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- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
10+
ISBN
0060234970
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Editor reviews
2 reviews
The Series Prequel
Overall rating
4.5
Plot
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Characters
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A prequel and an origin story; in more ways than one.
It becomes easy to see why this book has sometimes been placed as the first in the seven-book series. But personally, I like it where it is--retroactively answering questions the reader may or may not have thought to ask. (i.e. Why did the professor in TLTWATW not surprised by the childrens' claims? And why did he seem to know a thing or two about the potential passage of time within another world...?)
Such a different structuring and feel from any of the other books in the Chronicles of Narnia series. The tone is almost more speculative or sci-fantasy than solely fantasy. It strikes a chord that seems likely to have resonated with Madeline L'Engle not so many years later...
As with the majority of these books, it begins in England--and features a pair of children who are transported to another place. But unlike in the others, their translocation isn't by some happenstance, unconscious request, or act of fate. It is instead the result of a callous and cowardly "experiment" perpetrated by a would-be magician. (There are points where the flawed innocence and nobility of the children is pitted directly against the greed and manipulations of said adult--and with a chilling effect worthy of any contemporary works.)
In some sense, the fantasy/sci-fi worldbuilding here was well ahead of its time. Not only is it clear in this portion of Lewis' imaginings that there are many other worlds, a whole multiverse of them, outside of our own... but there is also depicted a place of many portals leading to these realms--a waystation full of waygates, if you will.
Lewis only meant to write <i>The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe,</i> originally. That he ultimately wrote a 7-book series is remarkable. But what is most demonstrative of his boundless creativity is the fact that this book--and perhaps all the rest by extension--exist because a friend of his asked him how a lamp-post ended up in the midst of a Narnian woods. And the question intrigued Lewis enough that he spent five years on and off composing this particular literary answer.
It becomes easy to see why this book has sometimes been placed as the first in the seven-book series. But personally, I like it where it is--retroactively answering questions the reader may or may not have thought to ask. (i.e. Why did the professor in TLTWATW not surprised by the childrens' claims? And why did he seem to know a thing or two about the potential passage of time within another world...?)
Such a different structuring and feel from any of the other books in the Chronicles of Narnia series. The tone is almost more speculative or sci-fantasy than solely fantasy. It strikes a chord that seems likely to have resonated with Madeline L'Engle not so many years later...
As with the majority of these books, it begins in England--and features a pair of children who are transported to another place. But unlike in the others, their translocation isn't by some happenstance, unconscious request, or act of fate. It is instead the result of a callous and cowardly "experiment" perpetrated by a would-be magician. (There are points where the flawed innocence and nobility of the children is pitted directly against the greed and manipulations of said adult--and with a chilling effect worthy of any contemporary works.)
In some sense, the fantasy/sci-fi worldbuilding here was well ahead of its time. Not only is it clear in this portion of Lewis' imaginings that there are many other worlds, a whole multiverse of them, outside of our own... but there is also depicted a place of many portals leading to these realms--a waystation full of waygates, if you will.
Lewis only meant to write <i>The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe,</i> originally. That he ultimately wrote a 7-book series is remarkable. But what is most demonstrative of his boundless creativity is the fact that this book--and perhaps all the rest by extension--exist because a friend of his asked him how a lamp-post ended up in the midst of a Narnian woods. And the question intrigued Lewis enough that he spent five years on and off composing this particular literary answer.
User reviews
11 reviews
Overall rating
4.5
Plot
4.0(11)
Characters
N/A(0)
Writing Style
N/A(0)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
5.0(1)
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Fascinating
Overall rating
4.5
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This installment in the Chronicles of Narnia series is very different from the others because when the kids are taken to Narnia, we realize we're actually reading a story that takes place just as Narnia is being created by Aslan. I love that the Uncle in the story is an earlier version of the Professor from the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This book has all the elements I love in the Narnia books: adventure, imagination, and intelligent world building. Fantastic.
Excellent book!
Overall rating
5.0
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I first read this book as a child and just recently listened to it as a book on CD. As an adult, the wonder and magic of this story is just as present as when I was a child. In fact, it is more so as I understand more of the nuances of the story now than I did back then. I recommend this book for children of all ages (and adults, too), especially if you are just starting the series. I think that reading this book first helps you understand everything else that happens in the series much better.
EH
Emily Heinlen
Top 100 Reviewer
Good
Overall rating
4.0
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Reader reviewed by AB
The Magivian's Nephew was a very good book.
It is the first book in the Narnia series.
It talks about how Narnia fisrt came to be and I must say a very good source of information if you read The Lion,The Witch, and the Wordrobe first before this.
It answers a lot of questions about Narnia that you may had.
I know it gave me a lot of info my family was bombarding me with!
The Magivian's Nephew was a very good book.
It is the first book in the Narnia series.
It talks about how Narnia fisrt came to be and I must say a very good source of information if you read The Lion,The Witch, and the Wordrobe first before this.
It answers a lot of questions about Narnia that you may had.
I know it gave me a lot of info my family was bombarding me with!
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
I have no idea
Overall rating
4.0
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Reader reviewed by Sarima89
Excellent book, full of... mystery, I mean, I have no idea about the story of Narnia, about the kids, about the witch, about that magnificent world beyond the imagination. I really enjoy it, it was easy to read, just as the other books, an incredibly good too.
Excellent book, full of... mystery, I mean, I have no idea about the story of Narnia, about the kids, about the witch, about that magnificent world beyond the imagination. I really enjoy it, it was easy to read, just as the other books, an incredibly good too.
