The Magician's Nephew (1955)

The first book chronologically in the wonderful Chronicles of Narnia. Just a great story. ( )

After [b:The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe|100915|The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)|C.S. Lewis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1353029077l/100915._SY75_.jpg|4790821], [b:The Magician's Nephew|65605|The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6)|C.S. Lewis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1308814770l/65605._SY75_.jpg|1031537] is probably the best of the Chronicles of Narina. Perhaps even *the* best.

What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.

Chronologically, it's the first in the series. To the extent that we actually get to see the Genesis story of Narnia. From nothing, Aslan breathed life into the world, long before any of the other adventures we've come to read about ever happen. On top of that, we see hints of innumerable other worlds, get a bit more backstory on the Witch, and meet a whole new cast of interesting characters.

It's still not a super deep book. The good characters are Good, the bad guys are comically evil, and you know everything is going to end up all right. But if you take all that as a given, it's well written and an enjoyable read.

Orderwise, I think putting this near the end is probably the right idea. You would have a bit more backstory if you read this first (as you would chronologically), but that's not always for the best.

Onwards and [b:The Last Battle|84369|The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia, #7)|C.S. Lewis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1308814830l/84369._SY75_.jpg|1059917]wards! ( )

Primeiro livro de ficção que li com a minha filha Isabela, de 3 anos.. Comecei a ler despretensiosamente, pensei que ela não ia ter atenção suficiente por conta da tenra idade. Para minha surpresa, ela achou o máximo e ficou muito entusiasmada com a história, que, a propósito, é sensacional! Esses momentos de leitura em voz alta certamente ficarão registrados pra sempre em nossos corações! Que tempo precioso entre pai e filha!
Se eu pudesse dar um conselho, diria: "Pais, leiam em voz alta para os seus filhos!" ( )

This was always my favorite of this series. I was really into the Wood between the Worlds and I like seeing dead Charn and the creation of Narnia. This is one of the books in the series where the Christian allegory is omnipresent, culminating in Diggory visiting a beautiful, walled-off garden and getting tempted by an evil creature to eat a magic apple. It’s blatant but I’m not Tolkien so I think it’s fine. I’m happy for Fledge and the Cabbie and his near-mute wife with no opinions about this world she was magically summoned to by a Jesus lion. ( )

If you were a dreamy sort of child, as I was, this book would quite possibly be down your alley. I realized, when reading this story, that I hadn’t read any children’s books in quite a while—and I kind of miss that. Especially with well-written ones.

Apparently, this isn’t as good as the sequels to it (or the others in the series…this may have been published later?). Anyway, I enjoyed it, even though it’s hard to know what to remark on!

The magic in here didn’t bother me for the most part—and the story would not work without it. I loved the idea of discovering new worlds, and I think one thing that makes us like magical stories like this is that we know, deep within us, that there is a perfect new world that will come one day, and like dreaming about what may be possible then. So that part delighted me.

I also loved the description of creation—I thought that was a very imaginative, but well-done chapter.

The only thing I struggled with was the water-gods and nymph-gods that Aslan called around him—as a Christian allegory, that was a little disconcerting to me.

But overall, it was a lovely, imaginative story with a fast-paced plot that didn’t go on for ages! I enjoyed it! ( )