Sign in with Facebook
Nandakishore Mridula's Reviews > The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia
by
by
Quick review
Terrific fantasy setting and storyline spoilt by extremely unsubtle allegory and (as the story progresses) excessive Christian preachiness. Warning: Racial stereotypes abound and may offend.
Recommended for adults who thrive in a Christian religious environment or those who can overlook these aspects totally and enjoy the story. Not for gullible children, unless accompanied by a discerning adult.
Detailed review
I won't insult the intelligence of respected GoodReaders by giving a synopsis of the Narnia stories - I don't think there will be many here who do not know this story, even if you have not actually read the books. The stories of the four Pevensie children who discover the magical land of Narnia through the back of a wardrobe is the stuff of legend in literary circles - a land which they rule over as kings and queens after freeing it from the enchantment of the White Witch, under the benign yet firm supervision of Aslan the lion.
As fantasies for children go, this is a terrific universe filled with possibilities. There are talking animals, magical creatures from Greek mythology and English fairy-lore, and suitably satisfying and mysterious landscape worthy of exploration again and again. So one feels that if only the author in C. S. Lewis had let himself go he could have produced something similar to the The Lord of the Rings.
Unfortunately, he does not do that. The author sublimates himself to the Christian, so that the story becomes allegory - and mostly allegory. The spirit of gung-ho adventure is coated over with sickly-sweet preachiness which becomes so cloying towards the end that one almost feels like throwing up.
***
This book contains the novels in the chronological order as regards the story:
1. The Magician's Nephew
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His Boy
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle
However, the actual order in which the books were published is:
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2. Prince Caspian
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
4. The Silver Chair
5. The Magician's Nephew
6. The Horse and His Boy
7. The Last Battle
It seems that there is a hot dispute going on about the order in which the books should be read. After reading them in the chronological sequence, I would advise reading them in the sequence of publication. IMO, the last two - The Horse and His Boy, and The Last Battle - are better left unread, especially the last one. More about that later.
Aslan the Lion is Christ - this becomes evident in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe itself (view spoiler). The White Witch (and later, the Queen of the Underworld) are embodiments of Evil with a capital E.
(I was a bit surprised that there was no sign of the gentleman with the horns and the forked tail. Evil is entirely feminine - that too, with a perverse sort of sexual attractiveness. It seems Lewis was genuinely frightened of woman's sexuality: Susan becomes a "non-friend of Narnia" the moment she becomes a nubile young woman. Lewis's protagonists, like that of Lewis Carroll, are prepubescent girls.)
The Christian world view is evident from the word go - for example, the animals and birds can all be killed and eaten, provided that they are not "talking animals"! (They have been specially blessed as such by Aslan, we are told, in the story of the creation of Narnia in The Magician's Nephew.) This evidently comes from the Bible where Man is given dominion over every living thing on earth. In case we don't get it, Aslan continuously addresses the boys as "Sons of Adam" and the girls as "Daughters of Eve" and says that only they can rule over Narnia. As the story progresses, it becomes more prevalent - and now racism and intolerance of the heathens also come into play.
The Calormenes - dark-skinned foreigners who worship a savage god Tash, wear turbans and carry scimitar-like swords - are an Englishman's fantasy of the bloodthirsty and lecherous Turk. In their country, young girls are routinely married off to old codgers, and they wage war on the free countries like Narnia to rape and pillage. Their God Tash, however, is a pagan deity who is loosely associated with the gentleman I mentioned earlier - the guy with horns.
The unlikeable brat Eustace Scrubb is the son of liberal parents who are pacifists and vegetarians. He studies in a school which does not have corporal punishment and which does not teach the Bible - and is therefore full of bullies who are encouraged by the Principal! However, Eustace reforms after a visit to Narnia, and returns back to the school and hammers the living daylights out of the bullies. The Principal is removed from the school and ultimately becomes a Member of Parliament, where she lives happily ever after (note the point: M. P. 's are failed schoolteachers who fail to put the fear of God into children).
It is in the last book that Lewis outdoes himself. There is an ape who presents a donkey as Aslan. The ape is part of a conspiracy with the Caloremenes who present their God Tash and Aslan as the same, but don't believe in either. (view spoiler). Also, the ending is patently silly (view spoiler) and for me, it was disgusting.
Then why the three stars?
Well, if you can ignore the allegory and the preachiness, there are some pretty interesting adventures here. The first three books are rather well-written (although a bit simplistic) and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is your classic sea adventure. The Magician's Nephew is extremely funny in parts. One advise to prospective readers though - please give the last book a miss.
