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Once Upon a Wardrobe
Megs Devonshire sets out to fulfill her younger brother George’s last wish by uncovering the truth behind his favorite story. The answer provides hope and healing and a magical journey for anyone whose life has ever been changed by a book.
1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it’s just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: “Where did Narnia come from?”
Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C. S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers.
Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he slowly tells her the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life.
Lewis’s answers will reveal to Megs and her family many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.
1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it’s just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: “Where did Narnia come from?”
Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C. S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers.
Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he slowly tells her the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life.
Lewis’s answers will reveal to Megs and her family many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2021
About the author
Patti Callahan Henry
36 books4,997 followersPatti Callahan Henry is a New York Times, Globe and Mail, and USA Today bestselling author of sixteen novels, including her newest, The Secret Book of Flora Lea. She’s also a podcast host of original content for her novels, Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis.
She is the recipient of The Christy Award “Book of the Year”; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the co-host and co-creator of the popular weekly online Friends and Fiction live web show and podcast. Patti also was a contributor to the monthly life lesson essay column for Parade Magazine. She’s published in numerous anthologies, articles, and short story collections, including an Audible Original about Florence Nightingale, titled Wild Swan narrated by the Tony Award winner, Cynthia Erivo.
A full-time author, mother of three, and grandmother of two, she lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama with her husband, Pat Henry.
She is the recipient of The Christy Award “Book of the Year”; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the co-host and co-creator of the popular weekly online Friends and Fiction live web show and podcast. Patti also was a contributor to the monthly life lesson essay column for Parade Magazine. She’s published in numerous anthologies, articles, and short story collections, including an Audible Original about Florence Nightingale, titled Wild Swan narrated by the Tony Award winner, Cynthia Erivo.
A full-time author, mother of three, and grandmother of two, she lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama with her husband, Pat Henry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,227 reviews
June 21, 2021
Dearest Reader, This novel, Once Upon a Wardrobe, is a story that grew out of many other stories, and I hope you love it. I have often wondered about the time in C. S. Lewis’ life when he decided to start The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. What was the origin story? What made him start and then stop and then start again? While I thought about these questions, a young boy named George Devonshire and his sister, Megs visited my imagination. Living in Worcester, England in 1950, seven-year-old George is dying and his seventeen-year old beloved sister can’t save him; she loves him fiercely and will do anything for him. This young boy asks his sister to find the answer to his most pressing question, “Where did Narnia come from?” And she set off to find out -- and I hope you'll enjoy their adventures! Love, Patti
October 13, 2021
I could not have loved it more! 🦁 🧙♀️ 🦁 🧙♀️ 🪄
I’m a huge fan of Patti Callahan (Henry) and an equally huge fan of C.S. Lewis. I already read and loved Becoming Mrs. Lewis, and I could not wait to pick up this book about C.S. Lewis’ early life.
In Once Upon a Wardrobe, college student, Megs Devonshire, on scholarship at Oxford approaches Mr. Lewis for answers about where Narnia came from. She asking on behalf of ill younger brother, who is obsessed with Narnia and the wonder within the pages of a most special book.
When Megs has the opportunity to talk with Mr. Lewis to ask about Narnia, he shares stories about his life, and Megs then shares those same stories with her brother, who finds them as enthralling as his favorite book.
Yes, there is sadness in this story, but it’s more about navigating one’s way through those sad times. It’s also filled with hope and the goodness of others. This is a beautiful, inviting, and poignant book as only Patti Callahan can deliver.
I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I’m a huge fan of Patti Callahan (Henry) and an equally huge fan of C.S. Lewis. I already read and loved Becoming Mrs. Lewis, and I could not wait to pick up this book about C.S. Lewis’ early life.
In Once Upon a Wardrobe, college student, Megs Devonshire, on scholarship at Oxford approaches Mr. Lewis for answers about where Narnia came from. She asking on behalf of ill younger brother, who is obsessed with Narnia and the wonder within the pages of a most special book.
When Megs has the opportunity to talk with Mr. Lewis to ask about Narnia, he shares stories about his life, and Megs then shares those same stories with her brother, who finds them as enthralling as his favorite book.
Yes, there is sadness in this story, but it’s more about navigating one’s way through those sad times. It’s also filled with hope and the goodness of others. This is a beautiful, inviting, and poignant book as only Patti Callahan can deliver.
