The Magician's Nephew
Ratings582
Average rating3.8
I love this depiction of how Narnia was created as well as the back story of where the White Witch and the Wardrobe came from.
I enjoyed reading this book. What I liked most was how descriptive Lewis was when describing the different settings and how Narnia itself was created. The writing was very rich and I could see everything vividly and beautifully. The characters are also interesting, and it does an excellent job of setting the stage for the following novels.
“Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed”
This was one of those books I remembered fondly while hardly remembering anything at all. After reading Piranesi I got an itch at the back of my brain that led me back to this particular story after decades away. Andrew Ketterly? Why does that sound so familiar... Anyway, It was a very Narnia-esque experience, jumping back into a world I thought I'd left behind and a warm reminder of why these books are so loved by so many people.
this is my first time reading this series in full and i decided to read in chronological order rather than publication order, simply because that's how my box set was numbered. i'm glad i started with this one because it gave me a lot of interesting things to think about that were origins of the iconic story of the lion the witch and the wardrobe that we all know and love. great quick read!
First reread since I've first got into Narnia when I was a kid. Made me emotional and nostalgic for a time in my life that wasn't the best but saved through this series.
This is a classic so it's a pretty hard one to rate. I'm not here to judge whether it's good or bad, it just is and I'm here to observe how it does what it does.
Everyone pretty much knows, to some vague extent, what Narnia is about so I will skip any introductory blurb about it and produce some hot takes.
1. Is Turkish Delight really that delightful that you'd sell your siblings for more?
I've never had any so I can't say. This book certainly makes me want to try some but I gotta say the pictures aren't very appealing and I cannot understand the fervour for it in this book.
2. Edmund is probably the most realistic child in this book, even though he was also the most annoying (maybe the point?)
I remember him being my favourite when I watched the movies as a kid and not remembering any of his annoyingness at all, but I think that's largely because I found the actor cute, and I liked the name Edmund anyway.
Reading this as an adult, though, I can simultaneously tell how biased and hormone-driven my pre-teen self was, but also appreciate Edmund in a different way entirely. Unlike Peter, Susan, and Lucy who all seem pretty idealistic in their own ways, Edmund is snotty and a brat almost all the time - but also the most realistic kid of them all.
Children are wired to act in their own self-interests and don't really develop a sense of empathy until much later on in life, if at all. To me, Peter, Susan, and Lucy represent the model children that always appears in fairy tales and which your teachers and parents tell you to behave more like. Edmund represents the real you, the one who would harbour spiteful thoughts about an older sibling who scolded you, the one who would often make stupid decisions to try and get an advantage over your siblings, friends, or whoever you have a rivalry with, and then afterwards try to justify that you hadn't really meant to be that mean or wish anyone real harm, and also the one that Jesus died for, apparently.
Don't get me wrong, I was annoyed by Edmund in this one too, but in a way I could appreciate how Lewis used him for his agenda (and he definitely had one in this book). He was the mirror through which kids may see themselves, whether or not they admit it out loud to themselves, and which then makes them aspire to be more like the other 3 model siblings. But more importantly, Edmund played an important role as the sinner in the Christian allegory that was the ultimate purpose of this book, and that invited children to insert themselves into that role as well. Sunday school and sermons may be too high-flown for children who aren't typically seen as sinners in the first place, but Lewis kinda brings that Christian story down to a child's level and makes it finally relevant and relatable to a child, through Edmund.
3. It's pretty surreal to have all this very heavy-handed and in-your-face Christian allegory set amidst a conventional fantasy setting that is very much influenced by Celtic beliefs probably native (or at least with a longer history than even Christianity) to England.
Whether or not I agree with Lewis's agenda is secondary here - I'm not here to debate about religion, I just want to see how well an author is able to deliver his message through a good story, and Lewis does do this very well.
However, I couldn't help mulling a bit about the vehicle that Lewis uses. We have magic, forests, witches, talking animals, Deep Magic, and Deeper Magic, and all manners of woodland magical creatures like giants and fauns. I'm not well-versed at all in theology but I'm pretty sure these are not parts of the Christian rhetoric, and would have been at some point in time be seen as pagan symbols since they seem to be more in line with the Celtic beliefs that Christianity drove out of England in the first place. So it's almost a little ironic to me that we have such an influential and famously Christian story basically using that to do its work.
