What Reading Level Is the Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Well, I suppose to completely wrap up Narnia Calendar week, I need a proper review of the series, even if it breaks my MWF review schedule. As I've said during the challenge posts, I didn't grow up on The Chronicles of Narnia–my childhood allegiances lay with fandom, The Lord of the Rings, and, of form, The Fable of Zelda. And then I don't have the warm, fuzzy feelings associated with them that virtually people exercise–which, in a manner, is a approval; at that place's nothing hiding from me here. This review will exist an overview of the series; if you're curious about my thoughts on sure books, I directly y'all to the challenge posts for Narnia Calendar week.
The Chronicles of Narnia are composed of seven books, all of which focus on the magical land of Narnia, created by the Narnian incarnation of Jesus, the King of beasts Aslan. When humans accidentally stumble onto Narnia during its creation and introduced evil in the form of Jadis, the Witch Witch, Aslan places the welfare of Narnia into human hands to pay for this. Whenever Narnia is in trouble, humans are chosen upon to rescue it. While in that location are other rescuers of Narnia, such every bit Eustace Scrubb or Jill Pole, the Pevensie siblings–Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy–are usually called to action, in journeys that benefit them every bit much every bit they benefit Narnia.
I can't help comparing The Chronicles of Narnia to Tolkien–heck, I tin can't assist comparing about fantasy novels to Tolkien. Whenever I read (or lookout man) fantasy, I similar a cohesive globe that stands upward to casual scrutiny. Narnia does and doesn't, depending on the volume, although the fantastic theory that Aslan based Narnia on the imaginations of Digory and Polly almost makes upwardly for the fact we have to work around the shaky worldbuilding. I'm not talking about Mrs. Beaver'southward sewing machine here (although that certainly ought to be an emblem for the worldbuilding here), but a sort of free-floating Britishness that doesn't quite integrate with the whimsy and hidden darkness of Narnia that mucks things upward by dropping in sewing machines and tyrannical schools into this world. Narnia, when properly put together, has a very singled-out and mannerly flavor, then it'southward difficult to see it trip over itself occasionally. But after Lewis hits his footstep, Narnia is every inch itself.
Function of this stumbling tin be attributed to the tone. Lewis is always addressing himself to a British child of the 1950s, conflating this reader with Edmund and Lucy, referencing your experiences at school, and talking well-nigh being in Male child Scouts or Daughter Guides. There's a deviation, equally I've discussed previously, between written for children and appropriate for all ages– I unremarkably notice the deviation to be how seriously the author takes the earth and his audition. And Lewis sticks to this narrator voice throughout The Chronicles of Narnia, even when things take a decidedly grim turn. This leads to some not particularly funny slapstick humor in The Magician's Nephew, and, of course, several problematic things, every bit Lewis has no hesitation in telling yous what's correct and what's wrong… in his view. This gives us the racist presentation of the Calormene, Narnia'due south suspiciously Turkish-like demon-worshipping enemies, cutting remarks about non-smokers, non-drinkers, vegetarians, lovers of nonfiction, and progressive schools, and a peculiar form of sexism where a good girl is praised for existence just equally good every bit a man or a boy and denigrated for being traditionally feminine–all highly problematic concepts that should be recognized past adult readers. Let's just say that Hypothetical Niece will have to read this series with me.
All this existence said, Narnia has a amuse all its own–its specific flavor of worldbuilding, the manner information technology'south a little too heavy on the Hero'due south Journeying, the quintessential Britishness of the human characters, its romantic whimsy, and Aslan. (Until I'd read the books, I'd had no idea that Aslan was, in fact, really Jesus instead of allegorically Jesus.) But like the Hero'southward Journey, the Christian allegory can be a flake thick, but I recall that can exist beneficial for a kid. Indeed, part of the good of The Chronicles of Narnia is that information technology presents theological bug (sin, betrayal, lack of religion, and decease) in a way that a child can sympathize and work through–albeit, of course, this is in a Christian context that rejects not-Christian contexts. And Lewis can create wonderful characters, all of whom grow in some mode (save Lucy, whose flatness is by no means an insult); Edmund and Eustace's transformations, especially, are touching, and Reepicheep, who is destined for great things, is a fantastic romantic hero–in the trunk of a Mouse.
I'm quite glad to accept read The Chronicles of Narnia–their influence is so huge that it's astonishing I've gone and so long without reading them. But I retrieve I might merely return to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in the future; it manages to hit all the wonderful things about Narnia without striking all the problematic things about Narnia.
Bottom line: Any fan or writer of fantasy ought to read The Chronicles of Narnia, but if you weren't reared on them, their problematic aspects might prove too much. At their best, all the same, The Chronicles of Narnia have wonderful, growing characters, a uniquely Narnian atmosphere, and requite children a way to ponder theological questions (fun fact: it's not an allegory, since Aslan is explicitly stated to be the Narnian incarnation of Jesus). At their worst, racism, sexism, and dismissal of other religions rear their caput, alienating mod readers. Unsure? So pick up The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which hits everything skilful about Narnia while downsizing everything bad about Narnia.
I bought a used copy of this book on Amazon.
Source: https://theliteraryomnivore.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/review-the-chronicles-of-narnia/
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