Hard to know what to say about this one, because it is so heavily colored with nostalgia for me, I can’t think of it critically or see it how an adult would for the first time. It’s a beloved series from my childhood, and this was the first book that introduced me to Narnia, that magical other land ruled by a benevolent speaking lion. The story starts with four children, siblings who have been sent out to the countryside to be safe from the bombings in London (WWII). They’re staying in a big old house and one day the youngest, Lucy, steps into a large wardrobe to hide. She’s completely surprised to find that it leads into another land entirely, where she meets a faun and talking beasts. She’s excited to tell her brothers and sister about this place, but at first they don’t believe her (and Edmund is particularly mean about it). But eventually all the children go through the wardrobe, and their adventures begin. Narnia is under a curse from a witch, who set herself up as ruler and makes it always winter (but never Christmas). There are rumors that the lion Aslan is returning to set things right, so the animals the children meet are hopeful for a change. But Edmund is beguiled by the witch, and temporarily turns traitor. With his life at stake, the children are drawn intricately into the battle between good and evil. Honestly, the battle scenes tired me just as much this time around as in any reading of my youth. And the descriptions of scenery were hard to picture and get through, but I think that’s still just my brain. The rest of it was as delightful (and solemn by turns) as I recall. Aslan (the lion) makes what looks like the ultimate sacrifice for Edmund, but instead of this allowing the witch to gain full power as she desires, it turns everything around with renewal. Really heavy on the Christian symbolism, no surprise.
I find myself running out of words, here. I just enjoyed it all over again- the hush and cold of winter, the loveliness of sudden spring, the children’s joy in their beloved lion, their little petty squabbles and making up again. The only part that really struck me as odd, was how formally the children spoke near the end of the book, when they had grown into adults in the magical land. Future books set in Narnia don’t have the characters talking in that overly formal way, if I recall. I suppose I’ll find out soon enough, because I’m going to continue. Took me a week to read this one. Still much longer than usual for me (pre TBI) for a children’s chapter book. Sigh.
