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From Spare Oom to War Drobe: Travels in Narnia with My Nine-Year-Old Self
As a little girl of nine, Katherine Langrish fell deeply in love with The Chronicles of Narnia - she was even inspired to write a book of stories set in that world, complete with poster-paint picture of Aslan on the homemade dust jacket. Although she loved the Narnia books to bursting, others took their place as she grew up. For years they sat unopened on her shelves. She began to wonder why. Had they simply become too familiar? Had the charm faded? What might they mean to her as an adult? From Spare Oom to War Drobe is a love letter to that early passion, as well as a reappraisal of The Chronicles of Narnia in the light of maturity and changing tastes. It brilliantly evokes her initial sense of childish wonder, and in a close reading of the novels, including analysis of the context in which other critics have placed them, she gives us a superbly rich, enlightening, and immensely readable guide to the world of these evergreen stories.
286 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 13, 2021
Ever since Lucy Mangan tweeted about this book I have wanted to read it and it has not disappointed.
Katherine takes us through her nine year old self’s understanding and of her adult understanding of these beautiful books. She tackles the difficulties of some of Lewis’ views (the attributes he gives to the Calormenes, the view he has of schools, and his occasional views of girls/women, although the latter has to be compared with his making girls heroes within his stories - equal to the boys).
Katherine’s love for the books comes through strongly - as does Brian Sibley’s love in the preface which made me weep with joy and delight that there are others out there who feel as I do.
Using the books as her guide (and following the Narnia chronology rather than publishing chronology although I still insist on reading them in the latter order!) she reminds us of the beauty of each story, the richness of the characters, and the light and dark within each one. Katherine also points out the stories behind the stories reflecting Lewis’ formidable knowledge and intellect. She’s also not shy about pointing out issues within the books, inconsistencies etc.. I had never considered the inconsistencies of geography within Narnia and her point that perhaps Lewis didn’t have time for Pauline Baynes’ iconic maps is an interesting point that I’d never thought about.
Katherine doesn’t hide away from the Christian apologetics and dimensions but she also doesn’t linger too long - they’re there but they can also pass you by so readily. I’m a Christian but I never read the Narnia books from that perspective - Aslan is a character in his own right, in the books and in my life.
Katherine’s approach to Susan and how Lewis represents her is interesting. Susan is such a conundrum to any of us who are lovers of Narnia. Was she a reflection of Lewis’ attitude to women, to dismiss them as if being interested in lipstick etc., is a sign of feminine shallowness? Katherine points out what a significant and positive character Susan is in the three books she features in. I wonder if we could see her another way, rather than the apostate. At the end of Prince Caspian she and Peter are told that their time in Narnia is over. Susan has had two experiences in Narnia. The first one, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, she experiences great wonders, is a brave warrior, and is eventually crowned a Queen of Narnia along with her brothers and sister. We know from that book that they reign for a number of years - they grow into adulthood in Narnia, a place of joy and delight. In A Horse and his Boy, we read that there were plans for Susan to marry Rabadash. When they return to England they revert to being children again, but with all that experience and all those memories (this is never discussed in the books!). They return again to save Narnia in Prince Caspian where Susan is again required to be a warrior queen who is just and kind. Then she disappears from the story apart from sniping comments. Any of us who love Narnia - imagine if we had been Susan and we had lived in Narnia and experienced all that she had, including being so close to Aslan? Imagine then being told that you would never experience it again - too old for Narnia! I can go to Narnia every time I pick up the book (actually Narnia is a world that runs parallel to my own so I’m pretty much back and forth on a daily basis!) but Susan has this extraordinary experience and then has it taken away. Perhaps she chose to go in the direction decried in the books because that was her only way of coping with having Narnia stripped from her - a place where she was a somebody, and a pretty darn good somebody. And my hope is that when she died she would end up back with them as someone who would look at Aslan with love and be welcomed back into the land to which she gave so much and which clearly meant the world to her.
The Last Battle is a difficult books for many of us, I imagine. Katherine isn’t so keen on it! But she gives it a fair hearing! For me it is a joyous ending (I always weep when Reepicheep appears) and I have, since reading these books, seen this world as a shadowland of Narnia, where I glimpse occasional sights/sites of Narnia (clouds and seascapes reminding me of Cair Paravel) and maybe, just maybe, Aslan and Reepicheep et al are waiting there for me. Although, to be fair, I’m more of a Puddleglum!
It’s a beautiful book and complements the series perfectly.
Katherine takes us through her nine year old self’s understanding and of her adult understanding of these beautiful books. She tackles the difficulties of some of Lewis’ views (the attributes he gives to the Calormenes, the view he has of schools, and his occasional views of girls/women, although the latter has to be compared with his making girls heroes within his stories - equal to the boys).
Katherine’s love for the books comes through strongly - as does Brian Sibley’s love in the preface which made me weep with joy and delight that there are others out there who feel as I do.
Using the books as her guide (and following the Narnia chronology rather than publishing chronology although I still insist on reading them in the latter order!) she reminds us of the beauty of each story, the richness of the characters, and the light and dark within each one. Katherine also points out the stories behind the stories reflecting Lewis’ formidable knowledge and intellect. She’s also not shy about pointing out issues within the books, inconsistencies etc.. I had never considered the inconsistencies of geography within Narnia and her point that perhaps Lewis didn’t have time for Pauline Baynes’ iconic maps is an interesting point that I’d never thought about.
Katherine doesn’t hide away from the Christian apologetics and dimensions but she also doesn’t linger too long - they’re there but they can also pass you by so readily. I’m a Christian but I never read the Narnia books from that perspective - Aslan is a character in his own right, in the books and in my life.
