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jellogirl2010's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Started this last week during a snowy day for the *vibes*, noted it took me a lot longer to read than it should have since it's fairly short.
A thoroughly enjoyable book, C.S Lewis writes so little and does a lot with what he does write. I'll always have a fond spot in my heart for this series.
A thoroughly enjoyable book, C.S Lewis writes so little and does a lot with what he does write. I'll always have a fond spot in my heart for this series.
Content Warnings
Minor: War
anni_swanilda's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexism, Slavery, and War
rochelleisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and War
hedyharper's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, and War
seulgireads's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My first (successful) reread in a long while of a childhood favourite. I attempted to reread it a couple of years ago but was so put off by the narrator that I had to put it down. Now, about four years into my literary studies at university, I was surprised to find the narration to be the most compelling element of LWW. What had struck me as old-fashioned and one-dimensionally patronizing about the narrator (an adult voice that explicitly addresses a child audience), I perceived as layered and skillfully crafted this time around. The narrator is very present throughout the book, which unfortunately comes at the cost of the reader’s direct access to the characters. However, the narration is also very dynamic, guiding the reader through the story and granting them access to Narnia by way of engaging all their senses and making full use of their imagination. At the same time, the narrator serves as a frequent reminder that we are reading a work of fiction. This carefully executed double function which creates both immersion and distance is what really makes this a literary classic worth revisiting as an adult.
Densely populated with intertextual references, the text incorporates religious elements, folk tales and myth. A particularly strong tie is made to Christian Andersen’s Snow Queen (which incidentally was the first instance of intertextuality in any book I remember picking up on and really pondering as a child). Consulting some of the academic literature on Narnia further enriched my reading experience. I fell down a rabbit hole of reading up on the deliberate exclusion of sexuality and violence in Narnia – which, in the manner of Freud’s return of the repressed, seep through from the subtext to the surface of the text at some points (cf. Jennifer L. Miller (2009): “No Sex in Narnia? […]”).
Sexuality seems to be deliberately excluded from Narnia altogether (per Lewis’ conviction that children’s books should exemplify a pure, uncorrupted state of humanity); but it creeps in nonetheless. In the intertext of the Snow Queen – where Lewis substitutes kisses for Turkish delight –; in Aslan’s romp with Lucy and Susan; and, – my favourite example – in Peter’s battle with the wolf, where the description is suddenly overtaken by violent, nightmarish sexual imagery, that is starkly confronting in the context of the rest of the book:
As it was — though all this happened too quickly for Peter to think at all — he had just time to duck down and plunge his sword, as hard as he could, between the brute’s forelegs into its heart. Then came a horrible, confused moment like something in a nightmare. He was tugging and pulling and the Wolf seemed neither alive nor dead, and its bared teeth knocked against his forehead, and everything was blood and heat and hair.
There are other deliciously written passages, such as the ride of Lucy and Susan on Aslan through Narnia.
I appreciated the relatively slow-paced first two thirds of the book; the third act seemed a bit rushed. Another weakness of this book is that the characters, apart from Edmund, are afforded little to no psychological depth (which is probably a reason why I loved the 2005 film growing up – it does a good job of fleshing out the four siblings and creating an interesting dynamic between them).
I debated whether the lackluster last third is enough to knock LWW down to a 3.5 stars for me, but I finally decided on a 4-star-rating because of the quality of the narration and the enjoyability of the majority of the book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Kidnapping, and War
oceanwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Reread. I love this series and this universe so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and War
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Gaslighting
gabsoulutely's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Even after all these years, I will never stop loving Narnia and its world building. I love these characters so much and this book is such a nostalgic breath of fresh air for me.
As an adult revisiting this story through novel and not motion picture, I realize some more meanings in the story as compared to when I was younger. I feel like Narnia was my first foray into fantasy and even after all the fantasy stories I have consumed, it still holds a high place in my heart.
Such a good read especially considering how old this book is.
As an adult revisiting this story through novel and not motion picture, I realize some more meanings in the story as compared to when I was younger. I feel like Narnia was my first foray into fantasy and even after all the fantasy stories I have consumed, it still holds a high place in my heart.
