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The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis | Inklings Series Read

January 16, 2019 by Jamie 10 Comments

Inklings_Sketch(b)

(The Inklings Series is a monthly series featuring the works of my two favorites, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or books about them. But I don’t want it to be just me chatting about these books, so that’s where y’all come in! I’ll announce the book at least four weeks in advance of when the discussion post will go live, so you have plenty of time to get the book and read it. Then, the following month, I’ll post a discussion post and let the fun begin!!)

the-magicians-nephew-lewisblog

I’m going to start off with a very serious question.

WHY CAN’T NARNIA BE REAL?

Now that that is out, let’s move forward and chat about the book instead. It helps you know? 🙂 I’ll start by saying, like the ending of Narnia/beginning of the true Narnia, the beginning of this young Narnia is so beautiful. I absolutely adore of Lewis’ use Aslan and music to create. It is such a reminder that God is the Master Artist and it makes me heart beat a few extra beats.

I’ll start off by sharing a couple of my favorite scenes and quotes:

“Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters.” I love that after awakening, Aslan commands them to love.

“The earth was of many colors; they were fresh, hot and vivid. They made you feel excited; until you saw the Singer himself, and then you forgot everything else. It was a Lion. Huge, shaggy, and bright, it stood facing the risen sun. Its mouth was wide open in song and it was about three hundred yards away.” ASLANNNNNNNNN!

If there was one book episode I would want to be real and that I would get to be a part of, I think it might be this scene:
“In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction it was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard. It was so beautiful he could hardly bear it. The horse seemed to like it too; he gave the sort of whinny a horse would give if, after years of being a cab-horse, it found itself back in the old field where it had played as a foal, and saw someone whom it remembered and loved coming across the field to bring it a lump of sugar.”

This month’s discussion of THE MAGICIAN’S NEPHEW now up! #Inklings

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I thought it would be fun to chat about some of the characters this month too, so here are a few more of my thoughts:

Polly
She has some sass (and loved it!), but also loved her friendship with Digory. Sorry I don’t have a quote for her (except when she called Digory an ass for his antics when he first saw Jadis, I call that a win), but I promise, she’s fabulous.

Digory
Before he went for the apple, I loved this scene with Aslan:
“The Lion drew a deep breath, stooped its head even lower and gave him a Lion’s kiss. And at once Digory felt that new strength and courage had gone into him.”

Then this scene. In case y’all ever forget: Friends and friends forever….!!
“You needn’t take the little girl back with you, you know.” That was where the Witch made her fatal mistake. Of course Digory knew that Polly could get away by her own ring as easily as he could get away by his. But apparently the Witch didn’t know this. And the meanness of the suggestion that he should leave Polly behind suddenly made all the other things the Witch had been saying to him sound false and hollow.”

Reading this makes me appreciate the Professor all over again in the following books.

Uncle Andrew
Hello Shady McShadyson. But the good news with Uncle A, is his character reminds us that not all is lost and sometimes it requires a bit of humility before we can change.

“The commercial possibilities of this country are unbounded.” Oh Uncle A…

I also loved how Lewis changed Uncle Andrew to not be able to understand Aslan or the animals. How easily we humans convince ourselves of believing in something glorious because of fear (or pride or a many other things).

“And the longer and more beautiful the Lion sang, the harder Uncle Andrew tried to make himself believe that he could hear nothing but roaring. Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.”

Empress Jadis
This reaction is so fitting for Jadis (during the creation of Narnia)

“There was soon light enough for them to see one another’s faces. The Cabby and the two children had open mouths and shining eyes; they were drinking in the sound, and they looked as if it reminded them of something. Uncle Andrew’s mouth was open too, but not open with joy. He looked more as if his chin had simply dropped away from the rest of his face. His shoulders were stooped and his knees shook. He was not liking the Voice. If he could have got away from it by creeping into a rat’s hole, he would have done so. But the Witch looked as if, in a way, she understood the music better than any of them. Her mouth was shut, her lips were pressed together, and her fists were clenched. Ever since the song began she had felt that this whole world was filled with a Magic different from hers and stronger. She hated it.”

