Chronicles of Narnia

[merrily]

I do admit, I loved the first Narnian book (Lion, witch and wardrobe), however, I hated the books that came after that. It was like CS Lewis pulled stuff out of thin air (which was true, as LWW was his first book). I especially disliked Susan being denied into being with her family because she was *gasp* discovering her feminity. It's like slut shaming, but for kids. Personally, I think Susan's withdrawing into fashion/boys was a way of coping and her siblings didn't get that. What do you think?

[GiggleOfGirls]

I've never thought about it that way. I thought about it as Susan growing up and losing her imagination, but I should probably re-read them again :think: I mean, growing up and not being able to imagine or believe impossible-sounding things any longer is a pretty common theme in children's literature. At least in the children's literature I grew up reading. Peter Pan comes immediately to my mind.

[formergothardite]

I always thought it was because she grew up and lost her imagination too. She was interested in "grown-up things" and not the adventures of their childhood.

I loved the books. The movies were horrible.

[Guest Anonymous]

I read it was her due to vanity and false adolescent sense of 'maturity'

The Last Battle said she was interested in nothing but lipstick, nylon and invitations. Polly said that Susan wasted her whole school time wanting to be the age she is; "her whole idea is to race on to the silliest time of one's life as quick as she can and then stop there as long as she can"

I think Jack (CS Lewis's nickname) was condemning immature adulthood and vanity, not femininity. Though I never read him wrote any male examples. Lewis once wrote to a fan that Susan's story isn't finish yet.

Lewis may have had some 'bias' toward women, but what do you expect from a man of his time. On the other hand, his last book 'Til We Have Faces' has a female protagonist named Orual. The story is a retelling of Cupid and Psyche but reading it made me think of Cinderella, but the story is told from the perspective of the ugly stepsister: Orual was the ugly sister of Psyche, she loved Psyche and cherished her ever since her mother died, but Orual was also jealous of Psyche's beauty and a bit possessive of her because she wanted Psyche for herself. Orual is portrayed as a strong and powerful yet flawed human being, she was born incredibly ugly, her father abused her, she was an unloved and unwanted child, yet she became a strong Queen, Warrior woman, diplomat, architect and leader, but she always hid her face behind a veil.

Orual was responsible for Psyche's misfortune (if you know the myth Cupid leaves Psyche after seeing his face) and Orual self-justifies her actions by claiming that the Gods are to blame. She accused and cursed the Gods for many years until she read her own story; she realized she was her own monster, but Lewis doesn't condemn her for it, instead he kind of sympathizes with her, she was denied love, even from her secret crushes, and was truly jealous that Psyche was the 'special one' in the family (kind of like Joseph and his brothers). In the end, she dies but is reunited with her sister and the Gods forgive her, and she is remembered as a great queen in her kingdom.

[DrPusey]

I love most of the Narnia books except for The Last Battle. I guess I could take or leave The Horse and His Boy.

But gads, The Last Battle made me want to tear my hair out even as a ten-year-old.

As a public service for anyone who might make this mistake, I'd like to warn anyone off trying to watch the movie of Voyage of the Dawn Treader - it's really terrible and not true to the plot of the book at all.

[Destiny]

I love most of the Narnia books except for The Last Battle. I guess I could take or leave The Horse and His Boy.

But gads, The Last Battle made me want to tear my hair out even as a ten-year-old.

As a public service for anyone who might make this mistake, I'd like to warn anyone off trying to watch the movie of Voyage of the Dawn Treader - it's really terrible and not true to the plot of the book at all.

QFT. That movie was offensively bad. Don't do it, it's a trap!

[happy atheist]

I love them all, except for The Last Battle, too. I couldn't even get through that one as a kid.

I forced myself to read it at some point, but when my own kids were little and we were doing the series as a read aloud, I declined to read that one. I told them that they could do it on their own whenever they wanted. They both tried it and bailed right away. It's just so heavy handed!

[Mango]

I loved the books as a kid, but the new movies are pretty awesome too (well, except for VOTDT.) I'm a little sad they won't be making the rest of the series. The effects and costumes were really lovely, and the changes they made made a lot of the allegory a bit less heavy handed and more tropey.

The fandom is a fairly awesome place. I'm fairly sure that CS Lewis is spinning in his grave like a high speed lathe, but it's a fun fandom. :)

[So Says I]

We read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in class in 5th grade (and watched the old movie in Sunday School, which was kinda weird.) I loved it, but couldn't get past halfway through Prince Caspian, because it just didn't seem to have the same excitement and wonder as the first book. It just did not appeal to my pubescent self, plus I was pretty caught up with the Babysitters Club and Fear Street, hehe. After reading some of the comments posted here, the shift in Lucy's POV makes more sense. I'm going to have to give them another go!

[formergothardite]

I had to stop watching the Voyage of the Dawn Treader because I kept screaming at the tv. It was like they rewrote the whole book. I hated how they made Peter so unlikable. Him and Caspian did not hate each other.

[Destiny]

And the attack! My sister and I were staring at each other in horror. It was a) completely out of character for the person who ordered it, and b) just a reason to toss in a battle. HATED IT.

That movie and the Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief ruined my faith in movies.

[formergothardite]

I have not read the Percy Jackson books because the movie sucked. Are the books way better?

[keen23]

Voyage of the Dawn Treader was my favorite book of the series. The new movie did it no justice.

I also really liked The Silver Chair- it was just so different, set in an almost different world from the rest of the series. Jill seems to be Lewis' attempt to write a "modern girl." The Lady of the Green Kirtle is an evil witch bound and determined to take over Narnia. She's essentially the White Witch gone underground instead of freezing the world in perpetual winter. And Puddleglum- how can you not enjoy Puddleglum?

[keen23]

I have not read the Percy Jackson books because the movie sucked. Are the books way better?

Not WAY better, but enough better.

[formergothardite]

The Magician's Nephew is my favorite of the series. Just the whole woods between the worlds with guinea pigs running around, seeing a world dying, and the drunk uncle who is terrified of the queen. I just love it.

The Silver Chair is my second favorite.

[Soldier of the One]

I thought the Magician's Nephew was particularly intriguing. The whole concept of the 'Abominable Word' - a reference to the Cold War and the threat of nuclear annihilation, surely?

[Destiny]

I have not read the Percy Jackson books because the movie sucked. Are the books way better?

The movie was bad I was offended. I love the books. Riordan's writing is not that deep, but his dialog is always awesome and hilarious.

[Markie]

I liked The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and The Magician's Nephew. I hated The Last Battle. CS Lewis seemed to really dislike adult women. Most seem to be ineffective or evil in his books, especially the last one.