Terrific fantasy setting and storyline spoilt by extremely unsubtle allegory and (as the story progresses) excessive Christian preachiness. Warning: Racial stereotypes abound and may offend.
Recommended for adults who thrive in a Christian religious environment or those who can overlook these aspects totally and enjoy the story. Not for gullible children, unless accompanied by a discerning adult.
Detailed review
I won't insult the intelligence of respected GoodReaders by giving a synopsis of the Narnia stories - I don't think there will be many here who do not know this story, even if you have not actually read the books. The stories of the four Pevensie children who discover the magical land of Narnia through the back of a wardrobe is the stuff of legend in literary circles - a land which they rule over as kings and queens after freeing it from the enchantment of the White Witch, under the benign yet firm supervision of Aslan the lion.
As fantasies for children go, this is a terrific universe filled with possibilities. There are talking animals, magical creatures from Greek mythology and English fairy-lore, and suitably satisfying and mysterious landscape worthy of exploration again and again. So one feels that if only the author in C. S. Lewis had let himself go he could have produced something similar to the The Lord of the Rings.
Unfortunately, he does not do that. The author sublimates himself to the Christian, so that the story becomes allegory - and mostly allegory. The spirit of gung-ho adventure is coated over with sickly-sweet preachiness which becomes so cloying towards the end that one almost feels like throwing up.
***
This book contains the novels in the chronological order as regards the story:
1. The Magician's Nephew
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His Boy
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle
However, the actual order in which the books were published is:
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2. Prince Caspian
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
4. The Silver Chair
5. The Magician's Nephew
6. The Horse and His Boy
7. The Last Battle
It seems that there is a hot dispute going on about the order in which the books should be read. After reading them in the chronological sequence, I would advise reading them in the sequence of publication. IMO, the last two - The Horse and His Boy, and The Last Battle - are better left unread, especially the last one. More about that later.
Aslan the Lion is Christ - this becomes evident in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe itself (view spoiler). The White Witch (and later, the Queen of the Underworld) are embodiments of Evil with a capital E.
(I was a bit surprised that there was no sign of the gentleman with the horns and the forked tail. Evil is entirely feminine - that too, with a perverse sort of sexual attractiveness. It seems Lewis was genuinely frightened of woman's sexuality: Susan becomes a "non-friend of Narnia" the moment she becomes a nubile young woman. Lewis's protagonists, like that of Lewis Carroll, are prepubescent girls.)
The Christian world view is evident from the word go - for example, the animals and birds can all be killed and eaten, provided that they are not "talking animals"! (They have been specially blessed as such by Aslan, we are told, in the story of the creation of Narnia in The Magician's Nephew.) This evidently comes from the Bible where Man is given dominion over every living thing on earth. In case we don't get it, Aslan continuously addresses the boys as "Sons of Adam" and the girls as "Daughters of Eve" and says that only they can rule over Narnia. As the story progresses, it becomes more prevalent - and now racism and intolerance of the heathens also come into play.
The Calormenes - dark-skinned foreigners who worship a savage god Tash, wear turbans and carry scimitar-like swords - are an Englishman's fantasy of the bloodthirsty and lecherous Turk. In their country, young girls are routinely married off to old codgers, and they wage war on the free countries like Narnia to rape and pillage. Their God Tash, however, is a pagan deity who is loosely associated with the gentleman I mentioned earlier - the guy with horns.
The unlikeable brat Eustace Scrubb is the son of liberal parents who are pacifists and vegetarians. He studies in a school which does not have corporal punishment and which does not teach the Bible - and is therefore full of bullies who are encouraged by the Principal! However, Eustace reforms after a visit to Narnia, and returns back to the school and hammers the living daylights out of the bullies. The Principal is removed from the school and ultimately becomes a Member of Parliament, where she lives happily ever after (note the point: M. P. 's are failed schoolteachers who fail to put the fear of God into children).
It is in the last book that Lewis outdoes himself. There is an ape who presents a donkey as Aslan. The ape is part of a conspiracy with the Caloremenes who present their God Tash and Aslan as the same, but don't believe in either. (view spoiler). Also, the ending is patently silly (view spoiler) and for me, it was disgusting.
Then why the three stars?
Well, if you can ignore the allegory and the preachiness, there are some pretty interesting adventures here. The first three books are rather well-written (although a bit simplistic) and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is your classic sea adventure. The Magician's Nephew is extremely funny in parts. One advise to prospective readers though - please give the last book a miss.