Anything good she would obviously hate. And the scene with the apple tree? Umm…we know all about this and I’m glad Digory remembered and trusted in Aslan’s mission over her lies. I also loved when Digory went back to Aslan and how it was true that the apple would heal, would do what it was meant to do, but if done with the wrong intentions or at the wrong time, it would turn out in ways not expected (and not in a positive way).

This month’s discussion of THE MAGICIAN’S NEPHEW now up! #Inklings

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Finally, this little gem at the end…how The Wardrobe came to be? I’ll keep checking ones I find y’all because PLEASE BE REAL.

“However that might be, it was proved later that there was still magic in its wood. For when Digory was quite middle-aged (and he was a famous learned man, a Professor, and a great traveler by that time) and the Ketterleys’ old house belonged to him, there was a great storm all over the south of England which blew the tree down. He couldn’t bear to have it simply chopped up for firewood, so he had part of the timber made into a wardrobe, which he put in his big house in the country. And though he himself did not discover the magic properties of that wardrobe, someone else did.”

Discussion Questions (if you so wish!)

1. Who are your favorites from this novel?
I’m a fan of the Cabbie, who while his role came later in the novel, was a great character to make King. Humble, yet willing to take on the privilege.

I’m a fan of Digory (and his journey) and Polly too.

2. What are some of your favorite scenes and/or quotes?
3. How does this compare to the other Narnian novels?

Further up and further in friends!

December Inklings Series Read | Bilbo’s Last Song & Boxen By Tollers and Jack

January 9, 2019 by Jamie 2 Comments

Inklings_Sketch(A)

(The Inklings Series is a monthly series featuring the works of my two favorites, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or books about them. But I don’t want it to be just me chatting about these books, so that’s where y’all come in! I’ll announce the book at least four weeks in advance of when the discussion post will go live, so you have plenty of time to get the book and read it. Then, the following month, I’ll post a discussion post and let the fun begin!!)

bilbos-last-song-tolkien

I’m excited to mix things up again for Christmas time! Both of these are short reads (when I got Bilbo’s Last Song, not at all what I expected – haha!) and I think they’ll be fun. Sorry only one is pictured, but I promise to discuss both next month!

Bilbo’s Last Song by J.R.R. Tolkien

Bilbo’s Last Song is considered by many to be Tolkien’s epilogue to his classic work The Lord of the Rings. As Bilbo Baggins takes his final voyage to the Undying Lands, he must say goodbye to Middle-earth. Poignant and lyrical, the song is both a longing to set forth on his ultimate journey and a tender farewell to friends left behind.

Where to buy: Amazon | | CBD.com

Mixing it up for December’s #Inklings Series – join in!

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Discussion date: December 21, 2016

You can find all of the previous discussions here! Please feel free to join in any of them. You can never talk to much about Tolkien or Lewis!

All Hallow’s Eve by Charles Williams | Inklings Series Discussion

January 19, 2019 by Jamie 2 Comments

Inklings_Sketch(b)

(The Inklings Series is a monthly series featuring the works of my two favorites, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or books about them. But I don’t want it to be just me chatting about these books, so that’s where y’all come in! I’ll announce the book at least four weeks in advance of when the discussion post will go live, so you have plenty of time to get the book and read it. Then, the following month, I’ll post a discussion post and let the fun begin!!)

all-hallows-eve-charleswilliamsblog

Death as death was preferable to death mimicking a foolish life.

Well this book gets filed under “stories that turned out to be not at all what I expected.” Early on I wasn’t at all sure what to think. In my mind this story was going to be like Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow style. I have no basis for this assumption except that All Hallows’ Eve reminds me of Fall and that story usually is told around Halloween.

By chapter two I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into and terrible memories of Kafka’s Metamorphosis came rushing back (Blame bugs and people morphing). I was at a loss, but as the story unfolded, I was able to look back and appreciate what was going on in the scene and the meaning of the painting and each character. Some fabulous writing.