It also called to mind the fiasco in the late 90s to early 00s when Christian communities were calling for the banning of Harry Potter (I have several friends who never read the books because their parents wouldn't let them for religious reasons). It was presumably because they were practising witchcraft and magic which was seen as going against Christianity. But then you have Narnia, which at least seems to be well-accepted in most Christian communities. Sure, witchcraft is villified in this one rather than endorsed like in HP, but there're a lot more magical things happening here than just the White Witch's magic. Even Aslan refers to Deep Magic that governs him and the whole of Narnia.
Anyway - it was a fun, quick, and light read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series this month!
I like the little allegories to genesis and etc. the idea of Christianity as a fantasy fable is sweet, even if not what cs Lewis meant.
The Magician's Nephew is a great setup for the rest of the Narnia books, although on its own, it's not super compelling. I like Polly better as a character (perhaps because she has more common sense), but she ends up sort of relegated to a sidekick for Digory, the titular nephew, and I don't love that. But I really love the way Narnia is sang into being and, of course, the first time we meet Aslan.
This is the first time I started reading the Chronicles of Narnia, and oh boy, I am missing out on A LOT of fun and adventures. The series have very high expectations, according to all of my friends who've read it, and oh my, I know now why this is such a beloved tale among everybody. I would've loved to build up my childhood with these books, but now, I am discovering them. So, there are different opinions on when you should start this book, but according to the set I bought, I started this as the first book, and I think this is a prequel to everything else, personally. But, I really enjoyed the book, because it just sounds like it is a nostalgic tale, but I've never read it, I just have a very good feeling about the books. I can't wait to go on a journey, feeling like a little girl all over again.
I am greatly looking forward to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Have a book day! Umrah
Polly and Digory meet and become friends, and Digory's crazy magician uncle captures the two children and sends them off to another world with some magic rings. Digory and Polly meet an evil witch who tags along with them and they all end up at the very beginnings of Narnia.
This is probably my third favorite Narnia book after The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I enjoyed seeing how Narnia started and I also loved the chapter where the witch follows the children to our planet.
7.5/10
This book was fun, and feels like it is more filled with content than the others. I am a fan of exploring worlds, so the literal world building in this book was fun.
As with all the others the obvious christian paralells are a bit tiring and boring.
2022 has begun and I have started another reread of this wonderful and magical series.
The Magician's Nephew isn't my favourite installment, but it still holds a special place in my heart. I always like to read about the early days (aka the founding) of Narnia! And Aslan, how we love that lion! The witch is a decent character and I like the biblical references shown.
I always LOVE to reread the Chronicles of Narnia.
“And soon, very soon, before you are an old man and an old woman, great nations in your world will be ruled by tyrants who care no more for joy and justice and mercy than the Empress Jadis.'' — Well that rings a bell, doesn't it?I liked this prequel a bit more than the [b: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe 100915 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1) C.S. Lewis https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1353029077l/100915.SY75.jpg 4790821] because in this one, I think he did a better job of weaving an adult message into a children's story, which for me automatically elevates it to another level. The writing also feels more comfortable and coherent.In conclusion, I think this is a good, self-contained children's story and I'd gladly read it to someone younger.
Dit boek je niet als eerste boek lezen, dan is het immers maar een saai boek en snap je niet goed waarom je het aan het lezen bent. Het boek was oorspronkelijk het 6e boek in de reeks en zo is het ook bedoelt om het in die volgorde te lezen. Het neefje van de tovenaar verhaald de schepping van Narnia. Echter komt het verhaal beter tot zijn recht, wanneer je de voorgaande boeken al hebt gelezen.
I have never actually read all the books in the series so am doing it now. It will also help my reading challenge as will get through the books quite fast as I'm a bit behind at the moment! It was so great to learn where the lamp post and wardrobe came from! So glad I read this book first and not The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe.
Edición para 4ta lectura el 16/Sep/19:
Edit for 4th read on Sep 16th, 2019:
Fue interesante releer el inicio de una saga a la que le tengo tanto cariño. Las Crónicas de Narnia fueron los libros que despertaron mi amor por la lectura; el hecho de tener 10 años y verte envuelto en un hermoso mundo de magia, donde todo es posible y existe un magnífico y justo León que reina sobre todo, simplemente te atrapa. En su momento creo que tuvo en mí el mismo efecto que todo el mundo dice que Harry Potter tuvo sobre ellos.
