The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 2)

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Summary: It was fantastic, wonderful...
Review: I loved it. I read the other six books too, they were very good too.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book!
Review: One of the most best books I've ever read. It has a lot of fantasy, and shows you what's right and what's wrong, and that anyone can be a hero. I think that this is a book that everyone should read. Misti Barnes

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Summary: A masterpiece for children by C.S. Lewis
Review: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, part of the seven book "Chronicles of Narnia," describes the adventures of four children who enter the land of Narnia through a magic wardrobe. The book is very well written for children, with excellent dialogue and beautiful descriptions. The book is the typical plot of good triumphing over evil, with some Christian overtones in it. A must read for any child who enjoys fantasy. I personally have read the entire series seven or eight times

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Summary: One of the best children's books ever written
Review: I am no longer a child, but I remember this book as fondly nowas I did when I read it years ago (perhaps because I read it moretimes than I am old). The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is truly one of the most memorable and magical books ever written. Any person of any age who has not read Lewis' masterpiece should put it in his or her shopping basket right away. If you're an adult, allow the book to rekindle the sense of wonder and imagination that so many of us abandon when we age. If you have a child, let him or her experience the joy and adventure of the wardrobe for the first time. I guarantee it will become the most beloved book in any child's collection.

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece.
Review: I read it in forth grade, and now I am entering seventh, yet still remember it clearly. As clear as crystal. I remember such of being captivated by the intriguing spells and fatiguing appearances of the White Witch, and Aslan, the heroic lion. And was thrust along with Lucy on her journeys into Narnia. And found myself taking a disliking to Edmond. Then sucked into the lives of Peter and Susan. And spellbound during the game of hide and seek. And the Tumness Fawn can quite as a shock to me as he worked for the evil White Witch, and kidnapped all humans. The story kept me turning the pages. And I still remember it from way back then. In forth grade

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Summary: Fantastic Fantasy!
Review: C.S. Lewis, the master of the metaphor, has written perhaps one of the best fantasy books of all time. In this, the first of the Narnia chronicles, we are introduced to the magical land of Narnia, via a wardrobe in an old house.While traditionally called "Children's fantasy" I would challenge that title, because adults and children alike can read and honestly enojy this story.Children can enjoy it for the fantastic story and colorful characters, and adults can appriciate and ponder it's message. I would suggest reading this with the family, and then disscussing it's meanings, which may be hard for younger children to understand.Even though it seems like easy, light reading when first picked up, I developed a deep emotional attachment to the character

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Summary: Amber's opinion
Review: It has probably been twenty years since I first read this book, or at least since I first had it read to me by my parents. Since the big budget adaptation of the Lewis classic will be arriving in theaters next Christmas (finally), I thought I had better brush up on this and the other entries in his "Chronicles of Narnia." I had forgotten how clearly this book presents the Gospel, considering, of course, that the reader understands the parallels between Aslan and Christ and between the "deep magic from the dawn of time" and the Law. It was in the theological and philosophical writings of Lewis that my young Christian mind first encountered a rigorous intellectual defense of the Christian faith. But Lewis knew that most people would rather read an entertaining novel than theological discourse. The Chronicles, along with Lewis' other fiction writings, should stand as a model for the church today on how to integrate theology and imagination into a vehicle that both confronts and entertains the culture with the Christian message.



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Summary: Best children's series ever
Review: The first book in the classic series about a magical land into which schoolchildren occasionally wander.

In this book, four British children from our world stumble upon the magical world of Narnia while playing hide and seek in their Uncle's home. Narnia is a land where animals speak and the snow never ceases. In fact, it's been snowing since the land fell under the evil influence of the White Witch, who is a cruel and ruthless ruler. The good citizens of Narnia wish for Aslan, the great lion, to return and banish the witch forever. But before he can return, it is prophesied, four human children must come to Narnia to help them.

There's just something about the writing in this that sucks you right in, and Lewis spares no effort to wrench both tears and laughter from us, succeeding on both counts. He manages to create a sense of awe and sanctity for the special things in Narnia, and there is just no protecting yourself from the immediacy that this book offers.

