The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia)

Rich in imagery and emotion, The Magician's Nephew has been relished by hoards of young readers since it was first published in the 1950s. This impressive new edition, published in celebration of the centenary of CS Lewis and featuring delicately crafted, hand-coloured, original illustrations by Pauline Baynes, will capture the hearts of a whole new generation, working its magic on young minds as they wallow in the sheer joy of the Chronicles of Narnia. --Susan Harrison

Reader Reviews:

Moving and Imaginative (0/0 people found this helpful)

Though this is the first book of C. S. Lewis' famous fantasy series, The Magician's Nephew was actually the sixth book of the series to be published. Those who have already read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe will therefore find that the novel reads rather like a prequel.

The story follows two children, Digory and Polly, who stumble upon another world after an altercation with Digory's Uncle Andrew, the Magician of the title, one wet summmer's day. The plot is constantly gripping, as the author moves us from Victorian London into the magical "Wood Between the Worlds" and back again.

Lewis' wonderful description of landscapes is so evocative that the reader feels they are travelling with Digory and Polly. From the gentility of Victorian London, to the gentle and hypnotic "Wood between the Worlds", then to the crumbling ruinous Charn, and finally into the rich green of Narnia. The characters are rich, enagaging and imaginative;sensible Polly, reckless and grieving Digory, terrifying Jadis, hilarious Uncle Andrew, and of course, magnificent Aslan. There is humour here too, especially in the wonderfully drawn character of the eccentric, repulsive and yet strangely loveable Uncle Andrew. And undergirding the story is Digory's sadness at his mother's terminal illness. C. S. Lewis deals with this sensitively and movingly, perhaps as he himself lost his mother as a child.

There are not many children's books that have so successfully combined magic, humour, pathos and adventure, and I thoroughly recommend this wonderful book, the best of the Chronicles of Narnia. This particular edition includes Pauline Baynes' oringinal line drawings, and a stunning colour version of Polly and Digory as the cover art.

Not as good as i expected (0/2 people found this helpful)

Having recently watched "The Lion, The WItch and the wardrobe" i decided to get the entire set of books. I started with the Magicians Nephew, and although the plot is interesting in parts, i couldnt help feeling like i was reading Genesis thought large parts of it. It is little slow in places in my opinion, and was less exciting than expected. Leading to me at times forcing myself to carry on reading despite it only being a very short book. All in all, still a good book for kids but there are many better out there.

Perfect for children captivated by The Lion, the Witch and T (0/0 people found this helpful)

After finishing The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe snuggled on our bed I started this one with my 6 and nearly 4 year olds. We all adored it, dare I say, even more than TLTWand TW. It is funny, magical, very spiritual and a thrilling adventure.

The beginning, where mad Uncle Andrew is creepy with the two children in his little study is uncomfortable to modern readers so read it yourself first and prepare how you can skim certain bits (he seems to be a real old pervert and kids shouldn't think the way he talks is at all ok)

From then on, though, read it with them and wallow in it. It is funny and very exciting. We played it and talked about it by day and read it each evening.

I am mourning it now we've finished it! From what I read on amazon reviews the others in the series are less suitable for very young children so I think I'll have to hang on a year or two to return to Narnia. This, though, is definitely one for 6 years plus. My 4 year old understood enough to enjoy it and really liked the language and characters.

Through the worlds (3/3 people found this helpful)

Every good story has a backstory. So in "The Magician's Nephew," C.S. Lewis backpedalled to tell us the story of how Narnia began, the origin of the White Witch, and various other little questions that popped up over the course of his Narnia series. The result is a tense, slightly comic prequel that neatly ties up the various loose threads.

Two London schoolchildren, Polly and Digory, meet and befriend one another, despite Digory's misery over his mother's fatal illness. But they fall prey to Digory's arrogant uncle Andrew -- Andrew has created some magical rings that transport the wearer to another world, and he wants the two as guinea pigs. Polly and Digory only narrowly manage to return from a dying world.

But they had an unwelcome passenger -- Jadis, an imperious sorceress who plans to take over the world. Polly and Digory are appalled at what has happened, and try to find some way of transporting Jadis elsewhere, using the magical rings. But when they do, they find themselves encountering a world that is just being created, by a strange lion -- the world of Narnia.

The Narnia stories are getting more attention in the months before the movie is released. And though it's unknown whether "The Magician's Nephew" is going to be on the silver screen, it's a valuable read for movie-watchers and readers alike. Basically, if "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" raised any questions, then this can answer them.

"The Magician's Nephew" serves as a neat way of explaining some very weird occurrances -- where did that lamppost come from? Or the Narnian humans? Just where did the White Witch come from, since she doesn't seem to fit in Narnia's springtime utopia? This book pretty much tells it all, as well as providing a character -- Digory -- who is a quiet but important presence fifty years later.

But "The Magician's Nephew" isn't just a way of dealing with loose threads. It's also an entertaining story, full of strange magic and eerie dead worlds. But Lewis also includes some comedy, when Jadis is running amuck all over London, or when Narnian animals try to plant and water Uncle Andrew. Lewis does get a bit hamhanded with the allegory of Jadis and an apple, but the fast, tense storyline makes up for that.

"The Magician's Nephew" is not just a prequel to the rest of the Narnia series, but an entertaining fantasy novel in its own right. Definitely a must-read for fantasy fans.

In the beginning..... (12/13 people found this helpful)

The Magicians Nephew
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
Prince Caspian (1951)
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
The Silver Chair (1953)
The Horse and His Boy (1954)
The Magicians Nephew (1955)
The Last Battle (1956)

Beginning at the beginning has always sounded like a good approach to me, hence this first review of the Narnia series.

Though written in simple style to be appreciated by young scholars, this book seems to echo with subtle and not so subtle references to the bible. A background check on the late great C. S. Lewis will reveal that he became a theist in 1929, a Christian in 1931, and later was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity by the University of St. Andrews in 1946.

His belief in the existence of one God, viewed as the creative source of man and the world, who transcends yet is immanent in the world, provides the foundation for the series, especially in this book and the magnificent classic "The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe." (Note: definition courtesy of Merriam-Webster)

"The Magician's Nephew" tells of the creation of Narnia by the great and powerful Aslan, and the temptation of a son of Adam, by a deceiver, with an apple from a forbidden tree.

This is the story of Digory and Polly, two friends who, upon an accidental meeting with Magician wanna-be Uncle Andrew, find themselves in a head spinning adventure involving other worlds, magical rings, an evil sorceress, a cabby and his horse, talking animals, and a collection of fauns, satyrs, dwarves and naiads.

We learn about the first King and Queen of Narnia, a heroic quest, a miraculous cure, and the planting of a tree and a lamp post, both of which we will need to move on with the series.

Even though a slim volume, The Magician's Nephew is deceptively deep and compelling.

WARNING: Reading this book leads to the compulsive reading of at least six other books.

The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia)

C. S. Lewis

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