Sign into Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ to see if any of your friends have read
The Chronicles of Narnia.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
March 17, 2016
–
Started Reading
March 17, 2016
– Shelved
March 26, 2016
–
55.34%
"The heavy dose of Christian allegory has finally started to have an effect on me... my progress has slowed down considerably. :("
page
425
March 28, 2016
–
71.22%
"This is becoming more and more of a chore to get through. Aslan has become tiringly preachy... and the allegory has become so obvious that it reads like a religious tract in places. For example, in the last chapter of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Aslan changes into a lamb and then back into a lion, all the while preaching to the kids. How unsubtle can you get?"
page
547
March 29, 2016
–
71.22%
"There is a school called "Experiment House" which is co-educational and secular (which means - gasp! - the Bible is not taught and kids do not know the basic fact that they came from Adam and Eve), and where corporal punishment is frowned upon. The school consequently is full of bullies who terrorise the timid children. Oh God! I hope I won't throw up."
page
547
April 1, 2016
–
87.11%
"A donkey posing as Aslan the lion. An ape who interprets him and enslaves the Narnians in the name of Aslan, in cahoots with the "brown-faced" Calormenes who worship the bloodthirsty god Tash. The absolute blasphemy of the ape who says Tash and Aslan are the same. Enslavement in the name of freedom... need I go on? How disgusting can an allegory get?"
page
669
April 2, 2016
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-48 of 48 (48 new)
date
newest »
newest »
Well, the preachiness sometimes gets on your nerves; especially if you don't care much for religion. And the story is too simplistic at times.But it's enjoyable in a lukewarm sort of way, I guess.
Nandakishore wrote: "Well, the preachiness sometimes gets on your nerves; especially if you don't care much for religion. And the story is too simplistic at times."Your first time? As a credulous child, I enjoyed it, vaguely aware that Aslan was Jesus, who I knew from church, school and home, but as an agnostic adult, I hated reading it to my own child. We never got past the first of the series.
As for simplistic, given the target age range of this book, I think that's one thing it's hard to criticise it for.
My first time, Cecily. Maybe I left it too late.I like reading children's literature, and I do love fantasy. By simplistic, I meant the writing style - there was a lot of scope for conflict and dramatic situations, but they are glossed over in saccharine prose. In India, children are not spared the gory details in mythology - and our myths are rather like the uncut version of the Bothers Grimm! So maybe it's cultural.
As for allegory, I don't mind it even if it's religious - provided it's subtly done. For example, Isaac Asimov has remarked on how Mordor is the symbol of industrialisation which was destroying Tolkien's beloved shire - he says, even though he is all for industrialisation, he can still enjoy The Lord of the Rings, because the story is so good. For me too, the story is the key. When the allegory overshadows it, it becomes boring.
Ah, I understand, and largely agree. For really good YA literature, with an allegorical theme, try Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. It's anti-religious in a non-preachy way, with a good and sometimes scary story, beautifully told.
Yes, that book is on my TBR. I saw the first movie in the trilogy and did not like it - maybe because the movie was not well made.
I remember the film only vaguely, but not favourably. The books are in a different league: real literary fiction, with strong philosophical and theological threads.
Cecily wrote: "I remember the film only vaguely, but not favourably. The books are in a different league: real literary fiction, with strong philosophical and theological threads."I will make it a point to get to them, post-haste.
Post-haste? I just hope I haven't over-sold them to you (especially as I'm not even on commission).;)
No, I like using these words to people like you, who'll understand. Many youngsters simply don't get it.I was criticised for using affected language when I said "poppycock!" in a discussion thread. So I used "balderdash!" for good measure. ;)
I think both those words should be in quotidian usage.
Nanda reminds me of Apatt in that way. I think you've both been reading a lot of Jeeves in your lifetimes ;-)
Cecily wrote: "I think both those words should be in quotidian usage.":)
Matthias wrote: "Nanda reminds me of Apatt in that way. I think you've both been reading a lot of Jeeves in their lifetimes ;-)"I have read all the Wooster/ Jeeves novels multiple times. But I think the reason for using such words is that we are both English readers from non-English speaking countries. So our language is influenced a lot by popular English literature of the fifties and sixties, I believe.
Well, I'm glad it is! There are so many beautiful words in there that it's a miracle they somehow went out of vogue. Just comparing "poppycock" with today's "bullsh*t" makes one realise how much is at stake.
Matthias wrote: "Well, I'm glad it is! There are so many beautiful words in there that it's a miracle they somehow went out of vogue. Just comparing "poppycock" with today's "bullsh*t" makes one realise how much is..."By Jove, right you are, old chap;-)
I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a child, but not any of the others. I liked them, but, as a Christian, I think that I might have not really noticed the preachiness. That is to say, if you're a fish, you don't notice water really.
