Book Recommendation

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first book published in The Chronicles of Narnia series, and it is the most popular and well-known book in the series. Many modern versions of the Chronicles choose to put the books in chronological order rather than the order in which Lewis wrote and published the books, but I think this is a mistake. It is best to read the books in the order in which they were written and published so that you might experience them as they unfolded in the mind of Lewis and his original audience.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe introduces us to the major characters of the series – the four Pevensie children (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy), the land of Narnia, the White Witch, and Aslan – the Son of the Great Emperor Across the Sea, the Great Ruler over Narnia.

The story begins when the Pevensie children are evacuated to live with an old professor in his large house. One day Lucy tries to hide in a wardrobe and is surprised to find herself in an entirely different world. There she meets a faun, who informs her that she is in the and of Narnia which is being ruled by the White Witch, who makes it always winter – but never Christmas. Edmund too eventually finds his way into Narnia through the Wardrobe, but he is enticed via magical Turkish Delight to side with the Witch – thus becoming a traitor.

The rest of the story details how Aslan rescues Edmund and all of Narnia from the grip of the Witch. How he does this is one of the great re-tellings of the Gospel in all literature. But you will need to read this for yourself.

As I said in the introductory post, Lewis teaches a great amount of theology in these children’s stories. If you have not read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe before, here are a few quotes to whet your appetite!

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” (Mr. Beaver answering the children’s question if Aslan the Lion is safe).

“Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrow will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”

     – Mr. Beaver (an old saying to keep the animals of Narnia looking for Aslan)

“All shall be done, but it may be harder than you think.” – Aslan (when asked if he will save Edmund from the Witch).

“Though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward.” – Aslan (On how His death saved Edmund).

“To the glistening eastern sea, I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant. To the great western woods, King Edmund the Just. To the radiant southern sun, Queen Susan the Gentle. And to the clear northern skies, I give you King Peter the Magnificent. Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia. May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens.” – Aslan

I hope you will take the time to enter through the Wardrobe into Narnia – you will be glad you did!

In Christ,

Bret