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The Magician's Nephew
(The Chronicles of Narnia (Publication Order) #6)
by
The secret passage to the house next door leads to a fascinating adventure
NARNIA...where the woods are thick and cold, where Talking Beasts are called to life...a new world where the adventure begins.
Digory and Polly meet and become friends one cold, wet summer in London. Their lives burst into adventure when Digory's Uncle Andrew, who thinks he is a magician, sends them h ...more
NARNIA...where the woods are thick and cold, where Talking Beasts are called to life...a new world where the adventure begins.
Digory and Polly meet and become friends one cold, wet summer in London. Their lives burst into adventure when Digory's Uncle Andrew, who thinks he is a magician, sends them h ...more
Paperback, 221 pages
Published
May 4th 2005
by HarperCollins Publishers
(first published May 2nd 1955)
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Start your review of The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6)

Suffers from the same problems as Lewis' other books, both his children's fantasy and his pokes at theology: Lewis' worldview is not sophisticated, and his sense of psychology has a large blind spot. However, it's not his faith that is the problem--it certainly wasn't a problem for Donne or Milton.
Lewis is simply unable to put himself in another's shoes, which is very problematic for a writer or a theologian. He cannot understand the reasons or motivations for why someone would do something he c ...more
Lewis is simply unable to put himself in another's shoes, which is very problematic for a writer or a theologian. He cannot understand the reasons or motivations for why someone would do something he c ...more

It's mildly embarrassing that I've lived almost 32 years and I've only read one book from the Narnia series. Well, I guess I've read two now, but I feel like I should have read those a long time ago. As an adult, it's difficult to even rate this book fairly because the adult version of myself wants to be all critical and make comments about how this isn't Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but it's not supposed to be. And that's fine with me.
Is this the first book in the series! Is it the sixth ...more
Is this the first book in the series! Is it the sixth ...more

The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6), C.S. Lewis
The Magician's Nephew is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Bodley Head in 1955. It is the sixth published of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956).
The story begins in London during the summer of 1900. Two children, Digory and Polly, meet while playing in the adjacent gardens of a row of terraced houses.
They decide to explore the attic connecting the houses, but take the wrong door and surpri ...more
The Magician's Nephew is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Bodley Head in 1955. It is the sixth published of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956).
The story begins in London during the summer of 1900. Two children, Digory and Polly, meet while playing in the adjacent gardens of a row of terraced houses.
They decide to explore the attic connecting the houses, but take the wrong door and surpri ...more

“No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice.”

I loved the narration of The Magician's Nephew, it's clear, imaginative, and addicting. This book took me book to the time when I was sitting and listening to my grandma's tales. She always told me about folklores. I can still remember the story about there's a ghost hiding in the closet, it made me so scared and never ever wanted to open the closet alone again.
This book literally made me feel like that. I kept wondering why I did and figur ...more

My autistic-spectrum son Jonathan is fascinated by the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He wants to know what her motivation is. "Why is she always so angry?" he asks. "Why does she hate Aslan? Who is she like?" These are good questions. I have suggested that he should read The Magician's Nephew, but Jonathan only reads the books he wants to read and ignores recommendations. A pity, I would like to discuss it with him.
The White Witch is the best character in the series, and i ...more
The White Witch is the best character in the series, and i ...more

Oh gosh, how many years must it be since I last read this book, 30 ? or more, who knows, but I zipped through it like we were the closest of friends who met every day. A true joy to read, that is how writing should be.
Probably one of the lesser known Narnia books but the start of the series none the less and our first introduction to Aslan, and a delight to read. 5 stars all the way.
I had no intention of starting this series this year or even anytime soon, but I saw the boxed set on the shelf ...more
Probably one of the lesser known Narnia books but the start of the series none the less and our first introduction to Aslan, and a delight to read. 5 stars all the way.
I had no intention of starting this series this year or even anytime soon, but I saw the boxed set on the shelf ...more

