The magical feeling of childhood has never left Narnia, whether read as an adult or a child, for the first time or the hundredth; its charm begins every time the first sentence is read. The authors take you even further into exploring the winter land of Narnia, bringing you into the depths of C. S. Lewis' mind, intentions and framework through literary analysis. Yet as thorough as they are with the theological and literary elements, they are careful never to diminish the childlike wonder that comes with reading Lewis' series. 192 pages, indexed, softcover.
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5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Christian Book Previews.com (San Jose, CA), January 13, 2006
Millions have loved C. S. Lewis’ Narnia books over the years. With the recent release of the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a plethora of books have appeared about the life and work of this talented Oxford scholar.
A Reader’s Guide Through the Wardrobe provides a unique look at Lewis’ first Narnian chronicle. The authors use each chapter of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to demonstrate a literary device employed by Lewis. From the basics of the beginning chapter, showing how stories are begun, to “the role of myth” as the tale is winding down, the authors have done an expert job matching the varied chapters to themes. So expert that it starts to feel like Lewis wrote 17 separate little books.
While this focus may stifle cross-referencing between chapters, it helps readers to pause and look at the individual parts of the story instead of rushing through (the authors do stress reading the book purely for enjoyment first before dissecting it). Detailed, thought-provoking prose explains the literary terms, and clearly-marked questions offer opportunity for discussion. The careful attention to how Lewis used various elements is especially helpful to writers.
In Part 2 of this book, the authors describe Lewis’ literary influence, how The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was received, and the Christian vision of the book, plus give a brief biography of Lewis. The in-depth study may scare off some readers, but Ryken and Mead’s book is quite readable despite scholarly leanings. I highly recommended A Reader’s Guide Through the Wardrobe for Narnia fans. -- Katie Hart, Christian Book Previews.com
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