Journeying to Narnia

A Review of “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis

In 2005, I was teaching at a private Christian school in Fairfax, Virginia. When The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe hit theaters, our school organized a big group to go see it.

It was my first introduction to the fictional world of Narnia. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Many years before, back when I was a kid, my dad told me I should read The Chronicles of Narnia. But, as a kid, I had more fun things to do than read. I’d rather watch cartoons or movies — or play outside. Or (later) play video games (on Intellivision — yeah, I’m dating myself). I didn’t want to read. I did enough of that at school.

Sitting in that theater watching the film, which starred Tilda Swinton and William Moseley, I wished I had listened to him.

The movie came out in 2005. There have since been two others — in 2008 and 2010. But the book series upon which these movies were based came out in the 1950s. Lewis wrote The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in 1950. The series consisted of seven volumes — all of which were published by 1956.

It is now widely revered in Christian circles and widely respected in virtually all circles. It stands as a monumental work in the realm of children’s literature.

Lewis’s series invites readers into a fantastical world filled with magic, talking animals, and profound moral lessons.

His narrative style is elegant, but it’s also a bit whimsical at times.

It’s also mid-20th-century British children’s literature. This may be off-putting for some who aren’t used to that style of prose.

The language can (at times) be jarring since some terms have changed meaning or are no longer in wide use.

Nevertheless, Lewis’s writing is (with the above caveats in mind) very accessible. He uses simple language, blending it with allegorical meaning. His storytelling is infused with a sense of wonder and moral inquiry, making the series a compelling read for both children and adults.

Dad said I should read it way back when I was in elementary school — so back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It took me until the 21st century to listen to him.

If you’ve not journeyed into Narnia, don’t follow my example. Grab a copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and start reading.

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