I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 19, 2023
Once upon a wardrobe, not very long ago and not very far away. . . This new release from Patti Callahan is pure magic. It may be her best book yet. Just ask Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis. His note at the end of the book is most definitely a feather in the author's cap. Remember that thrill you felt when you first read the Narnia books? This new title about the formation of that world brings back that feeling again and multiplies it. I was weeping during the final pages. Such a beautiful, evocative story. It is not just about Megs and her brother George. Nor is it primarily about C.S. Lewis and his formative years. This book is about all of us. The lion roars in all of our lives -- He is from the beginning of time. This is a book for rereading and for gifting. One of my favorite reads of 2021, without a doubt!
Just finished The Secret Book of Flora Lea by this same author. I loved the new title, but this is still my favorite from the author.
Just finished The Secret Book of Flora Lea by this same author. I loved the new title, but this is still my favorite from the author.
October 18, 2021
Megs Devonshire is the best sister in the world, her little brother George is eight, seriously ill and enthralled by a new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He begs Megs to find out where Narnia came from, and how can she refuse the request of her sweet brother and grant him his dying wish.
Megs is sitting on the fence of the famous author’s property called the Kilns in Oxford, and she wonders how can she approach him, and ask C. S. Lewis her brother’s question? She has no idea, that Jack and Warnie Lewis are the kindest of men, they invited Megs in for afternoon tea and she explains her situation. Jack Lewis shares with her stories about himself and his brother growing up as young boys in Ireland and she shares these with George.
Both Megs and George are given a gift, where a world of make believe, fairy tales, books and drawing, brings hope to a young boy, who's only months away from death, and peace to his sister who doesn’t know how she can go on without him. Once Upon a Wardrobe is a delightful story, about the love between siblings and you find wonder in the natural world, castles and in between the pages of a book. Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse for my copy, I sobbed at the end, and five big stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Megs is sitting on the fence of the famous author’s property called the Kilns in Oxford, and she wonders how can she approach him, and ask C. S. Lewis her brother’s question? She has no idea, that Jack and Warnie Lewis are the kindest of men, they invited Megs in for afternoon tea and she explains her situation. Jack Lewis shares with her stories about himself and his brother growing up as young boys in Ireland and she shares these with George.
Both Megs and George are given a gift, where a world of make believe, fairy tales, books and drawing, brings hope to a young boy, who's only months away from death, and peace to his sister who doesn’t know how she can go on without him. Once Upon a Wardrobe is a delightful story, about the love between siblings and you find wonder in the natural world, castles and in between the pages of a book. Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse for my copy, I sobbed at the end, and five big stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
December 26, 2022
Why I chose to read this book:
1. I've read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe several years ago, so I added this one to my WTR list last year when its intriguing premise caught my eye on GR; and,
2. December 2022 is my "Winter/Christmas Month".
Praises:
1. I loved how this book explored pertinent events throughout C.S. Lewis's life that inspired him to write The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe;
2. although at times this story felt cold and lonely, it also felt warm and cozy, filled with love for others and for gathering around a crackling fire, drinking tea, and sharing books and stories; and,
3. quotes that warmed my heart:
"Mr. Lewis didn't give you a list. He gave you these beautiful slices of his life."
"The way stories change us can't be explained. ... It can only be felt. Like love."
Niggles:
1. some inconsistences with the weather and seasons. For example, Megs has to walk through snowdrifts and along icy roads, yet in a following chapter, she walks across frost-covered lawns? and,
2. I caught a few spelling and grammatical errors. 😞
Overall Thoughts:
I found this to be a delightful story about love without it being too sentimental.
Recommendation?
Read (or reread) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe first, if you haven't so already!
1. I've read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe several years ago, so I added this one to my WTR list last year when its intriguing premise caught my eye on GR; and,
2. December 2022 is my "Winter/Christmas Month".
Praises:
1. I loved how this book explored pertinent events throughout C.S. Lewis's life that inspired him to write The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe;
2. although at times this story felt cold and lonely, it also felt warm and cozy, filled with love for others and for gathering around a crackling fire, drinking tea, and sharing books and stories; and,
3. quotes that warmed my heart:
"Mr. Lewis didn't give you a list. He gave you these beautiful slices of his life."
"The way stories change us can't be explained. ... It can only be felt. Like love."
