Title: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Author: C. S. Lewis
Paperback: 767 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publish Date: 1998
ISBN: 0066238501
Miscellaneous: This copy is included in a complete collection of The Chronicles of Narnia.
“You have a traitor there, Aslan,” said the Witch. Of course everyone present knew that she meant Edmund. But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he’d been through and after the talk he’d had that morning. He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn’t seem to matter what the Witch said.
“Well,” said Aslan. “His offence was not against you.”
“Have you forgotten the Deep Magic?” asked the Witch.
“Let us say I have forgotten it,” answered Aslan gravely. “Tell us of this Deep Magic.”
“Tell you?” said the Witch, her voice growing suddenly shriller. “Tell you what is written on the very Table of Stone which stands beside us? Tell you what is written in letters deep as a spear is long on the fire-stones on the Secret Hill? Tell you what is engraved on the sceptre of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea? You at least know the Magic which the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to a kill… And so,” continued the Witch, “that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property.”
“Come and take it then,” said the Bull with the man’s head, in a great bellowing voice.
“Fool,” said the Witch with a savage smile that was almost a snarl, “do you really think your master can rob me of my rights by mere force? He knows the Deep Magic better than that. He knows that unless I have blood as the Law says, all Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water.”
“It is very true,” said Aslan. “I do not deny it…. Fall back, all of you… and I will talk to the Witch alone….”
At last they heard Aslan’s voice. “You can all come back,” he said. “I have settled the matter. She has renounced the claim on your brother’s blood…”
The Witch was just turning away with a look of fierce joy on her face when she stopped and said, “But how do I know this promise will be kept?”
“Haa-a-arrh!” roared Aslan, half rising from his throne; and his great mouth opened wider and wider and the roar grew louder and louder, and the Witch, after staring for a moment with her lips wide apart, picked up her skirts and fairly ran for her life.
–The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, pages 175-176
At the very heart of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe lies the message of redemption of the guilty by the substitution of an innocent and willing sacrifice. In all honesty, it is impossible for me to read this book without seeing the parallels to Christianity. As much as I tried to stay away from it in The Magician’s Nephew, I find I am unable to see this book in any other light.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is by far my favorite Narnia book. This has been my fourth time reading it, as well as watching the BBC production and the Disney version of it (also, multiple times each). It was read to me by my mother when I was still in elementary, I’ve read it to my children, and I’ve read it for my own pleasure, and each time the Salvation story: The redemption of the lost and those who have chosen to follow evil, even as they know in their hearts that it IS evil they follow, by Jesus’ offering Himself as payment for the sin of all mankind.
The story itself is a beautiful and emotionally touching story of forgiveness and redemption and the power of love to overcome evil. As Susan and Lucy watch Aslan lay down his life to satisfy the Witch’s claim for Edmund’s blood, their hearts break as they witness his utter humiliation; his main is shorn off and he is trussed up in ropes and muzzled. Even as the battle rages on not far from them, they are compelled to sit with the lifeless body of the mighty lion, the Creator and Protector of Narnia, the true King.
It is the Deeper Magic that goes back before the Witch’s knowledge, “when a willing victim who had committed no trachery was killed in a traitor’s stead,” that breaks the claim of the Law and “Death itself would start working backwards.” The one concept the Witch could never comprehend is that a person without blame would take the place of the guilty, without machinations, but purely out of LOVE.
Obviously, I love this book… I wouldn’t have read it so many times if I didn’t 😉 . As it was the first of the Narnias written, it can stand alone, and is often the only Narnia book people have read. I could read this book once a month… possibly even once a week… and always get something new out of it. For all these reasons, and more, I give The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis 5 out of 5 stars. Even if you’re not a Christian, this book is beyond worth reading. You will be a better person for it 😀 .
Don’t forget to enter to win your choice of a Borders, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble gift card for $5, $10, $15, or $25! Click and read my Buy Books for the Holidays post for details!
Filed under: Book Reviews | Tagged: allegory, aslan, battle, Christian allegory, Christianity, forgiveness, good versus evil, love, Narnia, redemption, sacrifice, salvation, The White Witch, war |
In the Shadow of Mt. TBR 
Nice review. I’ve tried to read this, but I honestly just couldn’t get through it. I think the story as a whole, not the message, just didn’t do it for me….because I mean, it obviously has a very lovely message!
I don’t remember reading this as a child, but I did read it to my son and he loved it.
Excellent Review…I have to finish this series this year.
Amy
http://readingtoolate.net
I love LW&W the best — probably because it was the first one I read: waaaaaaay back in 3rd or 4th grade! I’ve read them all many times since.
I adored this book when I was a child and read it many, many times. When I read it again in a kid’s lit class in college, many of the students who hadn’t read it before struggled with it because it was so Christian. I still like it though.
This was my favorite of the series, as well. I recently read The Magician’s Book (lit crit about Narnia and Lewis), which put a whole new spin on the series for me. Still not sure if I like the spin or not. Hmmmm. May have to re-read this one again for the umpteenth time. 🙂
This is on my list to begin reading to my grands when they get a bit older!
This was my favorite book in the series as well. It definitely had the most coherent story and was a lot of fun to read. I loved the BBC movie when I was small.
I read this when I was younger and loved it!
the mesege is that aslan has died for us to save us from our sins.we need him every day we need him to gide us to nurture us for his sake.
I really, really love telling the story of Narnia to my kids. I kept a book and a DVD on my shelf, saving it for my great grandchildren! A classic story!
[…] In the Shadow of Mt. TBR […]