Imagine being transported to another world when you open the door of a wardrobe! That’s what happens to four English children in this classic juvenile fairy tale, set during World War II.
The title summarizes the book well. The lion, Aslan, is the Christ-figure of the book. It is he who saves Narnia, long oppressed by the witch. He even rescues a traitor, one of the children from our world, though, as with Christ, it costs him his life. It is by Aslan’s power that the children become kings and queens over Narnia. The witch is the villain of the story, a cruel tyrant who has made Narnia into a kind of frozen wasteland— a place where it is always winter, but never Christmas. The wardrobe is the means by which the children in the story get into Narnia from our world. Narnia, after all, is in a different world and can only be found by entering the armoire (when the magic works, that is). Though they’re not mentioned in the title, the children— Peter, Edmond, Susan and Lucy— are also important to the story. Even Santa Claus (or Father Christmas, as he is known in the book) makes an appearance.
George Bernard Shaw comically observed that the British and Americans are separated by their common language. Lewis was an Englishman, so Americans may find certain words and phrases of the “queen’s English” Lewis uses puzzling. Those unfamiliar with mythology may have a harder time understanding Lewis’s description of such creatures as centaurs, fauns and satyrs. Other than these difficulties, it reads easily, as one would expect from a juvenile book, and is a truly wonderful and meaningful story. The sense of adventure and parallel to the Christian gospel make it one of my favorite books. As a Christian, I find that it fleshes out, through the character of Aslan, the wisdom, mercy, majesty and greatness of God. But, as I wrote when reviewing The Magician’s Nephew, you don’t have to be a Christian to appreciate this very well-written adventure story. Thus, whatever your religion (or age), I highly recommend it!