Niggles:
1. some inconsistences with the weather and seasons. For example, Megs has to walk through snowdrifts and along icy roads, yet in a following chapter, she walks across frost-covered lawns? and,
2. I caught a few spelling and grammatical errors. 😞
Overall Thoughts:
I found this to be a delightful story about love without it being too sentimental.
Recommendation?
Read (or reread) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe first, if you haven't so already!
February 6, 2022
Patti Callahan's new book is utterly magical and beautiful.
I’m a firm believer that sometimes whether or not we like a book depends on what’s going on in our lives and where we are emotionally, as much as anything else. And sometimes a book comes along at just the right time.
The latter was the case for me in reading Once Upon a Wardrobe . I recently found out that one of my closest friends had decided to end his fight against multiple illnesses and go into hospice. That news, and subsequently saying goodbye to him, hit me hard. This book was just the balm to help with those emotions.
Megs Devonshire is a fiercely intelligent young woman on scholarship at Oxford. She loves figures and equations, but she loves her younger brother George even more. Eight-year-old George has been ill since he was born, but the doctors don’t expect him to see his ninth birthday.
What George loves more than anything is a good story. He is utterly captivated by a brand-new book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe , and he dreams of being transported to a magical land like that. When he learns that the author of this book, C.S. Lewis, teaches at Oxford, he convinces Megs to seek the man out and ask where Narnia came from.
When Megs connects with the man and his brother, “Jack” Lewis regales her with tales of his childhood and the magical places they created. But while he never quite answers Megs’ question directly, what he gives her and her brother is something even more special.
I loved this so much. It’s sad but hopeful and just utterly beautiful!!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
I’m a firm believer that sometimes whether or not we like a book depends on what’s going on in our lives and where we are emotionally, as much as anything else. And sometimes a book comes along at just the right time.
The latter was the case for me in reading Once Upon a Wardrobe . I recently found out that one of my closest friends had decided to end his fight against multiple illnesses and go into hospice. That news, and subsequently saying goodbye to him, hit me hard. This book was just the balm to help with those emotions.
Megs Devonshire is a fiercely intelligent young woman on scholarship at Oxford. She loves figures and equations, but she loves her younger brother George even more. Eight-year-old George has been ill since he was born, but the doctors don’t expect him to see his ninth birthday.
What George loves more than anything is a good story. He is utterly captivated by a brand-new book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe , and he dreams of being transported to a magical land like that. When he learns that the author of this book, C.S. Lewis, teaches at Oxford, he convinces Megs to seek the man out and ask where Narnia came from.
When Megs connects with the man and his brother, “Jack” Lewis regales her with tales of his childhood and the magical places they created. But while he never quite answers Megs’ question directly, what he gives her and her brother is something even more special.
I loved this so much. It’s sad but hopeful and just utterly beautiful!!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
September 20, 2021
I’ve had a soft spot for C. S. Lewis since I read Mere Christianity in my early 20s. His ability to explain his beliefs just rang true to me. And having just finished and loved Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan, this book just called to me.
It’s a lovely, heartwarming book. I loved Callahan’s use of a young college student tracking down Lewis to ask him questions on behalf of her seriously ill younger brother. I’m usually not a fan of the dual timeline method of telling historical fiction. This method of conveying Lewis’s life as stories worked nicely as an alternative.
Once again, Callahan brings her characters to life, both those real and fictional.
Some might find this simplistic. But I found it deep, but with a simple theme, if that makes sense. I was highlighting a lot of phrases. I loved learning of all of Lewis’s various inspirations for the Narnia series. But the story is about so much more than that. Callahan knows what she's doing as she weaves magic into the story of Lewis, Megs and George.
Callahan manages to encapsulate the beauty of storytelling and reading, of reminding us why we read and believe in stories. A warning - I was crying my eyes out at the end.
My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse for an advance copy of this book.
It’s a lovely, heartwarming book. I loved Callahan’s use of a young college student tracking down Lewis to ask him questions on behalf of her seriously ill younger brother. I’m usually not a fan of the dual timeline method of telling historical fiction. This method of conveying Lewis’s life as stories worked nicely as an alternative.
Once again, Callahan brings her characters to life, both those real and fictional.
Some might find this simplistic. But I found it deep, but with a simple theme, if that makes sense. I was highlighting a lot of phrases. I loved learning of all of Lewis’s various inspirations for the Narnia series. But the story is about so much more than that. Callahan knows what she's doing as she weaves magic into the story of Lewis, Megs and George.
