The Chronicles of Narnia

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It's a hit!

Inspired by the movies, I read up on CS Lewis and his conversion to Christianity. His life story intrigued me enough that I picked up the whole Nar... (show more)

Inspired by the movies, I read up on CS Lewis and his conversion to Christianity. His life story intrigued me enough that I picked up the whole Narnia series. I was interested in reading the whole storyline, but was also hoping this would be a tool to help introduce Christianity into my daughters lives when the time comes.

The series is incredible, and although there is a big controversy on reading the series in chronological or published order - it doesn't really matter. I personally suggest reading "The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe" before "The Magicians Nephew" as you will get much more out of the first book in that manner.

The storyline is fast paced, and held my attention as an adult the whole time. Set in the land of Narnia, the storyline revolves around children of our own time visiting Narnia in times of peril to help set things straight throughout Narnian history. Each child has an adventure and becomes known as a King or Queen or even a Hero of Narnia during their adventure.

I was impressed that each book was self contained, but also fed the series as a whole. Book 1, feeds storyline to book 7. So you get a lot out of an individual book, but if you read them all you get more out of the later books as you proceed. I was also impressed how main characters passed through the books - each book has their own set of hero's that are naturally introduced. At first I did not like the constant swap out of main characters because I was developing an attachment to each. However the transition came naturally and I began to look forward to seeing how each handled their adventures in Narnia in their own way.

The Christian overtones are more subtle in the beginning books, but by 1/2 through the series and especially near the end of the series - the Christian symbolism and theology blatantly bleeds through (for an adult anyway). I would love to find some sort of study guide that provides commentary on the Christian theology.

You have hero's, adventures, swords, dragons, distant lands, and magic - you couldn't ask for more in a children's story. Simple enough for a child to follow but deep enough to hold an adults attention. You couldn't ask much more from the series. (show less)

 

 

by Mike Krafick

No, it's a flop!

The word "overrated" is perhaps thrown about a bit too much but there is no word more befitting CS Lewis. The themes and messages illustrated in Th... (show more)

The word "overrated" is perhaps thrown about a bit too much but there is no word more befitting CS Lewis. The themes and messages illustrated in The Chronicles of Narnia are so thinly veiled that they acheive a nauseating overbearance that defeats the delivery of the story itself. None of that is to mention the old-timey christian sexism that runs rampant through the text. Perhaps it is that many of us were forced to read this wretched trial in obtuse narrative as children and thus recall the tales with a certain amount of nostalgia that keeps us blinded to what Narnia really is. (show less)

 

 

by Jullian A Murphy

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  I have to start this review by saying that I cannot believe I never read these as a child. I thought they were simply wonderful – for the most part. I got interested in reading the complete set after I realized they weren’t going to stop with the first movie, and I loved the first movie. I also knew all these years even though I had not read the books that C.S. Lewis had basically written them as a Christian allegory. While I can see where someone could make an argument fairly easily to that ... (show more)

  I have to start this review by saying that I cannot believe I never read these as a child. I thought they were simply wonderful – for the most part. I got interested in reading the complete set after I realized they weren’t going to stop with the first movie, and I loved the first movie. I also knew all these years even though I had not read the books that C.S. Lewis had basically written them as a Christian allegory. While I can see where someone could make an argument fairly easily to that effect, I’ll be honest and say that I did not find it to be over-the-top or blatant UNTIL The Last Battle. I felt that this novel in the collection was a very overt Christian allegory and in some respects this took away from the storyline. I felt the story was just not as enjoyable as the others. What I also found fascinating about these novels - especially the early ones was the self-reflexivity in them. While this trait is fairly common in much postmodern fiction (and earlyearly American fiction as my dissertation argues), I was not aware that this technique is used much in children's literature. I will be taking a closer look at this in the future. (show less)

   

  by Susie Scifres Kuilan on Mar 13, 2009 at 12:24PM

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  This is one of the books in the series that I'm never quite sure if I like or not, but usually come away pleased with. This is another one where a younger reader can enjoy the story and not read into the allegory if they choose not to. The plot is straightforward, and easier to follow for a very young reader. I will add that Puddleglum's defense of Faith vs. Reason to the Green Lady is probably the best laymen's terms theology I've ever read - and doesn't necessarily have to be read that w... (show more)

  This is one of the books in the series that I'm never quite sure if I like or not, but usually come away pleased with. This is another one where a younger reader can enjoy the story and not read into the allegory if they choose not to. The plot is straightforward, and easier to follow for a very young reader. I will add that Puddleglum's defense of Faith vs. Reason to the Green Lady is probably the best laymen's terms theology I've ever read - and doesn't necessarily have to be read that way either! In any case, the plot drags a bit, I feel when Jill, Eustace and Puddleglum are searching for the lost city of giants, but once they find it and also their way into the underground kingdom I think the ending of the book is it's own best defense. I can't criticize much - I've probably read it five or six times. (show less)

   

   

  by Mindy McGinnis on Mar 26, 2009 at 01:55PM

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