Katherine’s approach to Susan and how Lewis represents her is interesting. Susan is such a conundrum to any of us who are lovers of Narnia. Was she a reflection of Lewis’ attitude to women, to dismiss them as if being interested in lipstick etc., is a sign of feminine shallowness? Katherine points out what a significant and positive character Susan is in the three books she features in. I wonder if we could see her another way, rather than the apostate. At the end of Prince Caspian she and Peter are told that their time in Narnia is over. Susan has had two experiences in Narnia. The first one, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, she experiences great wonders, is a brave warrior, and is eventually crowned a Queen of Narnia along with her brothers and sister. We know from that book that they reign for a number of years - they grow into adulthood in Narnia, a place of joy and delight. In A Horse and his Boy, we read that there were plans for Susan to marry Rabadash. When they return to England they revert to being children again, but with all that experience and all those memories (this is never discussed in the books!). They return again to save Narnia in Prince Caspian where Susan is again required to be a warrior queen who is just and kind. Then she disappears from the story apart from sniping comments. Any of us who love Narnia - imagine if we had been Susan and we had lived in Narnia and experienced all that she had, including being so close to Aslan? Imagine then being told that you would never experience it again - too old for Narnia! I can go to Narnia every time I pick up the book (actually Narnia is a world that runs parallel to my own so I’m pretty much back and forth on a daily basis!) but Susan has this extraordinary experience and then has it taken away. Perhaps she chose to go in the direction decried in the books because that was her only way of coping with having Narnia stripped from her - a place where she was a somebody, and a pretty darn good somebody. And my hope is that when she died she would end up back with them as someone who would look at Aslan with love and be welcomed back into the land to which she gave so much and which clearly meant the world to her.
The Last Battle is a difficult books for many of us, I imagine. Katherine isn’t so keen on it! But she gives it a fair hearing! For me it is a joyous ending (I always weep when Reepicheep appears) and I have, since reading these books, seen this world as a shadowland of Narnia, where I glimpse occasional sights/sites of Narnia (clouds and seascapes reminding me of Cair Paravel) and maybe, just maybe, Aslan and Reepicheep et al are waiting there for me. Although, to be fair, I’m more of a Puddleglum!
It’s a beautiful book and complements the series perfectly.
July 18, 2021
As a lover of the Chronicles of Narnia since childhood, this book was right up my alley! I enjoyed the way the author wrote about her adult insights into Lewis’s works, while also relating how they affected her childhood. Any ardent fan of C.S. Lewis will want to experience this insightful book (perhaps while inside a big closet/wardrobe, with the door just slightly ajar.)😉
*Thanks to Netgalley for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions are strictly my own.*
*Thanks to Netgalley for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions are strictly my own.*
June 14, 2021
C. S. Lewis changed my life. He certainly influenced the way I thought, though it didn’t quite work out as you might imagine.
From the Afterword.
In a way that doesn’t quite apply to Middle-earth, Narnia’s magic seems to affect adults and children quite differently. And adults who only read C S Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia in childhood tend to report a nostalgic delight, unlike readers like me, who only became acquainted with them in later life, and whose visits have proved rather more troublesome and even disturbing.
Katherine Langrish has done both, the initial visits and the later return, and this (along with being an accomplished writer herself) puts her in a good position to provide this guide for readers of more mature years. She began honing her skills as a writer with what we’d now call fanfic, eagerly writing her own Tales of Narnia, so when she subtitles her book ‘travels in Narnia with my nine year-old self’ she attempts that difficult balancing trick of simultaneously imagining herself at that impressionable age while observing from her adult perspective.
That she succeeds is of huge benefit for her readers if, like me, one is persuaded to both see with the eyes of one of the target audience and also observe with the mind of the adult critic. Like before and after photos placed side by side of a slightly decrepit house in the process of restoration one is able to see the details of the original building as well as the work done in revealing its materials and structure, all before it’s reassembled into an edifice fit for purpose and a new lease of life.
We’re taken through all seven books in what’s sometimes called the Narniad: they’re treated according to the chronology of the narrative rather than the order of publication, a process approved by Lewis for readers once all the instalments had appeared. We discover the creation of Narnia in The Magician’s Nephew and are introduced to Aslan and Jadis the Witch, both of whom reappear in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the best known of the tales. Langrish has justifiably harsh words to say about The Horse and his Boy, both as a child and an adult, but points out its positive points. Prince Caspian again stars the Pevensie children from The Lion>, with Caspian serving as a link with the next book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. So far the geography of these new lands has taken us via the Wood Between the Worlds to Narnia, thence to Archenland and Calormen and across the Great Eastern Ocean; The Silver Chair will lead us across Ettinsmoor to Harfang in the Wild Lands of the North. The Last Battle draws us back to Narnia for a final showdown and what may be seen either as the logical end to all these events or the biggest and cruelest disappointment ever, which for child and adult alike could seem like a betrayal.
Through all this Langrish is an able guide, pointing out what delighted her nine year-old self and what went over her head, but she also adds in the details that have become more evident to her over the intervening decades. Many of these take the form of analogues and sources that both inspired Lewis and fed into the saga. These vary widely, from Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress to MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin and its sequel, from Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytales to Edith Nesbit’s The Story of the Amulet, from classical mythology to the medieval texts that he taught in his day job at Oxford, from The Arabian Nights to Christian theology and the Bible. Such a weird jumble of influences that exasperated his fellow author Tolkien for mixing fauns and talking animals and Father Christmas, for blurring the line between analogue and allegory, and for general carelessness in plotting and so on. The adult Langrish points out all these borrowings and transformations and is even-handed to awarding bouquets and brickbats; the younger Langrish was troubled by the disappearance of the familiar as the saga worked towards its conclusion.
She takes issue with a piece Philip Pullman wrote in the 1990s critiquing what he saw as the shortcomings of Lewis’s chronicles, including what Pullman saw as misogynistic treatment of female protagonists. I don’t disagree with her assessment of Pullman’s blanket criticism but it’s interesting, isn’t it, that Pullman uses so many motifs common to the Narniad in His Dark Materials, from a wardrobe to other worlds, from talking animals (now in the form of dæmons and armoured bears) to sea voyages and epic battles involving a Creator (the Authority in place of Aslan). We even have the beguiling of a child by a witch-like figure when Mrs Coulter grooms Lyra, as Jadis groomed Edmund. Interestingly, though Langrish includes Michael Ward’s Planet Narnia in her bibliography she chooses not to discuss Lewis’s probable appropriation of planetary symbols for his septet of books, I suspect because she had more than enough material for her purposes.