Callahan manages to encapsulate the beauty of storytelling and reading, of reminding us why we read and believe in stories. A warning - I was crying my eyes out at the end.
My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse for an advance copy of this book.
January 15, 2022
Once Upon A Wardrobe
Patti Callahan
….ebook/synced with the Audiobook….
….read by Fiona
Hardingham
….7 hours and 8 minutes
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind”
C. S. Lewis
Margaret Louise Devonshire ( Megs), seventeen years old, is on a scholarship at Oxford.
She’s brilliant with numbers and equations, and loves physics. She prefers facts and logic, over abstractions and fairytale nonsense.
But Megs also loves her eight-year old brother, George, who ‘loves’ fairytale ‘non’-nonsense.
He’s totally enchanted with his new book by C.S. Lewis, “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe”.
George begs his sister to find C.S. Lewis (who Megs sees around campus but doesn’t know him) to ask him is Narnia is real.
“Of course he isn’t real, Megs tells George. It’s a story like that girl who fell through the hole”.
“Alice, he tells her”….. then continues on to tell Megs that she is usually right about everything in life — but in this case she is wrong.
George tells Meg:
“I think the world is held together by stories…not all those equations that you look at”.
We’re taken on an incredible magical journey….
…..Patti Callahan divulges the ingenuity behind CS Lewis’s treasured stories.
Stories allowed George to be another person,
another child,
another being—
Being sick, he couldn’t leave his bed…. but he could let his imagination soar….
roar like a lion…
swim like a fish…
etc….
BECAUSE….
George knew……
“Imagination is the way to find meaning”.
“Once upon a Wardrobe”….
[1950’s….Worcestershire, England]…..
is magical, and winter-atmospheric-wonderful….
It’s bittersweet ….emotional…
perhaps semi-biographical…
DEFINITELY… >
*very* heart-endearing!
Where did Narnia come from?
Shhhh…
it’s a secret…
but….
if you tap into your inner magical forces… you’ll be treated to ‘once upon a wardrobe’ stories served with tea….
….faith, family, and love.
….Irresistible….
….Magnanimous spirited storytelling….
….A great tribute to C. S. Lewis … and Narnia!!
LOVED IT!!!
**Thank you Karen for recommending it.
Patti Callahan
….ebook/synced with the Audiobook….
….read by Fiona
Hardingham
….7 hours and 8 minutes
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind”
C. S. Lewis
Margaret Louise Devonshire ( Megs), seventeen years old, is on a scholarship at Oxford.
She’s brilliant with numbers and equations, and loves physics. She prefers facts and logic, over abstractions and fairytale nonsense.
But Megs also loves her eight-year old brother, George, who ‘loves’ fairytale ‘non’-nonsense.
He’s totally enchanted with his new book by C.S. Lewis, “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe”.
George begs his sister to find C.S. Lewis (who Megs sees around campus but doesn’t know him) to ask him is Narnia is real.
“Of course he isn’t real, Megs tells George. It’s a story like that girl who fell through the hole”.
“Alice, he tells her”….. then continues on to tell Megs that she is usually right about everything in life — but in this case she is wrong.
George tells Meg:
“I think the world is held together by stories…not all those equations that you look at”.
We’re taken on an incredible magical journey….
…..Patti Callahan divulges the ingenuity behind CS Lewis’s treasured stories.
Stories allowed George to be another person,
another child,
another being—
Being sick, he couldn’t leave his bed…. but he could let his imagination soar….
roar like a lion…
swim like a fish…
etc….
BECAUSE….
George knew……
“Imagination is the way to find meaning”.
“Once upon a Wardrobe”….
[1950’s….Worcestershire, England]…..
is magical, and winter-atmospheric-wonderful….
It’s bittersweet ….emotional…
perhaps semi-biographical…
DEFINITELY… >
*very* heart-endearing!
Where did Narnia come from?
Shhhh…
it’s a secret…
but….
if you tap into your inner magical forces… you’ll be treated to ‘once upon a wardrobe’ stories served with tea….
….faith, family, and love.
….Irresistible….
….Magnanimous spirited storytelling….
….A great tribute to C. S. Lewis … and Narnia!!
LOVED IT!!!
**Thank you Karen for recommending it.
November 2, 2021
In a Nutshell: I liked parts of the book but I didn’t find it coming together in a cohesive whole. This is an outlier opinion, so please read other positive reviews before making up your mind.