Such a good read especially considering how old this book is.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and War
aoifeprettypurplepolkadots's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and War
geooo's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
1.5
Children also deserve good books!
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is dated. I did not like the writing style: "and then we did that and...and...and...", it was so repetitive, how many times are you going to say that every child knows not to shut the wardrobe door, and while I think it is symbolic (we see Lucy and Peter leaving the door open, that could mean choosing the right side, not being fooled by the bad, while Edmund shut the door and was manipulated by the Snow Queen and chose the evil side, selling his siblings for candy), it is still annoying.
It is incredibly sexist, and while that may be due to the times that it was written it is no justification.
I hate the characters. Every single one of them. They are as interesting as a piece of paper.
Why is it so obvious that Lucy isn't mad? A mad person would believe in their madness and where is the explanation for Narnia appearing whenever it is convenient?
To me the whole thing about whether Lucy is or isn't lying was just to have some plot, because the door to Narnia conveniently isn't there.
Why is Edmund such a bitch? I hate him. I hate the professor. He is condescending little hoe. I hate them so badly.
How can Peter be so dumb? When Edmund was manipulating him in favor of the Withe Witch he said that the faun didn't save Lucy, that he only said he did, but they never met him, outside of Lucy, and Lucy said that he saved her.
The novel is so obvious in everything that it did. Children are not that stupid. They deserve better books. I cannot see anyone older than 7 at the most enjoying this book.
Aslan is basically Jesus. If he was going the kill the witch himself anyway than why did he wait for the children. The prophecy is bad and a prophecy is supposed to be vague, even a little bit. To me Aslan just let the people of Narnia suffer for no reason. How is he the good guy, the hero? He isn't. If he is that powerful as he says, that he knows of magic before even the dawn of time than he is an evil hoe, who just couldn't be bothered to help people for years, who was lazy.
What is this quote: "Battles are ugly when women fight". So they are pretty when men fight. It is not only sexist, but also dumb. And the girls doing nothing but crying and being good only for their bodies and beauty.
The characters are one dimensional, the villain is incompetent, there is no tension, the writing isn't good.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is dated. I did not like the writing style: "and then we did that and...and...and...", it was so repetitive, how many times are you going to say that every child knows not to shut the wardrobe door, and while I think it is symbolic (we see Lucy and Peter leaving the door open, that could mean choosing the right side, not being fooled by the bad, while Edmund shut the door and was manipulated by the Snow Queen and chose the evil side, selling his siblings for candy), it is still annoying.
It is incredibly sexist, and while that may be due to the times that it was written it is no justification.
I hate the characters. Every single one of them. They are as interesting as a piece of paper.
Why is it so obvious that Lucy isn't mad? A mad person would believe in their madness and where is the explanation for Narnia appearing whenever it is convenient?
To me the whole thing about whether Lucy is or isn't lying was just to have some plot, because the door to Narnia conveniently isn't there.
Why is Edmund such a bitch? I hate him. I hate the professor. He is condescending little hoe. I hate them so badly.
How can Peter be so dumb? When Edmund was manipulating him in favor of the Withe Witch he said that the faun didn't save Lucy, that he only said he did, but they never met him, outside of Lucy, and Lucy said that he saved her.
The novel is so obvious in everything that it did. Children are not that stupid. They deserve better books. I cannot see anyone older than 7 at the most enjoying this book.
Aslan is basically Jesus. If he was going the kill the witch himself anyway than why did he wait for the children. The prophecy is bad and a prophecy is supposed to be vague, even a little bit. To me Aslan just let the people of Narnia suffer for no reason. How is he the good guy, the hero? He isn't. If he is that powerful as he says, that he knows of magic before even the dawn of time than he is an evil hoe, who just couldn't be bothered to help people for years, who was lazy.
What is this quote: "Battles are ugly when women fight". So they are pretty when men fight. It is not only sexist, but also dumb. And the girls doing nothing but crying and being good only for their bodies and beauty.
The characters are one dimensional, the villain is incompetent, there is no tension, the writing isn't good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and War
hihicass's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Torture, Violence, and War