I also wasn’t expecting Betty to play such a key role. Again, I don’t know where I got any of my assumptions (since I didn’t know about this story until only recently), but it threw me off because I kept expecting the story to be solely about Lester and Richard and how their love transcended even death. I realize in that last part I was right, but once I got over my unfounded expectations of the storyline, I was able to appreciate the other characters.

Inklings Series this month is dedicated to Charles Williams’ All Hallows’ Eve. Join in!

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I really was a fan of the theme of love defeating all. I give William’s props for developing such a unique story that reveals that in such a way. Both in friendship and romantic love. I’m sure I missed like 97% of the symbolism in this book (Most of the time I did not feel smart reading this book #INeededCliffNotes), but I did like that Jonathan was an artist and there was meaning in that.

And who would have thought a dead woman could have such character development? Evelyn on the other hand…what a terrible human being/ghost.

I’m all for clever and clear battles between good and evil, so while I can appreciate Williams’ skill and talent, my boys are still top in my book. 🙂

Since this was a new author to the Inklings series, I’m leaving it open ended for discussion….or maybe just a few prompts. 🙂

  1. What did you think of the characters? Did you have a favorite?
  2. Any thoughts to share on the symbolism throughout the novel?
  3. What’s your impression of Charles after reading this?

Looking forward to hearing from y’all!

November Inklings Series Read | The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

January 12, 2019 by Jamie 2 Comments

Inklings_Sketch(A)

(The Inklings Series is a monthly series featuring the works of my two favorites, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or books about them. But I don’t want it to be just me chatting about these books, so that’s where y’all come in! I’ll announce the book at least four weeks in advance of when the discussion post will go live, so you have plenty of time to get the book and read it. Then, the following month, I’ll post a discussion post and let the fun begin!!)

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Well, I’m a little sad because this is the final Narnia book to cover for the Inklings Series. BUT the good news is that it is one of my favorites and I love Lewis’ descriptions on the creation of Narnia – I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do!

The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

On a daring quest to save a life, two friends are hurled into another world, where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. But then the lion Aslan’s song weaves itself into the fabric of a new land, a land that will be known as Narnia. And in Narnia, all things are possible.

Witness the creation of a magical land in The Magician’s Nephew, the first title in C. S. Lewis’s classic fantasy series, which has captivated readers of all ages for over sixty years.

Where to buy: Amazon | | CBD.com

Our final Narnia read for next month’s #Inklings Series – join in!

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Discussion date: November 16, 2016

You can find all of the previous discussions here! Please feel free to join in any of them. You can never talk to much about Tolkien or Lewis!

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis | Inklings Series Discussion

January 21, 2019 by Jamie 10 Comments

Inklings_Sketch(b)

(The Inklings Series is a monthly series featuring the works of my two favorites, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or books about them. But I don’t want it to be just me chatting about these books, so that’s where y’all come in! I’ll announce the book at least four weeks in advance of when the discussion post will go live, so you have plenty of time to get the book and read it. Then, the following month, I’ll post a discussion post and let the fun begin!!)

the-last-battle-cs-lewis

I have to say, I think out of all the Narnia books, this one brings all the feelings to my Narnia loving heart. Not only on the fiction side, with the end of Narnia, but all that it means for us too. Like, for real ALL THE FEELINGS. I didn’t forget how much I loved this book, but reading some of those sections over? Love. Love. Love.

Now where to start with this one? Let’s start with the characters.

Shift the Ape – Lewis perfected manipulation with this jerk. Seriously, I felt much anger towards a fictional ape and how he treated Puzzle and all he said against Aslan.

The Dwarves – Little Punks. Y’all, I got so angry after this scene! “It was the Dwarfs who were shooting and—for a moment Jill could hardly believe her eyes—they were shooting the Horses. Dwarfs are deadly archers. Horse after Horse rolled over. Not one of those noble Beasts ever reached the King.” But more than making me angry, I thought Lewis was brilliant with them. The scene in the New Narnia? Genius.