Story:
I must admit that I am not a C.S. Lewis fan as such. I have read a couple of his Narnia books and found them decent, not outstanding. So I never bothered to complete the series. But of the ones I read, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” was my favourite. So I hoped to enjoy this story better. Unfortunately, my expectations probably ended up being too high.
Where the book clicked for me:
✔ George’s character seems a bit too precocious for his age and health condition, especially given that he hasn’t ever been to school. But he is still a sweet loveable boy. The relationship between him and seventeen year old Meg was adorably sweet. (Their bond reminded me a bit of the beautiful connection shared by Auggie and Via in R.J. Palacio’s “Wonder”, one of my favourite contemporary children’s books.) A similarly protective and loving relationship is depicted between C.S. Lewis (or ‘Jack”, as he is called in the book)and his elder brother Warnie. These two sibling connections are the best part of this story.
✔ While you don't need to have read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in order to enjoy this story, having some familiarity with it will help you relish the context more. You will get to know of Aslan and the four children and Mr. Tumnus and the whole magical wardrobe a lot better though Lewis’s story.
✔ The author’s attention to historical detail is very evident in the writing. The veracity of her story gets confirmed in the ending note which is written by actor Douglas Gresham, one of Lewis’ stepsons from his marriage to Joy.
✔ The start and the end of the book rates a full 5 stars. The foundation of the story is set beautifully in the initial chapters and the changed perspective and emotional growth of the characters is evidenced by the ending.
✔ At first, I wasn’t a fan of the romantic track included in the story. I assumed it was yet another book with the mandatory teen love track to add spice to the proceedings. But I liked how Callahan didn’t incorporate the romance just for the sake of it but worked it into the main narrative reasonably and gave it a lovely purpose.
✔ This book gave me two great names to be added to my TBR. One is “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan, which I want to read after knowing more about her in the above-mentioned ending note. The second is “Phantastes” by George MacDonald, which is recommended by Lewis to Meg.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ I liked the George and Meg story a lot. I also liked the Jack and Warnie story to a great extent. What I didn’t like was the blend of these two stories together. Somehow, they didn’t mesh with each other seamlessly and I felt as if I was reading two separate books with some overlapping characters. The constant and abrupt switch between narrative voices didn’t help. The book would have worked far better for me if it were just focussed on Jack and Warnie, and tried to be kind of memoir of the Narnia author’s years before his writing success.
❌ I didn’t understand Meg’s character, though I initially connected to her very strongly because she seemed as logical and practical as I am in real life. But I soon realised that she was absolutely closed to the idea of anything creative. Her mulishness to get a precise answer about the origin of Narnia seemed unrealistic. I can understand George’s wanting to know where the story sprung from, but seventeen year old Meg’s determination to find a single and specific source for an author’s imagination seemed too farfetched to accept. For someone so logical to discount anything creative as impossible seemed... well, illogical. I would have loved for her character to be written in a more balanced and realistic way.
❌ The C.S. Lewis flashback story dragged in many places and I lost my patience with it multiple times towards the middle. (but not as much as I lost my patience with Meg who simply didn’t understand what Lewis was trying to tell her.)
All in all, this book wasn’t quite what I expected. But I can see the merits in it. C.S. Lewis fans will undoubtedly enjoy this way of knowing him better through his early years. Writers who bring stories to life in their minds may find it beautiful. Narnia fans might find it enthralling. This is a sweet and sentimental story, and I guess, as long as you keep yourself focussed on those points and ignore the writing gaps and the abrupt plot development, you will enjoy the work far more than I did.
My thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC of “Once Upon A Wardrobe”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
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Story:
The story is set in 1950. Eight year old George has a weak heart and is stuck to his bed. His solace lies in books, and his latest favourite is C.S. Lewis’s “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”. When his loving elder sister Meg, a physics student at Somerville College in Oxford, mentions that Lewis is a tutor of English literature at nearby Magdalen College, George begs her to meet him and ask him one question: Where did Narnia come from?
What follows is a combination story, partly focussing on Meg’s and George’s bond with each other, and partly focussing on Lewis’s recounting of his earlier years to Meg as an answer to her query.
I must admit that I am not a C.S. Lewis fan as such. I have read a couple of his Narnia books and found them decent, not outstanding. So I never bothered to complete the series. But of the ones I read, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” was my favourite. So I hoped to enjoy this story better. Unfortunately, my expectations probably ended up being too high.
