Author: Lewis Carroll
Published: 1865
Genre: Novel, Fantasy, Adventure
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
Oh well. Who doesn't know about this book? When I was little the story of Alice in Wonderland was read to me, and when I got a bit older- perhaps when I was seven or eight years old- I read the abridged version of the novel. I have always enjoyed the story, and read the abridged version a lot of times. This is the first time, however, that I have read the original novel, ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''.
As a child, when I used to read the different abridged versions, I used to think that ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' is simply a children's fantasy novel. I didn't know it is this nonsensical, this weird, this fantastical until I read the original novel! ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' is quirky, it is weird, it is strange. It has got many funny and interesting characters like the white rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Hatter, the March Hare, the Gryphon, and the Queen of Hearts, among others. And there is little Alice, who finds herself amidst such quirky and interesting characters when she reaches the Wonderland after following a Rabbit into a rabbit hole. Many things happen there, many strange things that simply make no sense, and this is the fun of it, isn't it? I The characters, the things they say, their stories, their poems and songs- are all so hilarious, so captivating! loved this one!
4.5 out of 5
Author: C. S. Lewis
Published: 1956
Genres: Novel, Fantasy, Adventure
Rating: 3 out of 5
Review
''The Last Battle'' is the final novel in C. S. Lewis's ''Chronicles of Narnia''.
It is set in the ''last days of Narnia''. The novel starts with an ape, named Shift. His friend is a donkey, Puzzle. One day, Shift and Puzzle come across the skin of a lion. The cunning Shift suddenly gets an idea: Puzzle will dress up as a lion, and Shift will tell the Narnians that Aslan has returned to Narnia. Then he will use this for his evil purposes.
The reigning king of Narnia is King Tirian, a descendant of King Rilian, whom Eustace and Jill had rescued in ''The Silver Chair''. Tirian gets to learn that Aslan has returned, and shockingly, he is ordering the cutting down of trees, talking trees. It shocks him. Why would Aslan order such a thing? He comes to know, after some time, that this is all a plot for the Calormenes to take over Narnia.
And then... Eustace and Jill come to Narnia once again, to fight against the Calormenes, in the last battle of the last king of Narnia.
I have mixed feelings towards the book. While I certainly didn't hate it, I certainly didn't love it. I didn't think that it was enchanting, something that the previous novels were. It didn't have the excitement, the feel-good elements, the beauty of the previous novels. In fact, until Peter, Lucy, and Edmund arrive, only then did the novel becomes a little enchanting and gets some beauty.
One of the things that I loved about this book is that so many characters in the previous novels return in this one. There are so many, so many old characters. Characters whom we loved and had missed. Some of them last appeared in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardobe, some in Prince Caspian or Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (Edmund and Lucy had had brief appearances in ''The Horse and his Boy''). Many characters from each of the previous novels appear in this one.
And
now... One of the most disappointing things about this book. The
children who had had adventures in the previous books appear in this
one: Peter, Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, Jill, Digory and Polly. Did you
notice any name missing? It's Susan. She doesn't appear in this novel.
According to Peter, she is ''no longer a friend of Narnia''. I was
shocked at this. Susan, one of the major characters of the series. I
kept hoping that maybe she will appear, through some way or other. But I
was disappointed. Susan doesn't appear in this novel. She is mentioned
only once, when Tirian is startled to see that Susan is not present
among the humans who came from their world. Then Peter tells him that
Susan is ''no longer a friend of Narnia''.
I
don't exactly know what to feel about the ending. It felt beautiful.
The descriptions were beautiful. The presence of so many old characters
made me overwhelmed. I think I was quite satisfied with the ending.
So what do I think about The Last Battle? I think it was good. Just good. But it was neither excellent nor enchanting. I didn't feel it was wonderful, magical like the other books of the series. The reunion of the characters were really good. And some of the battle description were good. As the ending to the magical series, ''The Last Battle'' was quite satisfying.
3 out of 5
Author: C. S. Lewis
Published: 1955
Genres: Novel, Fantasy, Adventure
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
The Magician's Nephew is the sixth book in the Narnia series, and is a prequel to the Narnia books. ''The Magician's Nephew'' describes how Narnia was founded. It tells the story of the very beginning of Narnia. It was really a wonderful experience getting to know about Narnia's past, it's history and background.
So the novel's protagonist is a boy named Digory (he is the person who was the Professor who sheltered the Pevensie children in ''The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe''). In this book, Digory, of course, is a young boy. He is living with Uncle Andrew and Aunt Letty. His Uncle Andrew is an eccentric, strange and mysterious man, perhaps a little mad.
Digory becomes friends with a girl of his age, Polly. One day, a prank leads Digory and Polly to Uncle Andrew's room--- and they come across the secret of Uncle Andrew. Andrew tells them that he has found out there are other worlds, besides our own world, and that he knows how to get to those worlds. He tricks the children into going to such a world, just as a part of his experiment.
This leads Digory and Polly to a lot of adventures: seeing a desolate, destroyed world named Charn, coming across a cruel, ruthless Witch (who has got her own interesting background), and finally, meeting Aslan and witnessing the foundation of Narnia, and many other adventures and fun and dangers.
I really loved ''The Magician's Nephew''. I thought it was one of the most magical, fascinating books of the series. It wasn't exactly my favorite though. My favorite is either Prince Caspian or Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I enjoyed reading about the characters. The characters are well developed. Digory and Polly are wonderful protagonists! The supporting and minor characters--- and the antagonists--- are well developed. It was really a pleasure knowing about the very beginning of Narnia. There are also explanations of several things seen in the previous books.
4 out of 5
