The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Deluxe Edition)
by C. S. Lewis

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Book Reviews of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Deluxe Edition)

Book Review: Fantasy and reality make this a compulsive adventure story.
Summary: 5 Stars

Interest is held by a tightly structured story with no extraneous scenes, a simple plot with a clear aim, plenty of suspense, conflict and empathy. Protagonists are immediately plunged into unusual and hazardous experiences. Chapters end with something unresolved, causing ever-rising tension.

There is conflict within the action - how can the prophecies be fulfilled? - and the emotional conflict with Edmund is enhanced by the omniscient narrator, who tells the reader things unknown to the protagonists.

Convincing characterisation and a good range of protagonists compels empathy but kept simple by only drawing essential characters in detail. Edward is subtle, convincing and has understandable motives. His nastiness, partially caused by magic Turkish Delight, is further mitigated by the omniscient narrator. Lucy rouses reader sympathy less by her character than by others' behaviour. However, her motives for her actions, essential to the plot, are in keeping with character and enhanced by the wise professor, thus lending credibility to fantasy. Peter evokes strong reader identification. He avoids being a goodie-goodie by displaying human weakness in crises before behaving nobly. Aslan's build-up is the more effective by being described in terms of the feelings his name conjures in others. His scanty physical description, (only golden mane/halo and hypnotic eyes) imbues him with mystery and power. Specific details come later when seemingly killed by the witch. The White Witch, apart from her whiteness, is disappointingly unsinister, though she develops with a sufficiently satisfying mixture of unctuousness and nastiness to make plausible Edmund's deception by her.

Myth and magic extend the reader's experience of life. Fears are overcome and the plot moves effortlessly from the known to the unknown. Familiar details combine with fantasy ( meals with animals, real world suspension of time, physical details of wardrobe/stepping into Narnia, magic Turkish Delight, riding Aslan) adding interest, increasing empathy and enhancing credibility by cloaking fantasy with realism. All the characters have understandable motives (except Aslan/Jesus) and the story is edifying without moralising.

The book is very strong on structure, plot, suspense, conflict, empathy, most of the characterisation, visualisation, and blending fantasy with reality. It is a compulsive, morally satisfying read, where the real baddies get their just desserts and Edmund, whose nastiness isn't all his fault, suffers, redeems himself and is saved. The prophecies are fulfilled. The children are rewarded by getting to rule Narnia before returning to the safety of the real world, though they are left with the possibility that like Aslan, they may some time revisit Narnia. My only reservations are that the children's language and some of the characters' attitudes are dated e.g. over-sentimental faun scene, Mrs Beaver's preoccupation with domestic trivia and above all, I would have liked a feistier heroine.

Children's Books

• Religion & Spirituality