The Magician's Nephew by C S Lewis

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Challenges
Young Adult Challenge
First in Series Challenge
Once Upon a Time Challenge
The Magician's Nephew is the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. The story begins with Polly and Diggory, two young children who decide to explore the attic above the row houses where they live. Unfortunately, they miscalculate where they are and enter the room of Diggory's uncle Andrew. Andrew sends the two into the Woods Between the Worlds. Eventually they enter a world just in time to witness the birth of the world of Narnia. At this point, Lewis draws a strong parallel to the creation story in the Bible, with a magic apple, evil wafting on the edge of the world, and a couple to create family of man. It's a wonderful story, highly imaginative and fun to read. I look forward to reading the rest of the series although it won't be any time soon. Here's a few quotes that I marked:
"For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what sort of person you are."
"Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed."
"He thinks great folly, child," said Aslan. "This world is bursting with life for these few days because the song with which I called it into life still hangs in the air and rumbles in the ground. It will not be so for long. But I cannot tell that to this old sinner, and I cannot comfort him either; he has made himself unable to hear my voice. If I spoke to him, he would hear only growlings and roarings. Oh Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!"
Rating: 4.25
Posted by Framed at 9:51 PM

9 comments:
Maw Books said...
I have not read a single C.S. Lewis book. I've meant to remedy that situation for years but have never managed to get around to it! The Chronicles of Narnia would be the first book of his I would choose.
3/27/2008 11:50 PM
Jeane said...
I really love this story. Especially the delightful, stubborn personalities of the children!
3/28/2008 9:21 AM
Booklogged said...
I loved this one. I marked the one about making yourself stupider. Very funny and so true!
3/28/2008 7:22 PM
writer2b said...
I love this story. When I was younger I couldn't seem to be able to get through 'Lion, Witch & Wardrobe,' even though I had a friend telling me how great it was. Then I tried this one, and it was like the fuse that sent me blasting through the whole series. I loved it.
3/29/2008 4:52 AM
Sherry said...
I have a daughter who could use the wisdom contained in the "stupider" quotation. Now If I can just figure out how to get it around her defenses . . .
3/29/2008 9:34 AM
Carl V. said...
Love that first quote. This is one of my favorites of the series and would probably be the first I would choose to reread if I had a hankerin' for Narnia. Glad you enjoyed it.
3/31/2008 10:43 AM
Trish said...
Now, i wonder why Disney decided to do the film LWW first rather than this? Do you know the history of the order? I've been meaning to pick these books up for a long time--glad you enjoyed this one.
3/31/2008 11:10 AM
Trish said...
Now, i wonder why Disney decided to do the film LWW first rather than this? Do you know the history of the order? I've been meaning to pick these books up for a long time--glad you enjoyed this one.
3/31/2008 11:10 AM
Rhinoa said...
This is one of my two favourites in the sreries (I love The Silver Chair too) and it always seems to be neglected along with A Horse and His Boy. This sets up the whole series so well though, it's a wonderful book and I am happy you enjoyed it so much.