Started: December 27, 2011
Finished: December 28, 2011
What I loved best: The familiarity of the story and characters. I’ve grown up with several versions of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on television and in the movies, but until now had not read the book. There were bits of the story not included in the modern movie from Walden Media [2005], but I soon recalled from my own childhood viewings of the BBC special on television. There were also bits in the modern movie that weren’t in the book, and I sometimes found myself comparing the differences. That didn’t last long, because Narnia is a land that requires, or at least deserves, full attention to the adventure, not a critique.
As with The Magician’s Nephew, this was a fast read. I nearly rushed through the battles, holding my breath at every roar of the Lion (and wishing I could truly hear it!), and relaxing with the Children as they rested at Tea. The subtle telling of the Gospel is an added bonus that makes it all the more enticing.
I did wish the story had lasted longer, but am anxious to now get onto Book Three: The Horse and His Boy. I’m not at all familiar with this story, and I believe it does not involve (to any great extent) the Children. As this story is unknown to me, and some longer than the first two, I’m expecting it to take a bit longer to read; but not much. Lewis has an amazing talent for keeping me within the pages until such a time as I finally remember to come up for air, or food, or sleep. Until then, I now belong to The Horse and His Boy.
