I’m reviewing every book in The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is Book 2. If you watched my review of The Magician’s Nephew, you know I’m going through the whole series in chronological order, which means by the timeline of the Narnia universe. This one was a big step up for me.

Ready for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe book review? Read on!

This book has four main characters and they’re all brothers and sisters. The Pevensies. Peter is the oldest and the smart one. Susan is super kind. Edmund is mischievous, and that’s a big deal in this story. And Lucy is the youngest. She’s joyful and creative, and she’s the first one who finds Narnia.

Then there are the non-human characters. Aslan is a lion and the true King of Narnia, but nobody’s seen him in years. The White Witch (if you read The Magician’s Nephew, you might remember Queen Jadis. This is her.) She’s taken over Narnia. And Mr. Tumnus is a faun who works for the White Witch, but when he meets Lucy in the forest, he has to decide which side he’s really on.

This takes place during World War II. The four Pevensie kids get sent to live in a big old house in the countryside with a professor named Professor Kirke. One day Lucy finds a wardrobe (like a huge closet), pushes through the coats, and ends up in a whole different world called Narnia. But it’s not the Narnia from The Magician’s Nephew. It’s frozen. The White Witch made it always winter, but never Christmas. (Sounds like a nightmare.)

Her siblings don’t believe her at first. They go to the Professor, and he actually tells them he believes Lucy. Then Edmund goes into the wardrobe to prove Lucy wrong! But he gets in too, and he meets a lady on a sledge. That’s the White Witch. She gives him enchanted candy and pretends that he’s a big deal, and Edmund falls for it.

But Edmund’s not the only one with a secret. There’s a lion named Aslan who the Witch is terrified of, and when he shows up, everything changes.

This book is adventurous and fun. There are some intense moments that could be scary to some younger readers, but don’t worry, C.S. Lewis has a plan. It’s fantasy… a magical world, talking animals, battles, and a witch… but there’s also a lot of deeper stuff going on. Friendship, betrayal, sacrifice, and doing the right thing even when it costs you everything.

And don’t forget to look for clues that connect to the Bible. Pay attention to what Aslan does for someone who doesn’t deserve it. Someone who sacrifices everything out of love, even for the person who betrayed him. Sound familiar? C.S. Lewis hid stuff like that all through this book.

Any kid who loves fantasy is going to love this. And if you’ve only seen a Narnia movie, you should still read the book… it has way more detail and you’ll catch things the movie leaves out. The language is a little old-fashioned, but once you get into the story, the writing stops feeling weird.

I’d say start with The Magician’s Nephew if you want the full experience from the beginning. It sets up everything. But you can also start here if you want. If you’re looking for a great The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe book review from a kid who’s reading the whole series, this is it.

This book includes battle scenes, a major character death and resurrection, and the White Witch is frightening in places. The strongest themes are sacrifice, forgiveness, and faith. C.S. Lewis wove Biblical parallels throughout, particularly around Aslan’s sacrifice at the Stone Table.

The language is old-fashioned British English, which Grey found slightly easier than The Magician’s Nephew but still challenging for younger readers.

A Netflix adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew is set for 2027, which means a lot of new readers are about to discover this series. Grey’s reviews are about the books C.S. Lewis wrote, not the films. The original works have stood the test of time and point people to Jesus, which is something we can get behind.