Where the book clicked for me:
✔ George’s character seems a bit too precocious for his age and health condition, especially given that he hasn’t ever been to school. But he is still a sweet loveable boy. The relationship between him and seventeen year old Meg was adorably sweet. (Their bond reminded me a bit of the beautiful connection shared by Auggie and Via in R.J. Palacio’s “Wonder”, one of my favourite contemporary children’s books.) A similarly protective and loving relationship is depicted between C.S. Lewis (or ‘Jack”, as he is called in the book)and his elder brother Warnie. These two sibling connections are the best part of this story.
✔ While you don't need to have read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in order to enjoy this story, having some familiarity with it will help you relish the context more. You will get to know of Aslan and the four children and Mr. Tumnus and the whole magical wardrobe a lot better though Lewis’s story.
✔ The author’s attention to historical detail is very evident in the writing. The veracity of her story gets confirmed in the ending note which is written by actor Douglas Gresham, one of Lewis’ stepsons from his marriage to Joy.
✔ The start and the end of the book rates a full 5 stars. The foundation of the story is set beautifully in the initial chapters and the changed perspective and emotional growth of the characters is evidenced by the ending.
✔ At first, I wasn’t a fan of the romantic track included in the story. I assumed it was yet another book with the mandatory teen love track to add spice to the proceedings. But I liked how Callahan didn’t incorporate the romance just for the sake of it but worked it into the main narrative reasonably and gave it a lovely purpose.
✔ This book gave me two great names to be added to my TBR. One is “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan, which I want to read after knowing more about her in the above-mentioned ending note. The second is “Phantastes” by George MacDonald, which is recommended by Lewis to Meg.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ I liked the George and Meg story a lot. I also liked the Jack and Warnie story to a great extent. What I didn’t like was the blend of these two stories together. Somehow, they didn’t mesh with each other seamlessly and I felt as if I was reading two separate books with some overlapping characters. The constant and abrupt switch between narrative voices didn’t help. The book would have worked far better for me if it were just focussed on Jack and Warnie, and tried to be kind of memoir of the Narnia author’s years before his writing success.
❌ I didn’t understand Meg’s character, though I initially connected to her very strongly because she seemed as logical and practical as I am in real life. But I soon realised that she was absolutely closed to the idea of anything creative. Her mulishness to get a precise answer about the origin of Narnia seemed unrealistic. I can understand George’s wanting to know where the story sprung from, but seventeen year old Meg’s determination to find a single and specific source for an author’s imagination seemed too farfetched to accept. For someone so logical to discount anything creative as impossible seemed... well, illogical. I would have loved for her character to be written in a more balanced and realistic way.
❌ The C.S. Lewis flashback story dragged in many places and I lost my patience with it multiple times towards the middle. (but not as much as I lost my patience with Meg who simply didn’t understand what Lewis was trying to tell her.)
All in all, this book wasn’t quite what I expected. But I can see the merits in it. C.S. Lewis fans will undoubtedly enjoy this way of knowing him better through his early years. Writers who bring stories to life in their minds may find it beautiful. Narnia fans might find it enthralling. This is a sweet and sentimental story, and I guess, as long as you keep yourself focussed on those points and ignore the writing gaps and the abrupt plot development, you will enjoy the work far more than I did.
My thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC of “Once Upon A Wardrobe”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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August 24, 2021
A moving, beautiful story that only Patti Callahan could write. The perfect mix of history and fiction, I couldn't stop flipping pages--and also walked away with a clearer understanding of C.S. Lewis as a person. You will laugh, cry, smile and cheer throughout the course of this one lovely novel. After you read this one, make sure to pick up Becoming Mrs. Lewis--and I promise you'll want to re-read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe again as well! This is Patti at her best. Don't miss it!
December 19, 2021
‘The young boy understood now, after all the tales and adventures, all the drawings and stories, and he told the grown-ups, who aren’t as smart as children, “There is a light, a bright lamppost light where all stories begin and end”.’ ― Patti Callahan, Once Upon a Wardrobe
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 ENCHANTING STARS!
This is one of those story’s that makes me wish I could write a review as eloquently as Callahan has written. I’m going to try, but I will never be able to do justice to the beauty tucked within these pages.
