Helpful Score: 2
This fantasy-style book did not appeal to me even though I like this author.
A little hard to read (it was written in the 19th century), but you will see where C. S. Lewis got his ideas (big and small) for the Narnia series.
Above all, do not judge this book by todays standards in fantasy - after all, this is one of the classics which set the standards that today's fantasy are failing to come up to.
Didn't like it at all; couldn't finish the book. Fans of C.S. Lewis will like it though.
I read this book first in high school, and have re-read it twice since then, each time liking it more. It is not a simple read, but well worth the time and effort. The ideas are strongly related to the author's faith (he was a pastor), and the elements of fantasy are used to relate the spiritual journey of the main character. At the same time, the story is a lot richer than a simple allegory, and the characters have a personal draw that is lacking in such Christian tales as "Hinds Feet on High Places."
This book gives one a lot to think about, with many different scenarios and themes presented in swift succession. Because it is older and fairly obscure, I find it more engaging to the imagination since it doesn't use a lot of the popular symbolism and euphemisms that make it easy to gloss over so many fantasy stories. Read this book slowly for the full emotional impact, because there's a lot of depth to it.
This book gives one a lot to think about, with many different scenarios and themes presented in swift succession. Because it is older and fairly obscure, I find it more engaging to the imagination since it doesn't use a lot of the popular symbolism and euphemisms that make it easy to gloss over so many fantasy stories. Read this book slowly for the full emotional impact, because there's a lot of depth to it.