Book #37
Four adventurous siblings―Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie― step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change, and a great sacrifice.
When life takes difficult, mundane, or irritating turns, the temptation to crawl into the wardrobe is a strong one. Rather than working from my tiny home office, I’d much prefer sipping tea with beavers, stroking a lion’s mane, or even getting myself into vicious altercations with a witch. Luckily, reading of this wonderful world is almost as good as physically throwing myself into those coats and slamming the door behind me.
And what a world it is. Lewis has created something filled with wonder, adventure, and awe. The children enter a world which teaches them kindness, tolerance, friendship and love. They become royalty, they grow, they strengthen their familial bond, and they fight. A perfect game.
Although the writing style makes it clear you’re reading a children’s novel, it’s impossible not to be drawn in, and to feel the childhood excitement for yourself. The simple prose only makes things all the more exciting, as we meet talking creatures, evil tyrants, and mythical wonders. It’s just a perfect fantasy story for kids - wildly exciting, hazily dreamlike, and deliciously unthinkable.
I’m glad to report my experiences in Narnia are only just beginning, as I’m now devoting myself to the whole series. Time to meet Prince Caspian.