This is, I must admit, my kind of book. It appeals both to my nerdish nature in numerating so many motivic parallels, and to my emotional self which had very strong reactions, some good and some bad, to my first full read of all seven volumes (I’d only read The Lion around half a century ago). From Spare Oom to War Drobe is beautifully and engagingly written, making it easy to follow and accept without reservation. It’s done what I thought mightn’t be possible — make me keen to continue my reread of each chronicle rather than dread the prospect — armed as I now am with a sense of Lewis’s artistry and an appreciation that the Narniad isn’t the clumsy didactic narrative I’d first experienced it as. As the cry in The Last Battle goes, “Farther up and farther in!”
November 7, 2022
Langrish's chatty tone makes this book a pleasure to read, like having a great conversation about Narnia with a (mostly) like-minded friend. It's more than that though, as she also points out lots of interesting antecedents to various Narnian plot threads, far beyond the Christian allegorical elements everyone knows, from sources such as Irish legends, obscure Victorian fairy tales, medieval romances, Edmund Spencer, and E. Nesbit, all of which (except for the borrowing of an ancient queen wreaking havoc in present day London from Nesbit) had gone completely over my head, in adult and childhood readings alike. To an extent she takes J.R.R. Tolkien's famous disapproval of Narnia for being a mishmash of mythological traditions and turns it on its head, suggesting that's part of what makes Narnia fun. She also has a lot to say about "The problem of Susan" and her childhood sense of betrayal over The Last Battle. Her favorite of the series seems to be The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and I agree with her there.
August 5, 2022
A pleasant read, with which I mostly agreed.
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/202...
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/202...
May 18, 2021
I loved this book. I'm the obvious audience for it, but I particularly liked the care with which Langrish blended her memories of childhood reading with the growing awareness of the adult reader of the depths of the books. Langrish doesn't skate over the problems often pausing to do a literary head desk.
Am I the only person tho' who adored The Last Battle?
Am I the only person tho' who adored The Last Battle?
June 20, 2021
A brilliant book. I want 10 stars …
It’s a long time since I found myself sidelining, annotating and commenting in the text as I read … I don’t agree with Langrish on everything but so much resonated with me and there were so many revelations I was ignorant of that I feel I can’t waste a moment in re-reading the Narnia canon, Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis, The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition and anything else that seems relevant . Oh yes definitely time to get around to reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo. I might even have a shot at Paradise Lost.
It’s a long time since I found myself sidelining, annotating and commenting in the text as I read … I don’t agree with Langrish on everything but so much resonated with me and there were so many revelations I was ignorant of that I feel I can’t waste a moment in re-reading the Narnia canon, Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis, The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition and anything else that seems relevant . Oh yes definitely time to get around to reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo. I might even have a shot at Paradise Lost.
April 23, 2021
Not quite a memoir about the author's experience reading Narnia, not quite a scholarly analysis of the Narnia series, but somewhere in between and both sections are fascinating and entertaining. Also quite interesting because it's willing to critique and disagree with Lewis in a constructive way, which is something you perhaps don't see enough of in American writers (at least within the Christian evangelical world).
January 15, 2022
it was a pleasure revisiting Narnia, and learning new things about some of the source material, except for the part about The Last Battle, which is it not a pleasure to be reminded of (the horses....)
May 21, 2021
I’ve been looking forward to this book and especially enjoyed Langrish’s tracing of folkloric and literary sources and analogues for various events and elements in the Chronicles. At one point she notes that Lewis felt Freudian literary interpretations were boring because they seemed to reduce everything to the same few possibilities. This is how I feel about biographical approaches that trace story elements to events from the author’s life and experiences, and there’s more of this kind of thing that I would have liked, but it doesn’t overwhelm. I’ve been reading and re-reading the Narnia books (or having them read to me) since I was even younger than Langrish, but I still learned a lot from this book and even though I disagreed with some of her interpretations, I found this to be an appreciative yet balanced reading.
June 24, 2021
A fabulous and interesting book. Langrish wears her scholarship lightly and manages to interweave 'adult' thoughts and reflections on the books (with discursions into Plato, Milton, and mediaeval writers, as you'd expect from someone thinking about Lewis) and also recapture the genuine excitement of reading these books as a 9-year-old (and the extent to which one can live inside books at that age - not just a reader, but a Narnian).
I thought the "discussions with my 9-year-old self" bit would be very twee, and suspected the lack of focus in the analysis/reflection would make this another in the usual publishing line of My Thoughts On Lewis (see Through The Bible with CS Lewis, How Narnia Is Just Like My MegaChurch, Why Lewis Ruined My Childhood, etc.) but my worries turned out to be unfounded.
Langrish's occasional sideswipes at Lewis's detractors sometimes feel a little clumsy and petty. I would have preferred her to let her prose and arguments stand for themselves, rather than being accompanied each time by 'and that's why UR RONG PULLMAN' (Pullman is wrong, though). She has one of the more sophisticated arguments about The Problem of Susan that I've read- a welcome antidote to both 'sides' of the debate, and is also clear-eyed about where and how Lewis is really, really racist.
Definitely one to read for anyone who is a critical friend of Narnia.
I thought the "discussions with my 9-year-old self" bit would be very twee, and suspected the lack of focus in the analysis/reflection would make this another in the usual publishing line of My Thoughts On Lewis (see Through The Bible with CS Lewis, How Narnia Is Just Like My MegaChurch, Why Lewis Ruined My Childhood, etc.) but my worries turned out to be unfounded.
Langrish's occasional sideswipes at Lewis's detractors sometimes feel a little clumsy and petty. I would have preferred her to let her prose and arguments stand for themselves, rather than being accompanied each time by 'and that's why UR RONG PULLMAN' (Pullman is wrong, though). She has one of the more sophisticated arguments about The Problem of Susan that I've read- a welcome antidote to both 'sides' of the debate, and is also clear-eyed about where and how Lewis is really, really racist.
Definitely one to read for anyone who is a critical friend of Narnia.
May 30, 2021
I'd give it 4½ stars. There is so much to delight in as we accompany Langrish in her re-reading of the Chronicles. (I accept her decision to discuss them in order of internal chronology, though I think it's better to read them in publication order.)