Jan 06, 2016
Dannii Elle
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantastic-fabrications,
adventurous-acuity
I have owned this beautiful set of illustrated hardback editions of these books since childhood and am only now getting around to reading them. After reading this spellbinding first installment I am so mad at myself that I have missed out on entering this world for so long.
I decided to begin reading this series in chronological rather than publication order (as per the numbers on my books) and I am so glad I did. This brilliantly sets up the rest of the series without giving any spoilers of what ...more
I decided to begin reading this series in chronological rather than publication order (as per the numbers on my books) and I am so glad I did. This brilliantly sets up the rest of the series without giving any spoilers of what ...more

I hadn't been to Narnia in 11 years, and I wanted to take my daughters there for the very first time this summer, so I called my son (my Narnia expert) and asked him if I could skip The Magician's Nephew this time around, when I read it to his sisters.
My son was an only child for 12 years, (before the Disney princesses, Pocahontas and Jasmine, arrived), and I read to him, every night, religiously, for an hour, including C.S. Lewis's Narnia collection.
He's in college now, and he's a very respec ...more
My son was an only child for 12 years, (before the Disney princesses, Pocahontas and Jasmine, arrived), and I read to him, every night, religiously, for an hour, including C.S. Lewis's Narnia collection.
He's in college now, and he's a very respec ...more

Feb 09, 2020
¸¸.•*¨*•♫ Mrs. Buttercup •*¨*•♫♪
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
owned
“Awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters.”
If I could have doubts about my idea that reading this series in publication order was the way to go, this volume (number six in publication order, number one in chronological order) would have made the decision final. In this little book, C. S. Lewis talks about the origins of Narnia, how it was made and how it happened that humans got to visit it. It felt so sweet and rewarding to read the whole series wonderin ...more

If I could have doubts about my idea that reading this series in publication order was the way to go, this volume (number six in publication order, number one in chronological order) would have made the decision final. In this little book, C. S. Lewis talks about the origins of Narnia, how it was made and how it happened that humans got to visit it. It felt so sweet and rewarding to read the whole series wonderin ...more

I did not really click with this story, maybe due to the too often fourth wall breaking of the omniscient narrator and the heavy handed approach in general from the author
I remembered a lot of later books while reading this one, as diverse as the biblical sense of worldbuilding in The Silmarillion from J.R.R. Tolkien to the multiple worlds from Blake Crouch Dark Matter and The Drawing of the Three of Stephen King to the humour of J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl and Philip Pullman.
So in terms of cultura ...more
I remembered a lot of later books while reading this one, as diverse as the biblical sense of worldbuilding in The Silmarillion from J.R.R. Tolkien to the multiple worlds from Blake Crouch Dark Matter and The Drawing of the Three of Stephen King to the humour of J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl and Philip Pullman.
So in terms of cultura ...more

Dec 04, 2007
Taneil Linschied
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone
Shelves:
classics,
2008-books
Despite the fact that The Magicians Nephew is the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia, strangely, it is frequently overlooked. People skip straight ahead to The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and then, at a later date come back to this book.
Personally, I like this book just as well as any others in the series. I love to see how everything got started, the lamp post, the wardrobe, the White Witch. Not to mention the beautiful allegory of Creation. The Magician's Nephew also has good morals ...more
Personally, I like this book just as well as any others in the series. I love to see how everything got started, the lamp post, the wardrobe, the White Witch. Not to mention the beautiful allegory of Creation. The Magician's Nephew also has good morals ...more

UPDATED REVIEW: Very excited about this one! :)
INTRODUCTION –
Once, The Magician’s Nephew was only three stars. It used to frighten me. It was different from the other Narnia books. But there were parts of it I liked very much and I tolerated the rest of it because it is, after all, Narnia.
Then I read it again at the beginning of 2018 and enjoyed it in a way I had never been able to before . . . and raised my rating to four stars.
I didn’t think I wanted to read it again in 2018, but since I pla ...more
INTRODUCTION –
Once, The Magician’s Nephew was only three stars. It used to frighten me. It was different from the other Narnia books. But there were parts of it I liked very much and I tolerated the rest of it because it is, after all, Narnia.
Then I read it again at the beginning of 2018 and enjoyed it in a way I had never been able to before . . . and raised my rating to four stars.
I didn’t think I wanted to read it again in 2018, but since I pla ...more