It was interesting to re-read the start of a saga that is very fond to me. The Chronicles of Narnia were the books that woke up my love for reading; the fact of having 10 years and see yourself involved in a beautiful world of magic, where anything is possible and there's a magnificent and just Lion that reigns above all, simply caughts you. At its time, I think it had the same effect on me as everybody says Harry Potter had on them.
Definitivamente fue muy notable la diferencia en la narrativa de lo que normalmente leo, y un poco desconcertante leer un libro infantil que recordaba con tanta magnificencia, 15 años después de haberlo leido por primera vez. Sin embargo, la historia demostró seguir haciendo el mismo efecto en mi: trasladarme al Mundo Entre Mundos, a Charn, y finalmente a Narnia, y hacerme querer quedarme ahí para siempre.
Definetly the difference in the narrative was very notable from what I usually read, and a little baffling to read a children's book that I remembered with such magnificence, 15 years after reading it for the first time. However, the story proved to keep on making the same effect on me: transport me to the World Between Worlds, to Charn, and finally to Narnia, and make me want to stay there forever.
En esta ocasión le doy 3.5 estrellas sólo por lo evidente del estilo infantil en la narración que me dejó deseando un poco más de esta maravillosa historia.
This time I'm giving it 3.5 stars only because of the evident children's style in the narrative that let me wishing a bit more of this marvelous story.
Oh mannn. Or should I say, oh son of Adam! Oh daughter of Eve!
So I listened to the audiobook of this because it was Kenneth Branagh and I love Kenneth Branagh. I never read the Narnia books as a kid, though I do have memories of some old 1980s TV movie version, and I saw the mid-2000s movies too. Turkish delights!
Anyway, I didn't think I would like this as much as I did, but I ~~~LOVED~~~ it. I thought I'd huff about C.S. Lewis's uber-Christian themes, but instead I BASKED IN THE FLOWING GOLDEN GLOW of Aslan and the kids and the maaagic. It was absolutely charming. And enchanting! And, oh jeez, I surprised myself by LOLing at some of the jokes and sobbing uncontrollably when Aslan asks the London cabbie and his wife to become the first king and queen of Narnia. Just like Tolkien's Samwise Gamgee, that cabbie is a good, stolid West Country bloke - AND HIS ACCENT COMES BACK WHEN HE IS CALLED UPON TO RULE THIS GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND! I cried and cried, I don't know why.
The plot is also masterfully told - and there was such affection in the characterizations (I especially loved the kids fighting, heh). The portrayal of magic was VERY English magic, and I now see Lewis's work(s) as a direct ancestor to lots of other stuff: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell, Lev Grossman's books, Philip Pullman's. Mystical woods. Women in ponds as systems of government. Fairies and the name “Fey” and strong Druidy vibes of a pre-industrial rustic Albion.
Another great thing about the audiobook is, of course, Kenneth Branagh's masterful performance. If I had to describe peak Kenneth Branagh, it would be VERY C.S. Lewis-y: he's a real master of his craft, and his performances are always so clear, humanizing, affectionate, resonant and FLOWING WITH GOLDEN GLOW. Branagh doing this audiobook was likewise touched by, ahem, HIS GENIUS with voices and characters and performance. Every character was distinct, none were caricatures (well, maybe Uncle Andrew the crappy magician, but that guy was kind of a joke anyway). He also did something I appreciated: he DIDN'T modulate his voice in the “typical male narrator reading a female character” way - now that I listen to audiobooks so much, I've noticed a trend where the way male narrators portray women's speech is by going wispy and breathy, and the way female narrators portray men's speech is by going croaky. It's so weird! Thank God, Branagh doesn't do that - he just reads the evil queen like some badass evil queen. And Aslan like God, of course, HAAAA. And the kids as kids! He's so good. Here's one moment of peak Branagh: “Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, and say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'“
And SPEAKING of English-Magick fantasies from 1950s authors, this reminds me of how wonderful T.H. White's The Once and Future King was, and SUCH GOOD VALUES. It merits a re-read. Anyway, this was wonderful.
in booming Aslan voice GO FORTH, SON OF ADAM, DAUGHTER OF EVE, AND DOWNLOAD IT FROM YOUR LIBRARY APP.