She deftly explores many connections and possible allusions, with due recognition of the importance of differences of style, purpose and treatment - something that is often overlooked. Indeed, I'd never considered The Silver Chair (my favorite of the series) as possibly reflecting some aspects of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (which I also love), and I was prepared to resist the comparison, but she utterly disarmed me by noting the similarities without overplaying them.
I certainly agree with her defense of the remarkably equal-opportunity approach to gender, esp. among the human children who serve as viewpoint characters, protagonists, and hero(in)es.
I even concur with her discussion of the structural weaknesses of Prince Caspian and The Last Battle.
A little ironically, in light of Sibley's assertion that she "re-appraises [the] stories with the experience gained from literary knowledge and spiritual understanding" (p. 10), I think that when she goes wrong, she mostly does so due to lack of spiritual understanding and (to my mind, unwarranted) assumptions about Lewis's attitudes. For example, I think she confuses cause and effect with respect to Eustace; vegetarianism and progressive views can be the 'fruits' of priggishness, but not the cause of it. But where Langrish and I split ways most emphatically is on the so-called "Problem of Susan". I don't think Lewis abandons her; we don't know if she will ultimately be saved or not; and I absolutely disagree that her friends and relations are playing a "catty blame-game" (p. 261). (See leesmyth.blogspot.com/2019/07/susan-p... for an introduction to my own views on the subject.)
She deftly explores many connections and possible allusions, with due recognition of the importance of differences of style, purpose and treatment - something that is often overlooked. Indeed, I'd never considered The Silver Chair (my favorite of the series) as possibly reflecting some aspects of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (which I also love), and I was prepared to resist the comparison, but she utterly disarmed me by noting the similarities without overplaying them.
I certainly agree with her defense of the remarkably equal-opportunity approach to gender, esp. among the human children who serve as viewpoint characters, protagonists, and hero(in)es.
I even concur with her discussion of the structural weaknesses of Prince Caspian and The Last Battle.
A little ironically, in light of Sibley's assertion that she "re-appraises [the] stories with the experience gained from literary knowledge and spiritual understanding" (p. 10), I think that when she goes wrong, she mostly does so due to lack of spiritual understanding and (to my mind, unwarranted) assumptions about Lewis's attitudes. For example, I think she confuses cause and effect with respect to Eustace; vegetarianism and progressive views can be the 'fruits' of priggishness, but not the cause of it. But where Langrish and I split ways most emphatically is on the so-called "Problem of Susan". I don't think Lewis abandons her; we don't know if she will ultimately be saved or not; and I absolutely disagree that her friends and relations are playing a "catty blame-game" (p. 261). (See leesmyth.blogspot.com/2019/07/susan-p... for an introduction to my own views on the subject.)
July 16, 2021
Marvellous. Rather like having the intricacies and allusions of a beloved set of books explained by a patient, genial and amusing aunt. So many “Aha! So that’s what Lewis meant!” moments. Could easily have descended into an overlong A-level English Literature essay, but mercifully, did not.
May 18, 2021
This review may contain some minor spoilers for the Narnia books (but I would recommend reading the Narnia books first anyway!).
I love the Narnia books. I read all of them at least annually through my childhood. Over the last year I have read the first (TLTW&TW the first time, to avoid the spoilers at the end of TMN!) with LittleOne (then 7) and finally finished the whole series with BigOne (around his 10th birthday).
I enjoyed From Spare Oom to War Drobe. I discovered very many references in, and inspiration to, the Narnia books which I might never have known otherwise. Katherine Langrish clearly loves the Narnia stories and this shines through the whole book. Nevertheless, she is happy to engage with criticism of the books, both accepting those arguments she agrees with, and tackling that which is unfair.
The author draws out themes through the books, and I had more than one moment of thinking “How had I never spotted that?”.
Where I differ from the author, is that while I first loved the Narnia books for the stories themselves, I think the reason they have grown with me is down to my faith and that has only increased my enjoyment of them. Still, I am pleased so many adults still like the Narnia books, and if you fall in this category, whatever your own reasons, I think you will find a lot to interest you in From Spare Oom to War Drobe.
Thank-you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
TLTW&TW= The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
TMN= The Magician’s Nephew
I love the Narnia books. I read all of them at least annually through my childhood. Over the last year I have read the first (TLTW&TW the first time, to avoid the spoilers at the end of TMN!) with LittleOne (then 7) and finally finished the whole series with BigOne (around his 10th birthday).
I enjoyed From Spare Oom to War Drobe. I discovered very many references in, and inspiration to, the Narnia books which I might never have known otherwise. Katherine Langrish clearly loves the Narnia stories and this shines through the whole book. Nevertheless, she is happy to engage with criticism of the books, both accepting those arguments she agrees with, and tackling that which is unfair.
The author draws out themes through the books, and I had more than one moment of thinking “How had I never spotted that?”.
Where I differ from the author, is that while I first loved the Narnia books for the stories themselves, I think the reason they have grown with me is down to my faith and that has only increased my enjoyment of them. Still, I am pleased so many adults still like the Narnia books, and if you fall in this category, whatever your own reasons, I think you will find a lot to interest you in From Spare Oom to War Drobe.