We also get a real feel for Edmund, the least well-liked of the four children, and come to feel a special sense of regret for the choices that he makes, even while understanding that we ourselves make those same types of choices.

While the book can be read as a biblical allegory, those who are not religious (or who follow other faiths) need not worry about exposing their children to something that they don't believe in. I probably read this entire series at least half a dozen times, and never once realized that the allusions are even there. It's just a beautiful, and wonderful story that transcends faiths.

If for some reason you had to choose just one series of books to read as a child, I would recommend that this series be your choice. Other series do a better job of instilling a sense of curiosity, or of realistically portraying young protagonists, but no other series can do a better job of transporting a child to a magical place.


Rating:
Summary: An excellent fantasy of reasonable length
Review: Four children are transported to the kingdom of Narnia where, unbeknownst to themselves, they are the fulfillment of a prophecy that threatens the schemes of an evil witch who has locked the land in eternal winter. CS Lewis's excellent fantasy is a retelling of the Christian story, featuring a powerful lion named Aslan as a stand-in for Jesus Christ. Whether you are a member of the faith or just want to read a great fantasy, this is an ideal book. Written more than 50 years ago, it is brief, efficient, and provides closure, unlike modern fantasies (many of them very fine, I admit) that go on for 900+ pages spread out over three or more volumes. Lewis's writing style is reminiscent of "Mere Christianity," chatty and fatherly with occasional little digressions (such as pointing out that the housekeepers will not figure much in the story) that add charm to the narrative.

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Summary: Classic Children's Fantasy
Review: C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". I remember in fifth grade at school, this was a book that everyone read at some point. Even if they didn't particularly like reading, they liked this. That definitely says something about this classic childrens fantasy.

It's the midst World War II, and children Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy (brothers and sisters, the four of them) are sent to a country house until the air raids pass. It's a big house, with many rooms and draughty corridors to explore. It is while exploring that Lucy discovers a wardrobe, a very special wardrobe. Inside she finds another world, Narnia, a world full of talking animals, fauns, giants. Sadly, it is always winter and never Christmas, thanks to the White Witch Jadis, Queen of Narnia. But there is hope for Narnia, for the arrival of humans fufils a prophecy. Soon Aslan the lion, Narnia's savior, will return, and the White Witch will be queen of now more. The White Witch knows this, and has a trick and a traitor up her sleeve...

Scattered throughout the book are charming illustrations. When I was a kid, I thought these were great. They were like a little reward for reading through. They fit the story like a glove and evoke the era they were written in well. In this collector's edition, all of these pictures are coloured in, which I would have enjoyed all the more if this had come out when I was younger. As for the colours? Well, everything is the colour I suspected it was, more or less.

The writing style is great. C.S Lewis' narration comes across as a grandfather telling a story to his grandchild - warm, friendly, and explaining anything that he feels you might not understand. Even though the book is rather thin, you get a real feel for Narnia and its creatures, and the joys, the dangers and triumphs its inhabitants experience.

C.S Lewis was a devoted christian, and his beliefs shine through in this book, through the whole of the chronicles of Narnia in fact. The story can be taken as allegory. There are many parallels between Aslan and Jesus. Both are saviors of their worlds, both are killed and raised again for the sake of anothers sin. The White Witch with her addictive turkish delight is like the temptations of this world, which can lead unsuspecting people astray. Always an accomplishment to have a book that works well on a couple of levels.

Though "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" isn't the first chronologically (and is numbered 2 in the "reading order"), whenever I read the chronicles of Narnia, I always read it first, rather than "The Magician's Nephew" ("#1" in the series). "The Lion" was written first, and reading it first you get that sense of wonder, that anything can happen. If you read it second, then you know who everyone is, you know the world, and "The Lion" doesn't have as many surprises in my opinion. Reading "The Magician's Nephew" later, as a belated prequel and series of explanations (which it was originally), rather than an official beginning, I enjoyed it a lot more.

A great fantasy, a great book for kids, and a fair allegory.