Reviews: Chronicles of Narnia

I recently finished a re-read of a major fantasy classic: The Chronicles of Narnia. I seem to be taking on all some serious classics with my reviews lately. While the series by CS Lewis has always been popular, I think it's had a resurgence in recent years with a series of films, and it's generating buzz again now with the news last year that Netflix is going to make TV series! I'd been meaning to re-read the series as I had not read it since childhood, and now seemed like the time.

Maybe the biggest debate around this series is reading order. Publication order, or chronological order?

The original publication of the books is:

1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2. Prince Caspian
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
4. The Silver Chair
5. The Horse and His Boy
6. The Magician's Nephew
7. The Last Battle 

Chronological order is:

1. The Magician's Nephew
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His boy
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle

The cover of the boxed set
I remember from childhood

Apparently people have strong feelings on this issue. I recently commented on a Facebook threat about it and hooooboy. I personally come down on the side of chronological order, as I like to see events unfold in order and to know the "back story" as I go. However, ultimately, the choice is up to the reader. 

The second most common controversy (is it a controversy?) I see is the allegation that it's a Christian allegory. I remember hearing that as an adult who hadn't read the books in years and thinking "is it? Hmmm... maybe a little." Re-reading it as an adult, I'm reading to acknowledge that it clearly is - especially The Last Battle. However, are most kids going to notice that? Does it disqualify it from being a good book? I don't necessarily think so. You just may be ready to have a conversation about it with your children if it feels necessary/appropriate to your family. 

You might also want to be ready to have discussions about cultural sensitivity and racism, as this book was clearly written in a different time period and doesn't exactly live up to today's standards of political correctness; the Calormenes are a not very sensitive or flattering depiction of Middle Eastern peoples and cultures, and the last book actually uses the phrase "darkies." Again, does this disqualify it from being a good book? Does this mean you shouldn't let your kids read it? Ultimately this is up to each individual family. I write professionally on the issue of intellectual freedom, so I am never going to come down on the side of censoring, but I definitely think parents need to be prepared to talk about it. 

So, is it a good read? I think if you want to see the evolution of fantasy novels and hit all the classics, it has to be on the list. It continues to endure as a classic, and it continues to be popular. Lewis creates a great world, and in the genre of children being pulled into a new magical world, it's hard to beat the yearning it generates - who doesn't want to visit Narnia and meet Aslan? What kid doesn't want to believe he can save the world? Lewis is a master at capitalizing on this, too; he knows how to put his characters in mundane situations readers will recognize - being bullied, being bored at a stuffy relatives house - that make being pulled into Narnia all the more appealing. 

On the other hand, if you're just looking for great fantasy reads, rather than a trip through fantasy history, there are probably more richly developed and immersive worlds out there today, and ones that don't carry the cultural insensitivity this series does. Ultimately, it really depends on what you are looking for and how much the over-handed allegory will bug you.