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
Interesting
Overall rating
1.0
Plot
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Reader reviewed by Allire
In this book the main characters are Polly and Digory. They go to Narnia, while at Digory's uncle's house. Narnia is this magical place, where it is not like the real world. While times goes by there, very little time passes in the real world.
I read this book in fourth grade. I was told that it was the first book of the series, and I'm still not sure if whether this is the first book, or if "The lion, witch and the wardrobe" is. I guess that it really doesn't matter which is read first.
It's an interesting book, definitely worth the read. I liked how Digory's uncle was a bit of a mystery, and how he wasn't really known until the end of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone.
In this book the main characters are Polly and Digory. They go to Narnia, while at Digory's uncle's house. Narnia is this magical place, where it is not like the real world. While times goes by there, very little time passes in the real world.
I read this book in fourth grade. I was told that it was the first book of the series, and I'm still not sure if whether this is the first book, or if "The lion, witch and the wardrobe" is. I guess that it really doesn't matter which is read first.
It's an interesting book, definitely worth the read. I liked how Digory's uncle was a bit of a mystery, and how he wasn't really known until the end of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone.
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
A great fantasy tale
Overall rating
4.0
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Reader reviewed by Veronika
A friend of mine gave me the full saga as a present, so I begun discovering the story.
In the first book, Digory and Polly, two londonian children discover a new world, Narnia, being sent there by Digory's uncle, Andrew, whose godmother was a fairy.
There they will discover a new enchanted world, with talking animals, crual witches and fantastic landscapes...
I liked this old-fashioned story, the writing is different from what you can read now and it's a good entertainment for those who love fantasy !
Veronika
A friend of mine gave me the full saga as a present, so I begun discovering the story.
In the first book, Digory and Polly, two londonian children discover a new world, Narnia, being sent there by Digory's uncle, Andrew, whose godmother was a fairy.
There they will discover a new enchanted world, with talking animals, crual witches and fantastic landscapes...
I liked this old-fashioned story, the writing is different from what you can read now and it's a good entertainment for those who love fantasy !
Veronika
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
Youve all seen the movie, heres the book
Overall rating
3.0
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Reader reviewed by Nightbringer
this series is magnificent, you must read it.
i love the series title (the chronicles of narnia) because its called chronicles and isnt in chronologucal order. but any way, to the point this is about four kids who find a large wardrobe which is a portal to a magical land called narnia which is locked in winter. or is it?? you will have to find out for yourself
Nightbringer
this series is magnificent, you must read it.
i love the series title (the chronicles of narnia) because its called chronicles and isnt in chronologucal order. but any way, to the point this is about four kids who find a large wardrobe which is a portal to a magical land called narnia which is locked in winter. or is it?? you will have to find out for yourself
Nightbringer
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
YEAH!!
Overall rating
5.0
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Reader reviewed by Ben
By the good graces of two inquisitive children, we discover a secret passage, to Digory's uncle Andrew's "study", where they are transported to a forest that leads to other worlds. As one world of evil ends we see a new world begin. In some senses allegorical to Christianity, we simply are endeared to this lovely book, the start to a great epic, in the world of Narnia. Though written intentionally for kids around grade school age, anyone can definetely enjoy this book, or at least I did. :)
By the good graces of two inquisitive children, we discover a secret passage, to Digory's uncle Andrew's "study", where they are transported to a forest that leads to other worlds. As one world of evil ends we see a new world begin. In some senses allegorical to Christianity, we simply are endeared to this lovely book, the start to a great epic, in the world of Narnia. Though written intentionally for kids around grade school age, anyone can definetely enjoy this book, or at least I did. :)
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
Simply Sweet
Overall rating
4.0
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Reader reviewed by snailshot-Ashley Sarpong
C.S. Lewis' well-known series The Chronicles of Narnia, commences with The Magician's Nephew . Set in an England in a time "when your grandfather was a boy", we follow the story of extraordinary circumstances in ordinary places.
By the good graces of two inquisitive children, we discover a secret passage, to Digory's uncle Andrew's "study", where they are transported to a forest that leads to other worlds. As one world of evil ends we see a new world begin. In some senses allegorical to Christianity, we simply are endeared to this lovely book, the start to a great epic, in the world of Narnia. Though written intentionally for kids around grade school age, anyone can definetely enjoy this book, or at least I did. :)
C.S. Lewis' well-known series The Chronicles of Narnia, commences with The Magician's Nephew . Set in an England in a time "when your grandfather was a boy", we follow the story of extraordinary circumstances in ordinary places.
By the good graces of two inquisitive children, we discover a secret passage, to Digory's uncle Andrew's "study", where they are transported to a forest that leads to other worlds. As one world of evil ends we see a new world begin. In some senses allegorical to Christianity, we simply are endeared to this lovely book, the start to a great epic, in the world of Narnia. Though written intentionally for kids around grade school age, anyone can definetely enjoy this book, or at least I did. :)
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
Great Adventures, Good Characters
Overall rating
5.0
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Reader reviewed by Laura Loeb
I have heard these books since I was very young when my father and mother read then all to me, then I read them to myself all at least twice probably more. My favorite was The Boy and his Horse. I didn't take me to long to realize the religious conection but the books are not preachy the are great adventures with good caracters.
I have heard these books since I was very young when my father and mother read then all to me, then I read them to myself all at least twice probably more. My favorite was The Boy and his Horse. I didn't take me to long to realize the religious conection but the books are not preachy the are great adventures with good caracters.
G
Guest
#1 Reviewer
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