Synopsis"Where did Narnia come from?" The answer will change everything. Megs Devonshire is brilliant with numbers and equations, on a scholarship at Oxford, and dreams of solving the greatest mysteries of physics. She perfers the dependability of facts-- except for one: the younger brother she loves with all her heart doesn't have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a copy of a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there's no way she can refuse.
Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, imploring them for answers. What she receives instead are more stories . . . stories of Jack Lewis's life, which she takes home to George. Why won't Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she as giving to her brother- the story of Narnia- turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.
Loved
- The magic of stories. One of the things I love most in this world is stories, so a story about stories is just delicious. This story is about how Narnia was shaped, yes, but it is so much more about how Narnia- and all stories- shape us. George, a dying boy with little to hope for, finds in Narnia something to hold on to and live for- adventure, bravery, wonder, and a relationship with Aslan. The true magic of Narnia and other tales we love is that the wonder of these stories shapes us- opening our imaginations, showing us empathy, helping us understand the world from different perspectives, and giving us something to hope for and believe in when we're despairing and hurting. I think this is why I love stories and devour them so hungrily- because the magic of them seeps into our everyday lives and truly does shape us and gives us hope and light.
- C.S. Lewis. This man is one of the greatest thinkers who ever lived in my opinion. His works are all masterpieces and each one has had a profound effect on me. So learning about his life and the experiences that impacted his writing and thinking was both interesting and inspiring. I loved the contrast of hearing true biographical stories about him, mixed with the fiction of his being a character in the story involved with George and Megs. The format of the story was seamless in its fluctuation of his biography mixed in with historical fiction. These stories made me appreciate Lewis even more and I loved learning how his life flowed into his works.
- Hope. Megs is relatable in that she likes concrete answers, wants logical explanations for everything, and seeks comfort to stop the inevitable illness of her brother. At times she was a little frustrating in that she couldn't understand that Narnia didn't come from an equation, but that it's a painting of impressions, experiences, and thoughts. However, I do think we are all like Megs in that we want answers that we can wrap our minds around, especially when it comes to the most painful questions of life and things we don't have control over. But seeing George's belief and wonder at Narnia and stories in general gave Megs hope because it showed her that life is about magic, wonder and finding beauty in your circumstances. I love this message and I think it's one we can all benefit from and try to seek more.
- The writing. The prose of this story was enchanting and did justice to C.S. Lewis's love of stories and his appreciation for literature.
- The love interest- so adorable and we should all be more like him :)
- The references to J.R.R Tolkein and realizing that he was the OG nerd :D
- The cozy wintery atmosphere set in Oxford
- The subtle but powerful Christian imagery!
Didn't Love
- I loved this story and wouldn't change it!
Content
- Violence
- Jack Lewis talks about being in war and watching his friends die from a grenade.
- Other themes:
- Illness and death in children, WWI and WWII references
Overall Thoughts
I read this on an impulse because I was in the mood for a cozy wintery feel-good and I adore C.S. Lewis— and I'm so happy I picked this up. This is such a meaningful way to learn about Jack Lewis's life- hearing his life experiences told to a boy who finds hope and courage through his stories. Callahan's writing captures the magic of storytelling and shows us that we are all made of stories and shaped by their hope, enchantment, and wonder. Stories are the life coursing through us, giving us meaning and hope by expanding our understanding and imaginations. On top of this beautiful message and an inspiring fictional story, we get to know C.S. Lewis better and get some of his biography, which is fascinating. If you love C.S. Lewis or have been affected by his work, especially Narnia, this is a must read! You will be enchanted by imagination, inspired by his life stories, and may even find yourself shedding a tear or two as you watch a family discover the hope and lifeline that stories gift us.
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