Ivonne wrote: "I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a child, but not any of the others. I liked them, but, as a Christian, I think that I might have not really noticed the preachiness. That is to say, ..."That may be one reason, but I must say that the preachiness not so evident in the early novels. It becomes unbearable only towards the end.
It is in the last book that Lewis outdoes himself. There is an ape who presents a donkey as Aslan. The ape is part of a conspiracy with the Caloremenes who present their God Tash and Aslan as the same, but don't believe in either.I have never been quite sure who "Tashlan" refers to. Who are these evil ecumenical types who go around explaining that the loving Christian God is the same as the Satanic Allah and corrupting people foolish enough to listen to their poisoned words? Were they common in the 50s?
Manny wrote: "I have never been quite sure who "Tashlan" refers to. Who are these evil ecumenical types who go around explaining that the loving Christian God is the same as the Satanic Allah and corrupting people foolish enough to listen to their poisoned words? Were they common in the 50s? "Liberal Atheists who want to destroy Christianity in conjunction with Islam, maybe?... Hey! That could be myself!
A very interesting review. I read these books in first and second grade, then fell in love with the Narnian universe. I haven't read them as an adult, and I dare say that the overt racism and the Christian worldview would bother me as well. Still, I loved these books. I wonder about how everything we read as children would hold up to 21st century scrutiny.
Laura wrote: "A very interesting review. I read these books in first and second grade, then fell in love with the Narnian universe. I haven't read them as an adult, and I dare say that the overt racism and the C..."Many of them would collapse, I feel.
I have reread E. Nesbit's The Enchanted Castle every ten or fifteen years since I was seven, and it stands up magnificently!
Definitely read His Dark Materials. I read both as a kid and I remember trying so hard to finish the Narnia series but I just couldn't. Once the brat Eustace entered the story I couldn't read anymore. And I think the Golden Compass movie flopped because a) it was barely anything like the book and b) it just sucked. I remember figuring out the allegory for the trilogy and having my mind BLOWN (I think I was 9). It's doesn't beat you over the head with it either. Still love The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, but I'm not going to even try to read the rest of the series.
The gentleman with the horns should have been here in the book. The hooves of a goat, the swishing barb filled tail, the smell of fire and brimstone, the manic cackle and other typical set pieces would have found some space here...such endless possibilities wasted. Tsk tsk !
Manny wrote: "I have reread E. Nesbit's The Enchanted Castle every ten or fifteen years since I was seven, and it stands up magnificently!"I have yet to read Nesbit's work. :(
Anna Serene wrote: "Definitely read His Dark Materials. I read both as a kid and I remember trying so hard to finish the Narnia series but I just couldn't. Once the brat Eustace entered the story I couldn't read anymo..."I will most definitely read the series.
Arun wrote: "The gentleman with the horns should have been here in the book. The hooves of a goat, the swishing barb filled tail, the smell of fire and brimstone, the manic cackle and other typical set pieces w..."I also missed him. Here, the evil was totally Feminine with a capital F.
Hi! Great review. I wonder did you feel any christian allegory when reading Harry Potter? If yes, did it interfered with your reading of the book just like Narnia?I am asking because I read harry potter five times but never felt any christian allegory. But when I open Internet there are full of debates that there are underlying themes of christianity in Harry Potter. So I wanted to ask. I am a Hindu (but forgets it most of the time) if it helps. Thanks in advance.
Ravi wrote: "Hi! Great review. I wonder did you feel any christian allegory when reading Harry Potter? If yes, did it interfered with your reading of the book just like Narnia?I am asking because I read harry..."
Harry Potter uses the theme of the mythical god-child who is fated to kill his nemesis, I have felt: more like Krishna than Christ. However, I have never seen any Christian allegory there.
Definitively, the best Narnia review that I've read. Thanks for explaining so perfectly what I felt reading the series. (Although, I must say that I enjoyed The Horse and The Boy more than The Silver Chair and The Last Battle). Narnia makes me feel exactly as I feel for The Beatles' song You Can't Do That. I love them, but I hate them!!
LucÃa wrote: "Definitively, the best Narnia review that I've read. Thanks for explaining so perfectly what I felt reading the series. (Although, I must say that I enjoyed The Horse and The Boy more than The Silv..."Thank you. The Horse and His Boy is unpalatable to me because of its racial caricaturing.