The Magician's Nephew is the first book of the Chronicles of Narnia (although I think it's was the last book to be published. It's the first book chronologically.) It is my favorite for multiple reasons.
We get to see the creation of Narnia and it is beautiful and heartwarming while being dark but hopeful. I love Polly and Diggory's exploration of the houses and then the exploration of the world between worlds.
I loved the magic within this book from the portal pools to the magic rings was so fun ...more
We get to see the creation of Narnia and it is beautiful and heartwarming while being dark but hopeful. I love Polly and Diggory's exploration of the houses and then the exploration of the world between worlds.
I loved the magic within this book from the portal pools to the magic rings was so fun ...more

I'm not really a fantasy fan, but I have always wanted to read the Chronicles of Narnia, especially after watching the movies.
The Magician's Nephew, although 6th in the publication order, chronologically it is the first in the series. I read that C.S. Lewis himself had recommended reading this as the first in the series. Although written way later than the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe, I can understand why the author wanted the readers to start his Chronicles with Magician's Nephew.
Here the rea ...more
The Magician's Nephew, although 6th in the publication order, chronologically it is the first in the series. I read that C.S. Lewis himself had recommended reading this as the first in the series. Although written way later than the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe, I can understand why the author wanted the readers to start his Chronicles with Magician's Nephew.
Here the rea ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

I really enjoyed reading this one. Fun and fast read, and I also loved reading about how it all started. And even though I noticed a lot of connections with Christianity, I didn't pay a lot of attention to it. I just enjoyed the story in general.
I think this is probably my favorite, right after Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe. ...more
I think this is probably my favorite, right after Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe. ...more

I first read these books at about ten years of age, and I remember that for the most part, I loved them. The Magician's Nephew is actually the sixth book of the series, but was written with the intention of it being a prelude, to The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, which, back in the day, was my favourite of the series.
I enjoyed reading just how Narnia was discovered, and meeting Aslan himself. He is probably my favourite character in Narnia. It was interesting to have some question's answered ...more
I enjoyed reading just how Narnia was discovered, and meeting Aslan himself. He is probably my favourite character in Narnia. It was interesting to have some question's answered ...more

Starting Narnia while writing my Bachelor thesis was probably not the best idea..
The Magician's Nephew follows Digory and Polly as they discover Narnia, how Narnia was created, how the lamp-post got there as well as the evil presence we know from the first movie, and also why the wardrobe is magical.
I love how the story was being told, and I kept heari ...more
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“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
The Magician's Nephew follows Digory and Polly as they discover Narnia, how Narnia was created, how the lamp-post got there as well as the evil presence we know from the first movie, and also why the wardrobe is magical.
I love how the story was being told, and I kept heari ...more

For Christmas when I was 9 years old, my parents gave me a box set of The Chronicles of Narnia. I read and re-read those books until they literally fell apart. I loved the magical story of Narnia, Aslan, the Pevensies, the White Witch, Mr. Tumnus, Eustace, Prince Caspian, Reepicheep, and all the other lovely characters in the series. I re-read this series every few years because the stories are still incredibly enjoyable for me. Religious allegory and symbolism never enter my head as I read this
...more

REVIEW TO COME! 😁😁

Reading with my little girl. :)
The formation of Narnia, of certain rings, and a lion's song. :) And, of course, apples.
In certain ways, I liked the more than the first time and less as well. The first half was an awful old slog that had me as bored as my daughter while we were in dreary old England.
But once we got to the fight in the streets and the chaos that drove the group to empty Narnia, I think we were both pretty excited. From then on, too.
Quite nice to experience the backstory this way. ...more
The formation of Narnia, of certain rings, and a lion's song. :) And, of course, apples.
In certain ways, I liked the more than the first time and less as well. The first half was an awful old slog that had me as bored as my daughter while we were in dreary old England.
But once we got to the fight in the streets and the chaos that drove the group to empty Narnia, I think we were both pretty excited. From then on, too.
Quite nice to experience the backstory this way. ...more

