The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Yikes. I was feeling like another childhood nostalgia reread adventure, though I should confess up front that I was never more than lukewarm on Narnia even as a wee thing. But I was pretty excited about it until the collection I grabbed put this book first. It was written sixth, but is chronologically the beginning, telling as it does the story of the creation of Narnia.

And look, I never got all bent out of shape about the Christian allegory the way a lot of my peers apparently did. It is what it is, even in this late volume where it frankly swallows much of the story.

But I do get bent out of shape by just how Conservative this book is. Stop laughing. Thematically, this book is about how evil consists centrally in believing that there are rules in the world, but that they do not apply to oneself. Digory's Uncle believes this – he's a genius, therefore he is not bound by morality – and the Witch believes this – she just doesn't give a fuck. And Digory's central act in this book is to be the inadvertent author of great and spreading evil by way of – you guessed it -- ignoring explicit strictures.

So rules are good, and following them is good, everyone got that? Okay, so then we get to the creation (I keep wanting to write 'founding,' but, uh . . . no) of Narnia. A pristine world born from nothing. But born with defaults. Rules, if you will. Software pre-installed. And it is really telling stuff about Lewis and his world. Like 'male creatures are invited by the creator to attend councils of state, female creatures are not.' And 'the natural state for a female creature and a male creature is marriage.' And here's a biggie – 'there is a natural hierarchy in which certain types of creatures are superior to other types by virtue of anointment by the creator, and the superior types must rule.'

It is what it is. He was what he was. And oh man, how much do I wish they hadn't put this book first.




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