The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis
Classic Children’s. 248 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
NARNIA… the world of wicked dragons and magic spells, where the very best is brought out of even the worst people, where anything can happen (and most often does)… and where the adventure begins.
The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne. The journey takes Edmund, Lucy, and their cousin Eustace to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea, toward Aslan’s country at the End of the World.
My Review:
I adore this book. I adore this series. Each time I read it, I think it can’t get any better than last time. And yet, I still find new things to learn and love. The Dawn Treader has always taken a back seat to Prince Caspian and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. But this time around, I gained yet a new appreciate for this delightful, wonder-filled adventure.
The setting of the sea has always captured my heart, and the adventure gives a fresh new twist to the previous Narnian stories. Edmund and Lucy long ago stole my heart; every time I read, it’s like visiting old friends. But Eustace really shines in this one. Something about this particular reread hit home for me more deeply than any previous read (Check out Devin Brown’s Inside the Voyage of the Dawn Treader: A Guide to Exploring the Journey Beyond Narnia! Undoubtedly, this is the reason this read through was so magical for me!).
Eustace’s transformation, and the more subtle character growth in the others like Lucy, Ed, Reep, and Caspian just strengthens and enhances the brilliance of Lewis in this beautiful tale. And, of course, the end of this book is one of the few books that make me cry. It’s just so beautiful!! There aren’t words for the ways this series touches my heart, but I’ll view this book in an all new light moving forward as I’ve made new connections and studied it more from a literary perspective.
More:
*Note: The below list is in chronological order, not publication order!
Book 1 in The Chronicles of Narnia is The Magician’s Nephew (5 Stars)
Book 2 is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (5 Stars)
Book 3 is The Horse and His Boy (4 Stars)
Book 4 is Prince Caspian (5 Stars)
Book 6 is The Silver Chair (4 Stars)
Book 7 is The Last Battle (5 Stars)
I have reviewed each of the above on Goodreads. Follow the links to find more info on the books and then scroll down to see the reviews. Mine is among them.
Although these stories are each independent of one another, I would recommend reading them in order, at least once. It adds a new element to the stories, I think.
On GraceBought
Check out my thoughts on the first book here!