Narnia Reading Challenge | The Silver Chair

The Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge has concluded. I read The Silver Chair but decided not to read any books about Narnia. I'm thinking I need at least a good once or twice through the series before reading something that discusses the entire series.

The Silver Chair was an interesting change after The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, as most of it takes place in underground Narnia where Jill and Eustace must find Prince Rilian and escape from the Emerald Witch. Some characters from the past remain, like Eustace Scrubb, a very old Caspian, and near-deaf Dwarf Trumpkin. The new characters are most interesting: Jill Pole, Caspian's son Rilian, Puddleglum the Marsh-wiggle, talking owls, the Emerald Witch (anyone remember the White Witch?), and gnomes in Underland.

I have to admit that Puddleglum is my favorite character in this book. He's rather pessimistic, but it adds some much-needed humor to the book. His first encounter with Jill and Eustace is especially amusing.

"I'm trying to catch a few eels to make an eel stew for dinner," said Puddleglum. "Though I shouldn't wonder if I didn't get any. And you won't like them much if I do."

     "Why not?" asked Scrubb.

     "Why, it's not in reason that you should like our sort of victuals, though I've no doubt you'll put a bold face on it. All the same, while I am a catching of them, if you two could try to light the fire—no harm trying—! The wood's behind the wigwam. It may be wet. You could light it inside the wigwam, and then we'd get all the smoke in our eyes. Or you could light it outside, and then the rain would come and put it out. Here's my tinder box. You wouldn't know how to use if I expect?"

Of course I'm always happy to read about Aslan, and The Silver Chair has some great scenes with him. I love this part:

     "Son of Adam," said Aslan, "Go into that thicket and pluck the thorn that you will find there, and bring it to me."

     Eustace obeyed. The thorn was a foot long and sharp as a rapier.

     "Drive it into my paw, Son of Adam," said Aslan. . . .

     Then Eustace set his teeth and drove the thorn into the Lion's pad. And there came out a great drop of blood, redder than all redness that you have ever seen or imagined. And it splashed into the stream. . . .

I really wonder if this one is going to be made into a movie. I worry about the whole plot line and all being changed, especially the really good parts with Aslan. I hope not! 

Every time I read a Narnia book I end up sighing a lot, thinking about my not-so-long-ago days of childhood and wishing that I could really go to Narnia and see Aslan. I hope someday I can have a few kiddos to read these stories to because they are just so imaginative and fun.

If you haven't entered Narnia yet . . . what are you waiting for?