My mom read the first four books to my brother and I when we were younger. We never got along to finishing them, although that was the plan. I decided I wanted to read them this year and started in publication order. Despite being the atheist of my family, I enjoyed the first three books, the third being the best of the series imo. The fourth was alright, but it just went downhill after that. Heavily disappointed, but I'm trying to forget those last two books even happened. Talk about showing your true colours as an author...
Also, love the review and I totally agree. Rather obvious. lol
Roya, you don't have to be a Christian to enjoy these books - I also liked the ones you did, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I agree, is the best of the lot. However, when preaching started to overshadow the storytelling, it all unravelled. The last book, IMO, is an abomination.
All the books had their fair share of indoctrination, but as a Christian I may have actually enjoyed it. ;) I finished the series late last month, so I think it's going to take me awhile to forget it ever happened. The final book, the more I think about it, is slowly earning the title of Worst Book Ever�.
Roya wrote: "All the books had their fair share of indoctrination, but as a Christian I may have actually enjoyed it. ;) I finished the series late last month, so I think it's going to take me awhile to forget ..."I know Nandakishore says to give The Last Battle a miss, but I thought The Horse and His Boy was much worse. It was as racist as a Trump rally.
I just finished reading The Horse and His Boy and it was shocking. The preaching at the end was pretty bad, but much worse was the portrayal of Calormen (the Middle East pretty much) , its people and customs. I do plan on reading the rest of the series, but I need a big break before I can re-enter this world.
@Ivonne: I read the last book nearly right after The Last Battle and I have to say it's slightly worse. Albeit that's not saying much. They were both awful.
Lydia wrote: "I personally love the allegory in this series. C.S Lewis was a christian so why shouldn't he write his books parallel to the Bible?"He has perfect freedom. But when it is too preachy, it puts off non-Christian readers like me. :)
I found The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman an amazing retelling of this story that focused more on the non preachy elements of these books. The references to Narnia are amazing, yet the story has a very different feel.be forewarned of unlikable, extremely smart, maybe autistic (don't like how autism is used in those books), and depressed characters.
I liked the ending of the Narnia books btw. It references an ancient Greek philosopher that jad a theory about our world being a shadow of the real place we came from. or the real world. It is a shame though, that it got linked with blibical heaven.
I also like these books, as an agnostic person, because they gave me a look into the 1950's. The views of today are actually fairly recent and probably stated developing more in the 60's or so, I can see it in my grandma, who's relatively open-minded yet still a believer in such a way it can't be changed (she grew up in WW2).
And even though she isn't racist, racism wasn't uncommon in that generation, sadly. That's C.S. Lewis' generation
just wanna be clear that my "like" is for an well written thorough review and not for the books themselves. Having read Lewis' Space Trilogy which has very similar issues of Christian bias I choose not to even bother with Narnia.
Len wrote: "just wanna be clear that my "like" is for an well written thorough review and not for the books themselves. Having read Lewis' Space Trilogy which has very similar issues of Christian bias I choose..."Thereby missing out on a great adventure. That is, if Fantasy is your cup of tea.
Narnia is NOT racist (or sexist). What you may not have noticed is that it's only the evil characters who say racist things. Read this:
You have a lot of inaccuracies, half-truths, and uncharitable interpretations here. I think maybe your critiques of Lewis might be as informed by your own prejudice as by Lewis'. This isn't an argument. It's a suggestion.
My sentiment exactly.Like, exactly exactly.
este libro rs muy bueno para leer
Thanks for your thought provoking review, here are some of my thoughts you may agree/disagree with on reflection:1.) Complaining the books are about children (especially in the wording you used) is utterly bizarre given that its a children's book series thats very innocent!!
2.) I take your comments about the insensitivity of some of the langauge but I think if you look at the characters played (Lucy is ignored as a girl but usually right, the White Witch is a powerful woman, and a tarkan turns to Aslan challenging racial perceptions) I dont think we should get rid of the books because of this but rather have a mature discussion of what we can learn from C.S Lewis as well as what we might do differently today.
3.) I also feel maybe you need to get used to listening to a different view of the world with the christian allegory parts of this. The brilliance of Narnia stems from the Chrsitian worldview Lewis writes from all the way from the beginning. I think its a good opportunity for you to discover more about a different world view. No Christian worldview = no magical Narnia for C.S Lewis.
4.) Finally, Complaining the books are about children (especially in the wording you used) is utterly bizarre given that its a children's book series thats very innocent!!
Wishing you the best and I would love to hear your thoughts in a response.
Would you recommend this book to someone who doesn't care for preachy books?