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A review by mariedaniella
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
(personally did not enjoy, objectively a good book.)
It’s tough to separate the 2005 movie adaptation from this book which made for a somewhat lousy reading experience for me. As someone who grew up and absolutely loved the film, I missed the tone of innocent wonder that was lacking in Lewis’ writing. It felt less magical and I was bored for most of the book despite it being short.
It’s tough to separate the 2005 movie adaptation from this book which made for a somewhat lousy reading experience for me. As someone who grew up and absolutely loved the film, I missed the tone of innocent wonder that was lacking in Lewis’ writing. It felt less magical and I was bored for most of the book despite it being short.
My biggest issue with it is the very conspicuous spiritual themes of the story (though how I, who grew up catholic in a religious family and went to a catholic school her entire life, missed the very obvious parallel of Aslan and Jesus Christ until I read a funny Letterboxd review of the movie this year, I’ll never know.) I prefer more subtlety and I honestly think that it would have been more impactful if it was.
What I did like is the style of the narrator telling the story, just like I did in The Magician’s Nephew. It made me feel like I was being told about it personally or being read a book like a kid. I also liked the world-building and the plot—I could see why this is a classic regardless of my preferential dislikes.