At this point I am trying so hard not to copy paste the entire chapter describing the creation of Narnia....it is simply MAGICAL!
So far in my reading journey I read three books in the 'Chronicles of Narnia' series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wadrobe (read this way back in the 5th grade), the Voyage of the Dawn Treader and the Last Battle (read them a couple of years back) and now the Magician's Nephew brings the count up to four.
I will finally be reading these books in actual order. Although ...more
So far in my reading journey I read three books in the 'Chronicles of Narnia' series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wadrobe (read this way back in the 5th grade), the Voyage of the Dawn Treader and the Last Battle (read them a couple of years back) and now the Magician's Nephew brings the count up to four.
I will finally be reading these books in actual order. Although ...more

“The Magician’s Nephew” is by all accounts, the sixth book in “The Chronicles of Narnia” series. However, the anthology I am lucky enough to own of the Great Lewis’ works, has this novel as the first story, with a description that it is “the order the author would want the books to be in.” It makes sense too really, as “Nephew” tells the story of how Narnia originated, and how it was first discovered.
I picked up this novel and re-read it after having a challenging (to say the least) few weeks. ...more
I picked up this novel and re-read it after having a challenging (to say the least) few weeks. ...more

'And as Adams's race has done the harm, Adam's race shall help to heal it'
I read this as a kid but as an adult people always refer to the religious symbolism in these books so I thought it was time for a reread with an adult (ish) head on my shoulders.
I'm surprised by how much I've forgotten! I really could not remember how the world of Narnia came to be, how the wardrobe came about so it was almost like reading this for the first time, or perhaps visiting somewhere you vaguely remember as a ch ...more
I read this as a kid but as an adult people always refer to the religious symbolism in these books so I thought it was time for a reread with an adult (ish) head on my shoulders.
I'm surprised by how much I've forgotten! I really could not remember how the world of Narnia came to be, how the wardrobe came about so it was almost like reading this for the first time, or perhaps visiting somewhere you vaguely remember as a ch ...more

Even though The Magician’s Nephew was written as the sixth book of the Narnia series, the story predates The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Seeing as this served as the prelude to the series, I chose to begin with this. Lewis himself is known to have shown a slight preference to this order of reading, rather than in the order of publication. And the reason to why I have chosen to start reading a children’s book now relates to the arrival of a very tiny human being in the Paul household, exact
...more
I read the C.S. Lewis books when I was a child. I read one of the books in French, never knowing where to reach for its lost to me siblings.
Now that I've reread this book, I feel that reading was worth the weeds for flowers like this. It's often funny how the expensive e-books are the ones that prove costly and the classics, true to their reputation.
Beyond the Christian mythos in this particular book, I loved most when the boy, the girl, and the flying horse spoke the same words together. Read a ...more
Now that I've reread this book, I feel that reading was worth the weeds for flowers like this. It's often funny how the expensive e-books are the ones that prove costly and the classics, true to their reputation.
Beyond the Christian mythos in this particular book, I loved most when the boy, the girl, and the flying horse spoke the same words together. Read a ...more

Jun 25, 2013
Bookwraiths
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
young_adult
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis is one of those books I read just because. Because I’d read The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe when I was a kid. Because I always wondered what exactly Narnia was. Because I’d watched all the Narnia movies with my kids. Because it was sitting on my son’s shelf collecting dust and it had a number one written on it: i.e. first book of the series. So because of all those reasons, I wiped the dust off of it and read it.
This b ...more
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis is one of those books I read just because. Because I’d read The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe when I was a kid. Because I always wondered what exactly Narnia was. Because I’d watched all the Narnia movies with my kids. Because it was sitting on my son’s shelf collecting dust and it had a number one written on it: i.e. first book of the series. So because of all those reasons, I wiped the dust off of it and read it.
This b ...more

I've gotten so used to always having a new Narnia book to read when I feel in the mood and now I only have one more book to read. Then I'm finished! It's kinda sad actually lol But I really had a good time reading this one! Definitely another favorite! But who am I kidding? I've LOVED every Narnia book I've read thus far xD I would love to see this as a movie along with some of the others. I hope they continue making them! Anyone else feel the same? :P Great book all-in-all. Loved getting to see
...more
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The Wanderlust Re...: * 2021 March BotM (The Magician's Nephew) | 7 | 5 | Mar 07, 2021 02:20PM | |
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge ...more
Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge ...more
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