Puzzle – Oh Puzzle! I wanted to shake him and say get it together! But he is also a telling example of not being secure in your value. If you don’t understand how treasured you are, you can fall to evil characters like Shift. I also loved that Aslan talked with Puzzle first. And I love that Lewis didn’t tell us what he said to Puzzle, but I bet it was beautiful.

The Tarkaan and Tash – Don’t play with things you don’t understand, son! #SpiritualWarfare

(Also I have a tendency to start talking like this is real life and I ain’t even mad about it.)

I loved Tirian and Jewel. They reminded me of Samwise Gamgee from LOTR. Brave and loyal until the very end.

And of course seeing all our old friends from all the previous books made my heart so happy (and Susan’s story is also one to learn from).

We’re discussing The Last Battle by @CSLewis on the blog! Join in!

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I loved everything about the scenes with the new Narnia. From the descriptions of the death of Narnia, to Lucy’s mourning old Narnia (“Don’t try to stop me, Peter,” said Lucy, “I am sure Aslan would not. I am sure it is not wrong to mourn for Narnia. Think of all that lies dead and frozen behind that door.”), the animals going through the door and facing Aslan before they do, to tasting the fruits, to Further Up and Further In. Here’s a few favorites. (I tried to keep it to a few….I should get points for that!)

“What was the fruit like? Unfortunately no one can describe a taste. All I can say is that, compared with those fruits, the freshest grapefruit you’ve ever eaten was dull, and the juiciest orange was dry, and the most melting pear was hard and woody, and the sweetest wild strawberry was sour. And there were no seeds or stones, and no wasps. If you had once eaten that fruit, all the nicest things in this world would taste like medicines after it. But I can’t describe it. You can’t find out what it is like unless you can get to that country and taste it for yourself.”

“…but as he spoke the earth trembled. The sweet air grew suddenly sweeter. A brightness flashed behind them. All turned. Tirian turned last because he was afraid. There stood his heart’s desire, huge and real, the golden Lion, Aslan himself, and already the others were kneeling in a circle round his forepaws and burying their hands and faces in his mane as he stooped his great head to touch them with his tongue. Then he fixed his eyes upon Tirian, and Tirian came near, trembling, and flung himself at the Lion’s feet, and the Lion kissed him and said, “Well done, last of the Kings of Narnia who stood firm at the darkest hour.”

Raise your hand if you cry when Aslan shows up?

“It was the Unicorn who summed up what everyone was feeling. He stamped his right fore-hoof on the ground and neighed, and then cried: “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this.”

Lewis was able to so brilliantly capture a teeny bit of our heart’s reaction to Glory. I know it will be even more than even Lewis described, but I love so so much that he was able to stir our hearts with these passages and story.

“Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly.” This reminded me to never stop praying and hoping for people to find truth. They are all searching, they may just not know it yet. Plus, I wonder if that used to be him. Anyway, this scene with Aslan? #Dead

We’re discussing The Last Battle by @CSLewis on the blog! Join in!

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“And this is the marvel of marvels, that he called me Beloved.”

Alright, I’ll end my quotes with this passage. It still remains one of my favorite in all of literature, not just the Inklings world. So beautiful.

There was a real railway accident,” said Aslan softly. “Your father and mother and all of you are—as you used to call it in the Shadowlands—dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.” And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.

Have I mentioned I LOVE this one? I cannot wait to hear what y’all think about it! I thought I’d include a few questions – feel free to answer any, all and add your own thoughts!

1. Do you have a favorite character from this one?
2. What were some of your favorite scenes?
3. I want to read some of your favorite quotes too!

For Aslan!

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Hola! I'm Jamie. A Photographer. A Dessert Specialist. A Reader. Del Taco's #1 fan. A Wannabe Inkling. An INSPYs Advisory Board Member. A fan of Sports (Internet high fives for the Lakers, FC Barcelona, and the Saints). A Traveler & I heart Jesus a whole lot. Read more here.

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Some of the book links in my posts are amazon affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only link to books I've read or items I believe you readers will enjoy (like Fun Finds!). I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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