this as much as from the bombs in London, and escape they did. Lucy found it first - the portal to Narnia, in the back of the wardrobe in the special room. Then Edmund (though he would lie about it), and then all four make the journey into Narnia, where they discover themselves to be the likely heirs of a prophetic chain of events freeing the land from the evil of the wintery White Witch, who was then styling herself as the Queen of Narnia. In fact, the real king of Narnia was Aslan, a majestic lion full of power and grace, whose soul was as pure as any child's hope for the future. The Christian images would seem familiar to any liturgical churchgoer, but the there are also other symbols that fit beyond the religious that tap into deeper longings - evil here is not a hot place, but a frozen place, where the emotions are cold and sharp. The lesser creatures are the virtuous ones, and the children lead the way to the redemption of all. The battle of good and evil takes place in epic form, fitting many forms of heroic tales. The lion Aslan stands for the Christ figure, but can also conjure images of the lion of England - Peter's shield with a red lion makes him both the stand-in for the first of the apostles as well as a perfect casting for St. George. Other parallels abound. The children themselves live a good life in Narnia, but eventually return to their English countryside encampment, with spirits and hopefulness renewed. This is a tale of extraordinary power, and one that stays with the reader for a long time. Long before Harry Potter, there was Narnia - a tale that is not only fun and riveting, but also one with a strong moral lens that includes not only power, but the giving up of power; not only victory, but also forgiveness and sacrifice. Revenge is an emotion that is defeated here, and good triumphs at the last. A grand story!

I want to go to Narnia:
How can you not adore this? You know how food can be labeled "comfort food" - well this is the type of story that's a "comfort story". I felt so protected, secure and safe while reading this. It takes me back to a time in my life when I reguarly daydream adventures like those in Narnia. I think it reminds us of imagination, and freedom, and child-like wonder. Such a beautiful, wonderful story. Allow it to take you away and suspend your disbelief - you won't be sorry.

I love the voice...:
... of Michael York. It's deep and smooth and soothing; just like the book. You can find out what the book is like by looking at the other reviews; but I definitely recommend this recording!

Hope:
I chose to read this classic by C.S. Lewis because every one else I knew had read it when they were younger. I was told that it was an allegorical novel by a friend, which spiked my interest in what I considered just a child's fantasy. Lewis fills his world, Narnia, with a wonderful array of different and interesting characters. Fauns, Nymphs, Dryads, Naiads, and hospitable beavers all contribute to the fantastic nature of this story. Lewis must have been a creative man to imagine such wonders and write them down. A place where perpetually deadened by the cold of winter, with no Christmas and, therefore, no hope would be a terribly bleak setting. The depiction of Aslan as a symbol of Christ was quite interesting. Even the girls, Susan and Lucy, become similar to the two Marys in the gospel in their caretaking of the lion. So as not to give away the story to anyone else I will end saying this unique world provides more than just a fantasy escape. To both children and adults it provides a reminder that there is hope, even in our world, when it too seems cold and dead.

Bah Humbug !:
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.