Author C.S. Lewis dedicated the first Chronicles of Narnia book he wrote, and the second in its chronology, to his goddaughter Lucy Barfield, who was undoubtedly the inspiration for one of the protagonists of the same name, who joins her brothers Peter and Edmund and sister Susan in being vacated to an old professor’s manor during the air raids on Britain during the Second World War. During a game of hide and seek, Lucy enters a wardrobe and stumbles into the world of Narnia, encountering a faun named Tumnus, with whom she dines before returning home, finding that not a whole lot of time has elapsed within her homeworld.
Edmund too finds himself in Narnia, encountering the primary antagonist, the White Witch and self-proclaimed Queen of the country, who tempts him with sweets before heading off. All four siblings ultimately go to Narnia together, where they dine with a beaver husband and wife who tell of Aslan the lion, purportedly “on the move.” With the White Witch having tempted him, Edmund abandons his siblings, believing good to be in the Queen, although he comes to regret his choices. After the siblings meet Aslan, battle for Narnia ensues, the story ending on a high note.
Overall, this tale of Narnia is definitely enjoyable, with this reviewer having fond memories of it in his youth, and found that reading it secondly after its chronological predecessor, The Magician’s Nephew, yielded many continuity nods, and the occasional breakings of the fourth wall adds some humor. Granted, there are some instances where Lewis could have given specific characters actual names, such as the aforementioned beaver patriarch and matriarch, and there is a smidgeon of specism regarding the composition of the opposing forces (though certain races aren’t entirely black and white), but younger audiences will be sure to appreciate this classic.
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