Thank-you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
TLTW&TW= The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
TMN= The Magician’s Nephew
October 22, 2021
I did a reread of all the Narnia books last December, and they absolutely hold up. I stayed up late on weeknights to race through them, and they were as delightful, if not more,than when I had read them as a child. It's quite a coincidence that this book is published this year, so soon after my Narnia reread! This is an excellent companion piece to Lewis' masterpieces. It's written not just as a fan, but someone with a deep interest in children's literature and CS Lewis' writing in general. That makes this not only very entertaining, but very informative and it's definitely enhanced my appreciation of the books. There are several connections, that I didn't make - for instance, the similarity between the experiences of Diggory and Polly with Jadis in London and the Babylonian queen in The Story of the amulet, that I was absolutely thrilled to read about, given my love for Edith Nesbit's books. When I read The Chronicles of Narnia as a child, it never struck me as Christian allegory at all- possibly because I haven't been raised in the faith! Even in my reread as an adult, it isn't overt religious propaganda at all. The book takes in Lewis' Christian faith and how some things that happen in the books have echoes in Christianity, but I appreciate that the author also recognises that focussing on that would be to ignore the absolutely magical world Lewis has created. She takes in the criticisms of the books as well, charges of sexism ( quite unfair, given that the women make for both the best protagonists and the best villains) and racism ( not entirely unfair, if not too egregious), and addresses them very intelligently. During my reread of Narnia last year, I was struck by how much more I appreciated The Last Battle , a book I usually avoided reading because of its sad ending. This time round, Shift and his reign of terror, and his ascension to power hit too close to home with politics playing out very similarly, and across the world where we're seeing a rise of demagogues and unchecked propaganda. The Last Battle suddenly feels like a far more perceptive book than I had ever given it credit for, and I loved that Langrish drew these parallels too. I absolutely enjoyed this book, and it's inspired me to yet another Narnia reread, since my Wardrobe clearly isn't getting me there!! ( I've tried)
April 24, 2021
Who doesn’t love the Narnia book series so when i saw this i wanted to read it without knowing what to expect from it. Im not sure what i imagined when i picked it up but it was definitely not what i got, which was so much better than i had imagined.
The author share’s her experience reading the series as a kid and as an adult. Shares info about essays that talk about the good and the bad while also shares her frustration with the author over some parts of the series. All in all it made me want to read this and the series side by side so as to read the Narnian series in a new light.
Received a free arc from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The author share’s her experience reading the series as a kid and as an adult. Shares info about essays that talk about the good and the bad while also shares her frustration with the author over some parts of the series. All in all it made me want to read this and the series side by side so as to read the Narnian series in a new light.
Received a free arc from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Read
July 10, 2022Read this to finish off the Narniathon - it was nice to revisit the stories, and Langrish had some interesting commentary to make, but there was way too much plot summary. The book cannot be for someone who hasn't read the Narnia books -- they wouldn't be interested in all the sources for something they have not read yet, and reading Langrish's paraphrases would only spoil the experience for them -- and for someone who has read them, is it really necessary to go on at such length? It was more of a book-length paraphrase with a few notes scattered within, than an original book in its own right.
And most of the notes were about comparisons to literary sources of similar motifs and plotlines, which were interesting, but there is so much more to say. What about Lewis's life? What about what was going on in history and society? What about theological ideas? The latter is touched on a bit, the others hardly at all.
Some good things:
I had not noticed how full the books are of blood, vs. the bloodlessness of Tolkien, so that was an interesting point. Battles and blood have always been something I skip over and don't imagine very thoroughly though.
"Lewis is most successful when he works within the framework of his imaginary world, not when he tries to break out of it." (Introduction) True.
"This isn't a story 'about' repentance and baptism: this is the _experience_ of which repentance and baptism are the symbols." (Voyage of the Dawn Treader, about Eustace's undragoning) A neat way to put it, and points up the importance of seeing the stories as something in their own right and not just allegories.
Further to that, she quotes Lewis writing of Bunyan, "We ought not to be thinking 'this green valley where the shepherd boy is singing, represents humility,'; we ought to be discovering, as we read, that humility is like that green valley." (The Silver Chair) This is why the Narnia books succeed, when they do: they give us an experience of discovery of imaginative realities. When they try too hard to hit us over the head with Messages, as in The Last Battle, they don't work.
"What I drew from the Narnia books has stayed with me for life: the colour, richness and beauty, the breadth, depth, and glory of the world." (The Silver Chair) My sentiments exactly.
The critique of The Last Battle is good. Again, I didn't notice the inconsistencies or stupid strategic moves of Tirian as a battle leader, because I never care much about battles and cannot keep geography or strategy straight in my head. I must say that I never get bored with Lewis's battles, though, unlike Tolkien's. He keeps up the storytelling pace marvellously.
I entirely agree with Langrish's critique of the treatment of Susan (the worst thing is that her family seems to write her off completely), and Emeth the Token Good Calormene, who really has no likeable qualities and also worships a horrible demon.
Oh, in the Horse and His Boy chapter she points out that Calormene can't have any magical or beautiful qualities, which could certainly well have been borrowed from the Oriental stories Lewis was imitating, because it is conceived of as the Anti-Narnia. An artistic mistake on Lewis's part, I think, which is why Horse is so dull and disappointing compared to the other books -- but completely in line with his ideological program, the worst thing about Narnia.
And most of the notes were about comparisons to literary sources of similar motifs and plotlines, which were interesting, but there is so much more to say. What about Lewis's life? What about what was going on in history and society? What about theological ideas? The latter is touched on a bit, the others hardly at all.
Some good things:
I had not noticed how full the books are of blood, vs. the bloodlessness of Tolkien, so that was an interesting point. Battles and blood have always been something I skip over and don't imagine very thoroughly though.
"Lewis is most successful when he works within the framework of his imaginary world, not when he tries to break out of it." (Introduction) True.
"This isn't a story 'about' repentance and baptism: this is the _experience_ of which repentance and baptism are the symbols." (Voyage of the Dawn Treader, about Eustace's undragoning) A neat way to put it, and points up the importance of seeing the stories as something in their own right and not just allegories.
Further to that, she quotes Lewis writing of Bunyan, "We ought not to be thinking 'this green valley where the shepherd boy is singing, represents humility,'; we ought to be discovering, as we read, that humility is like that green valley." (The Silver Chair) This is why the Narnia books succeed, when they do: they give us an experience of discovery of imaginative realities. When they try too hard to hit us over the head with Messages, as in The Last Battle, they don't work.
"What I drew from the Narnia books has stayed with me for life: the colour, richness and beauty, the breadth, depth, and glory of the world." (The Silver Chair) My sentiments exactly.
The critique of The Last Battle is good. Again, I didn't notice the inconsistencies or stupid strategic moves of Tirian as a battle leader, because I never care much about battles and cannot keep geography or strategy straight in my head. I must say that I never get bored with Lewis's battles, though, unlike Tolkien's. He keeps up the storytelling pace marvellously.
I entirely agree with Langrish's critique of the treatment of Susan (the worst thing is that her family seems to write her off completely), and Emeth the Token Good Calormene, who really has no likeable qualities and also worships a horrible demon.
