Adult Fiction
Reviewed by Julie from the Altona Branch
Once Upon A Wardrobe, written by Patti Callahan Henry, is a historical fiction novel that transports you into the life of C.S. Lewis and the experiences that shaped his life and ultimately, how The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe came to fruition.
The author does this by introducing us to a fictional eight year old boy named George, who was born with a defective heart and has already outlived his expected years. It is 1950 and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has just been published. George can't do what most boys his age are doing so instead, he reads books. After reading the magical story of Narnia, he can't stop thinking about where Narnia came from. The author puts it this way, "Where did this land of the lion, a white witch, and fauns and beavers and castles come from? How did Aslan as true as any living thing the boy has ever known, come to bound on to the pages of a book?" George knows that the Professor who wrote this beloved book lives only a train ride away at Oxford, the same university where his sister Meg attends school. Meg adores her little brother and consents to his request to ask the author one question, "Where did Narnia come from?"
Instead of a simple one sentence answer, it turns out that Meg receives so much more. "Jack" as C.S. Lewis wants to be called, invites Meg into his home and shares his life's experiences with her and she in turn writes them down and takes these stories back to George. "Once upon a wardrobe, not very long ago and not very far away" is how Meg begins each new story for George. Each story reveals new truths about the life of Lewis and eventually, Meg understands what George has known all along, "all will be well."
There are discussion questions at the back of the book which would make this book a great suggestion for use in a book club. I highly recommend this book. It is the first book I have read by Patti Callahan Henry, but I'm sure it won't be the last.
Thank you for the great review, it made me more inclined to read this novel. Also, you have a spelling mistake in the third paragraph; the word 'sorties' is spelled 'sotries'. I thought you might want to know.-G
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the review! Thanks also for the heads up on the typo.
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