The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis
Classic Children’s. 202 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
The secret passage to the house next door leads to a fascinating adventure.
NARNIA… where the woods are thick and cool, where Talking Beasts are called to life… a new world where the adventure begins.
Digory and Polly meet and become friends one cold, wet summer in London. Their lives burst into adventure when Digory’s Uncle Andrew, who thinks he is a magician, sends them hurtling to… somewhere else. They find their way to Narnia, newborn from the the Lion’s song, and encounter the evil sorceress Jadis before they finally return home.
My Review:
I personally think C.S. Lewis was a brilliant man. A great thinker–for any time, not just his own–and a very clever man. I am more than fond of his books and especially taken with the stories of Narnia. This is the book that tells how it all began.
I particularly appreciate the subtle nods and tie-ins to future stories, the foreshadowing, if you will. I love the writing style and voice of The Magician’s Nephew. I read it and feel as if I’ve been transported back in time. Lewis writes in such a truly unique manner. I’ve always loved the language and syntax he uses, the way he chooses to present the story and even the sentences themselves. The setting is marvelous. The book has a sort of timeless feel to it, in my opinion, and takes place in a few different settings, for Digory travels among several worlds. The time is well-depicted and both the real and other worlds very well-described. By far my favorite part of this entire book is the creation of Narnia. The song stirs in my very soul and I could read of the birth of Narnia over and over and never tire of it. The story has a quick pace about it, but is still well-paced. And, of course, the characters are absolutely wonderful. I love Uncle Andrew and Jadis and Polly and Digory. They are dynamic and each unique. They each have their places in the story and bear their burdens well. It was well worth re-reading and I am sure I will come back to it again in another several years. A story everyone ought to read, no matter how old.
Long live Aslan! And on to Book 2!
More:
*Note: The below list is in chronological order, not publication order!
Book 2 in The Chronicles of Narnia 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 5 is The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (4 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
See my thoughts on other books in the series below!
Prince Caspian