Oh, in the Horse and His Boy chapter she points out that Calormene can't have any magical or beautiful qualities, which could certainly well have been borrowed from the Oriental stories Lewis was imitating, because it is conceived of as the Anti-Narnia. An artistic mistake on Lewis's part, I think, which is why Horse is so dull and disappointing compared to the other books -- but completely in line with his ideological program, the worst thing about Narnia.
July 6, 2021
This proved to be an enjoyably, thoughtful and loving look at the mythologies and ideas behind Narnia, both the good and the problematic.
If you are interested in the stories and tales that influenced Narnia, then it has a lot to offer and is a great read. There are countless Fairytales I feel I should go away and look up now. And lots of threads to follow.
My biggest problem with Narnia as an adult reader, are the more sanctimonious elements of the story. The didactic teaching of Aslan, which seem very prescriptive and unwieldy and also have such a specific Church of England perspective.
Katherine Langrish is a big fan of Narnia, and I don't think she discusses those religious issues in as much she could. For me, Lev Grossman's brilliant fictional Magicians Trilogy, inspired by Narnia, succeeds in skewering some of the insufferable, didactic elements of Aslan the best.
I also think a really interesting comparative study could be written about Narnia in terms of other fantasy fables that were contemporary to it, or came after. Katherine Langrish brings up Lord of the Rings and Alice, but I think it would be interesting to compare Narnia to other portal worlds and paracosm that came after, especially things with a religious or fable. or Jungian element, like The Wizard of Earthsea, or The Alchemist.
I think what attracts me about the religious elements in those stories is that the characters epiphanies and awakening are all internal, where as in Lewis everything feels so external. God is a character separate from you, and you are a character separate from the world. And everything is pre-ordained. Even the epiphanies are kind of external to the characters. Or perhaps that is just the way it comes across in that type of children's book from that era.
And perhaps there is another book possible that could deal with these ideas.
But I think the really great strength of this book is it putting Narnia in the context of traditional Fairy tales and religious parables and even Children's book that came before it, and how those fed into Lewis's ideas for his fictional fantasy world.
If you are interested in the stories and tales that influenced Narnia, then it has a lot to offer and is a great read. There are countless Fairytales I feel I should go away and look up now. And lots of threads to follow.
My biggest problem with Narnia as an adult reader, are the more sanctimonious elements of the story. The didactic teaching of Aslan, which seem very prescriptive and unwieldy and also have such a specific Church of England perspective.
Katherine Langrish is a big fan of Narnia, and I don't think she discusses those religious issues in as much she could. For me, Lev Grossman's brilliant fictional Magicians Trilogy, inspired by Narnia, succeeds in skewering some of the insufferable, didactic elements of Aslan the best.
I also think a really interesting comparative study could be written about Narnia in terms of other fantasy fables that were contemporary to it, or came after. Katherine Langrish brings up Lord of the Rings and Alice, but I think it would be interesting to compare Narnia to other portal worlds and paracosm that came after, especially things with a religious or fable. or Jungian element, like The Wizard of Earthsea, or The Alchemist.
I think what attracts me about the religious elements in those stories is that the characters epiphanies and awakening are all internal, where as in Lewis everything feels so external. God is a character separate from you, and you are a character separate from the world. And everything is pre-ordained. Even the epiphanies are kind of external to the characters. Or perhaps that is just the way it comes across in that type of children's book from that era.
And perhaps there is another book possible that could deal with these ideas.
But I think the really great strength of this book is it putting Narnia in the context of traditional Fairy tales and religious parables and even Children's book that came before it, and how those fed into Lewis's ideas for his fictional fantasy world.
July 4, 2023
Like Katherine Langrish, I was a Narnia fanatic as a child. I eagerly looked forward to receiving new volumes for birthdays, and while I got rid of almost all my childhood books in various house moves, the original hardbacks, plus a couple of Puffin paperbacks, are with me still, all somewhat tattered. As well as re-reading them myself, I read all of them aloud to my younger sisters, some multiple times.
Of course I realised pretty soon how heavily some of the books relied on Christian imagery and morals (notably The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe and The Last Battle), but here Langrish devotes a chapter to each book, analysing not only the Bible sources but introducing many other sources of myth, fable, and metaphor -- including other children's fiction, such as E. Nesbit, and even philosophy (Plato). She reveals herself to be incredibly well read, as indeed was C.S. Lewis. It is interesting to see how he weaves these diverse sources into his stories, sometimes sticking closely to the original, other times transforming them. And with all this erudition, he still knew how to capture a child's imagination. Of course you don't need to know all this stuff to enjoy the stories.
Langrish also deals with the instances of casual racism (the Calormenes) and of course The Susan Problem. It's hard to accuse Lewis of sexism generally -- girls in these stories often take the initiative, with leading roles in adventures and strong moral principles. Why does Susan, who has been both brave and practical, get effectively excommunicated? Like me, Langrish dislikes The Last Battle for this and other reasons. I'm glad to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair are among her favourites, although unlike her I have a soft spot for Prince Caspian too.
There might be a bit too much plot summarising here -- it's clearly a book for Narnia geeks, so it seems unnecessary. But if you are a Narnia geek, it's a quick and enjoyable read.
Of course I realised pretty soon how heavily some of the books relied on Christian imagery and morals (notably The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe and The Last Battle), but here Langrish devotes a chapter to each book, analysing not only the Bible sources but introducing many other sources of myth, fable, and metaphor -- including other children's fiction, such as E. Nesbit, and even philosophy (Plato). She reveals herself to be incredibly well read, as indeed was C.S. Lewis. It is interesting to see how he weaves these diverse sources into his stories, sometimes sticking closely to the original, other times transforming them. And with all this erudition, he still knew how to capture a child's imagination. Of course you don't need to know all this stuff to enjoy the stories.
Langrish also deals with the instances of casual racism (the Calormenes) and of course The Susan Problem. It's hard to accuse Lewis of sexism generally -- girls in these stories often take the initiative, with leading roles in adventures and strong moral principles. Why does Susan, who has been both brave and practical, get effectively excommunicated? Like me, Langrish dislikes The Last Battle for this and other reasons. I'm glad to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair are among her favourites, although unlike her I have a soft spot for Prince Caspian too.
There might be a bit too much plot summarising here -- it's clearly a book for Narnia geeks, so it seems unnecessary. But if you are a Narnia geek, it's a quick and enjoyable read.
August 18, 2023
My thanks to Darton Longman Todd for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘From Spare Oom to War Drobe: Travels in Narnia with my nine-year-old self’ by Katherine Langrish. It was originally published in April 2021. I have since purchased its hardback edition.
What a wonderful book this was. At the age of nine
Katherine Langrish had fallen deeply in love with The Chronicles of Narnia and longed to live there. She even wrote her own Narnia stories. Of course, time passed and other books took their place.
Recently she had wondered what they might they mean to her as an adult. She decided to reread the Chronicles with this in mind and the result was this book. In essence ‘From Spare Oom to War Drobe’ is a love letter to that early passion as well as a reappraisal of The Chronicles of Narnia in the light of maturity and changing tastes.
I felt that Katherine Langrish did well in providing a detailed analysis of the seven Narnia books, including Lewis’ inspirations, while conveying both a sense of her original wonder and what the books mean to her today.
She writes in a very accessible style. There are plenty of footnotes and a bibliography.
Like Katherine I was enchanted by Narnia and this led to my lifelong interest in mythology and magical worlds. I will admit that there were a few times while reading when my eyes filled with tears as I was moved by her words that served to evoke my own memories.
Overall, I found ‘From Spare Oom to War Drobe’ a joy to read and would certainly recommend it.
What a wonderful book this was. At the age of nine
Katherine Langrish had fallen deeply in love with The Chronicles of Narnia and longed to live there. She even wrote her own Narnia stories. Of course, time passed and other books took their place.
Recently she had wondered what they might they mean to her as an adult. She decided to reread the Chronicles with this in mind and the result was this book. In essence ‘From Spare Oom to War Drobe’ is a love letter to that early passion as well as a reappraisal of The Chronicles of Narnia in the light of maturity and changing tastes.
I felt that Katherine Langrish did well in providing a detailed analysis of the seven Narnia books, including Lewis’ inspirations, while conveying both a sense of her original wonder and what the books mean to her today.
She writes in a very accessible style. There are plenty of footnotes and a bibliography.
Like Katherine I was enchanted by Narnia and this led to my lifelong interest in mythology and magical worlds. I will admit that there were a few times while reading when my eyes filled with tears as I was moved by her words that served to evoke my own memories.
Overall, I found ‘From Spare Oom to War Drobe’ a joy to read and would certainly recommend it.
July 25, 2021
This is an excellent addition to a crowded field - I have read a lot of books about the Chronicles of Narnia but I really enjoyed Langrish's approach - a mixture of reading memoir and literary appreciation.
There is a huge weight of scholarship behind this book, as Langrish explores a wide range of sources for Lewis's work, including some not previously discussed, from E. Nesbit to Spenser and Milton, but the book wears this very lightly, and it remains a lively, engaging and accessible read throughout. Langrish's personal engagement is part of what makes the book so enjoyable - she guides us through the novel both as her original nine-year-old self reading the novels for the first time, and as an adult re-evaluating them in the light of contemporary criticisms and concerns. This personal engagement is illuminating without overshadowing Narnia itself. I also liked the way that Langrish tackled various criticisms of Narnia - she offers a spirited defence of Lewis against a number of charges but is also happy to concede some flaws within the novels.
Overall, I found Langrish's approach insightful and illuminating and it has made me eager to return to the original Narnia stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free online copy of the book in exchange for this review.
There is a huge weight of scholarship behind this book, as Langrish explores a wide range of sources for Lewis's work, including some not previously discussed, from E. Nesbit to Spenser and Milton, but the book wears this very lightly, and it remains a lively, engaging and accessible read throughout. Langrish's personal engagement is part of what makes the book so enjoyable - she guides us through the novel both as her original nine-year-old self reading the novels for the first time, and as an adult re-evaluating them in the light of contemporary criticisms and concerns. This personal engagement is illuminating without overshadowing Narnia itself. I also liked the way that Langrish tackled various criticisms of Narnia - she offers a spirited defence of Lewis against a number of charges but is also happy to concede some flaws within the novels.
Overall, I found Langrish's approach insightful and illuminating and it has made me eager to return to the original Narnia stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free online copy of the book in exchange for this review.
June 17, 2021
Katherine Langrish fell in love with the Chronicles of Narnia as a young girl, even going so far as to write her own collection of short stories set in C. S. Lewis's fantasy world. Now, as an adult, she rereads and reappraises the books. What will they mean to her at this point in her life?
Based on the charming title and publisher's description, I was expecting a book along the lines of The Wilder Life or other memoirs of that nature. Instead Langrish takes us down a rabbit hole of references, connecting every Lewis character and creation to something that came before. I don't doubt that these references are accurate, but in some places it becomes list-like and dry, instead of engaging my curiosity. She also spends a great deal of time (too much in my opinion) responding to Philip Pullman's critic of the series. For me, there wasn't enough about the author's own relationship to the text or how it has developed over time. The book is scattered and did not hold my attention. All that being said, fans of Narnia who want to delve into the books' influences and how it has been received by critics might enjoy Langrish's work.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Based on the charming title and publisher's description, I was expecting a book along the lines of The Wilder Life or other memoirs of that nature. Instead Langrish takes us down a rabbit hole of references, connecting every Lewis character and creation to something that came before. I don't doubt that these references are accurate, but in some places it becomes list-like and dry, instead of engaging my curiosity. She also spends a great deal of time (too much in my opinion) responding to Philip Pullman's critic of the series. For me, there wasn't enough about the author's own relationship to the text or how it has developed over time. The book is scattered and did not hold my attention. All that being said, fans of Narnia who want to delve into the books' influences and how it has been received by critics might enjoy Langrish's work.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2022
This is a beautifully balanced book. It's full of insights into Lewis's themes & influences throughout the stories of Narnia, showing what he's saying and where he may have been inspired from. There were many connections and ideas I had never noticed. It was truly fascinating as a literature nerd.
At the same time, the author brings in the perspectives of her Nine-Year-Old self, the young girl who truly, deeply loved this series. It was great (and relatable to my own childhood) to get the insights of her personal experience.
Despite her obvious deep love for the books, Katherine Langrish does not hesitate to discuss the more difficult, controversial, and challenging topics. And she doesn't sugarcoat it. Was C.S. Lewis racist? Sexist? Why, why on Earth, did he do that to poor Susan? She tackled these questions with honesty & great depth.
I highly recommend this as a companion for rereading the Chronicles of Narnia. My only real gripe is that it follows the chronological order for the series, whereas I prefer publication order... but that's just me.
At the same time, the author brings in the perspectives of her Nine-Year-Old self, the young girl who truly, deeply loved this series. It was great (and relatable to my own childhood) to get the insights of her personal experience.
Despite her obvious deep love for the books, Katherine Langrish does not hesitate to discuss the more difficult, controversial, and challenging topics. And she doesn't sugarcoat it. Was C.S. Lewis racist? Sexist? Why, why on Earth, did he do that to poor Susan? She tackled these questions with honesty & great depth.
I highly recommend this as a companion for rereading the Chronicles of Narnia. My only real gripe is that it follows the chronological order for the series, whereas I prefer publication order... but that's just me.
August 24, 2021
A fond but fair study of the Narnia series. It revisits each book from the authors understanding and love of them as a nine year old to how her opinions have changed (or not) as an adult. This was especially interesting to me as I've recently rediscovered them (for about the 50th time) as my ten year old has worked her way through the series.
The author has managed to identify some of the more problematic elements of the book without ripping them to shreds and destroying childhood memories. In fact it brought back to me my memory of vowing never to abandon or skip through books after only managing to read Prince Caspian and The Last Battle all the way through as a teenager and realising what I'd been missing....so I can fully blame C.S.Lewis for forcing myself to finish Mr Darcy, Vampyre in my thirties 🤣
This is a joyful but balanced dissertation of the series, filled with literary sources of what might have influenced Lewis. A wonderfully nostalgic and informative read.
The author has managed to identify some of the more problematic elements of the book without ripping them to shreds and destroying childhood memories. In fact it brought back to me my memory of vowing never to abandon or skip through books after only managing to read Prince Caspian and The Last Battle all the way through as a teenager and realising what I'd been missing....so I can fully blame C.S.Lewis for forcing myself to finish Mr Darcy, Vampyre in my thirties 🤣
This is a joyful but balanced dissertation of the series, filled with literary sources of what might have influenced Lewis. A wonderfully nostalgic and informative read.
October 25, 2021
I expected this book to be an overview of Narnia with insights into various themes which C. S. Lewis might have had access to, read himself, or been unaware of. All this is here as we follow Langrish through the seven stories of Narnia, including her thoughts as a child reading the books compared to her thoughts as a grown-up. I was glad she didn't beat the drum too much on the topic of how Lewis' 20th century sensibilities (or not!) didn't match the 21st century thinking, but she does give some thought to this too. I loved how she saw inconsistencies in plot and characters - poor Susan was someone I felt got a bad deal too! Her insights are never laboured but explained very well using original sources.
If this book has done one thing it's to send me back to the source material. Thanks Katherine Langrish
If this book has done one thing it's to send me back to the source material. Thanks Katherine Langrish
July 15, 2021
I loved the way this book was written - Langrish's own childhood reading experience of Narnia blended with her now adult perspective and knowledge of the Chronicles. Whilst retaining a warm, nostalgic tone, Langrish does not shy away from its more problematic aspects such as Lewis's depiction of girls and women, which is vital in a modern literary memoir. I could not fault it - everything you would expect from this book is perfectly delivered and I feel compelled to revisit Lewis's classic series again. Fans of Lucy Mangan's Bookworm will surely love From Spare Oom to War Drobe too, which as a literary memoir is equally well written and honest.
October 1, 2021
The author fell in love with the Chronicles of Narnia as a young girl and even writing her own collection of short stories set in Narnia. As an adult, Katherine rereads and reappraises the books, asking the question what will they mean to her at this point in her life?
Having loved and still rereading The Chronicles o fNarnia even 20 odd years later. I was fascinated to see what Katherine thought of the series. I didn't necessarily agree with all of Langrish's opinions and ideas, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book greatly and appreciating her work
Would recommend to anyone fans of the Narnia series.
#FromSpareOomtoWarDrobe #NetGalley
Having loved and still rereading The Chronicles o fNarnia even 20 odd years later. I was fascinated to see what Katherine thought of the series. I didn't necessarily agree with all of Langrish's opinions and ideas, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book greatly and appreciating her work
Would recommend to anyone fans of the Narnia series.
#FromSpareOomtoWarDrobe #NetGalley
November 9, 2021
Takes each of the 7 Narnia novels in chronological turn. Commenting on each. Praising or not plots, and situations. I first read Narnia at about 9 like the author. I could always see some of the Christian imagery, but not all, like Langrish it did not put me off. Also like her I least liked The Last Battle, but re-reading at 63 this year I enjoyed it more, death is closer nowadays !
A stimulating little book for Narnia lovers.
A stimulating little book for Narnia lovers.
July 25, 2021
As an avid Narnia fan, this book appealed to me from the beginning! I, too, remember reading these books and falling in love with them, returning time and time again, pretending to be either Susan or Lucy and imagining what those years after Narnia were like! I liked walking through each book separately and being told where certain references came from, or other works of writing that he was inspired by. It gave me quite a list of old stories and books to look up! I had a gut feeling partway through the book that the author was not a Christian. And somewhere towards the end, I found out that I was right. She was very critical of the elements of faith in the stories. I would agree with her, that if a child was told outright what he was symbolizing, they may read it with a different lens, but I think that when you come to discover what he is trying to tell you as you get older, you realize how brilliant it is. And I think her religious views wove into this book, garnering more criticism than was necessary. It was a delightful trip back to Narnia, but I found myself taking the opposite opinion of the author too much to really love this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 9, 2021
Highly recommended, full of interesting thoughts and observations about Lewis, Narnia, and her own experiences reading the Chronicles as a child and now. Fascinating and fun.
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