There are some novels that transcend time and place; novels that touch on something magical inside us that life experiences bury and sometimes destroy. When does that spark leave us… I think in part it’s when we stop believing in fairytales. This story through its simple pureness has unburied that spark in me. Sometimes we need to move away from logic and just believe.
This story and these characters have tattooed themselves on my heart and there they will stay.I can’t remember the last time I purchased a physical copy of a book, but in the last couple of weeks I have purchased two. Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen and now this one. I want to have these physically present in my life in the hopes that I can hold on to and be reminded of their beautiful messages.
This will be one of my top reads, not only from this year, but from my entire reading life. C.S. Lewis’s stepson, Douglas Gresham, says it best in a note at the end of the novel, ‘This is not merely a story worth reading, it is a book that will drive us through the difficulties of love and of sorrow, to struggle, gasping onward and upward, our emotions surging with us until we are brought, once again, to love’. Special thanks to Patti Callahan & C.S. Lewis for gifting us with these wonderful stories and for reminding us that magic exists all around us if we’re willing to see it. I greatest wish is that we never stop hearing the Lion roar. 5+++ stars.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 ENCHANTING STARS!
This is one of those story’s that makes me wish I could write a review as eloquently as Callahan has written. I’m going to try, but I will never be able to do justice to the beauty tucked within these pages.
There are some novels that transcend time and place; novels that touch on something magical inside us that life experiences bury and sometimes destroy. When does that spark leave us… I think in part it’s when we stop believing in fairytales. This story through its simple pureness has unburied that spark in me. Sometimes we need to move away from logic and just believe.
This story and these characters have tattooed themselves on my heart and there they will stay.I can’t remember the last time I purchased a physical copy of a book, but in the last couple of weeks I have purchased two. Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen and now this one. I want to have these physically present in my life in the hopes that I can hold on to and be reminded of their beautiful messages.
This will be one of my top reads, not only from this year, but from my entire reading life. C.S. Lewis’s stepson, Douglas Gresham, says it best in a note at the end of the novel, ‘This is not merely a story worth reading, it is a book that will drive us through the difficulties of love and of sorrow, to struggle, gasping onward and upward, our emotions surging with us until we are brought, once again, to love’. Special thanks to Patti Callahan & C.S. Lewis for gifting us with these wonderful stories and for reminding us that magic exists all around us if we’re willing to see it. I greatest wish is that we never stop hearing the Lion roar. 5+++ stars.
August 23, 2021
Once Upon A Wardrobe is a deeply-felt, enchanting novel of faith and hope. Readers will want to climb into C.S. Lewis's magical wardrobe, along with George, the eight-year-old English boy at the heart of this novel, who desperately seeks to know the source for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. This is a captivating novel, warm, wise and ultimately as comforting and inspiring as a fireside cup of tea.
August 30, 2021
England, 1950. Megs is brilliant with numbers and studying at Oxford. She likes facts, so the fairytales don’t resonate with her.
Her younger sibling, George, has a weak heart and doesn’t have long to live. He becomes captivated by the story of Narnia and wants his sister to find out where Narnia came from.
C.W. Lewis, the author of Narnia, holds an academic position at Oxford. Megs path crosses with his brother and she becomes a regular visitor at two brothers’ place, where Jack Lewis tells her stories, which she later tells her brother. Stories that evoke an imagination and give hope.
In flashbacks, we learn about two brothers’ childhood. Jack himself was a sickly child, spending a lot of time at home, reading books. His rich imagination was encouraged by his older brother.
From the first pages the story evokes human emotions and despite one having a limited lifetime, it seems as the warmness is hidden in this whole magical story. What disconnected me was two parallel stories of two dying people (the brothers’ mother died of cancer). I found it too overemotional. Afterwards, I wasn’t fully connected with the story despite its magical tone.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Her younger sibling, George, has a weak heart and doesn’t have long to live. He becomes captivated by the story of Narnia and wants his sister to find out where Narnia came from.
C.W. Lewis, the author of Narnia, holds an academic position at Oxford. Megs path crosses with his brother and she becomes a regular visitor at two brothers’ place, where Jack Lewis tells her stories, which she later tells her brother. Stories that evoke an imagination and give hope.
In flashbacks, we learn about two brothers’ childhood. Jack himself was a sickly child, spending a lot of time at home, reading books. His rich imagination was encouraged by his older brother.
From the first pages the story evokes human emotions and despite one having a limited lifetime, it seems as the warmness is hidden in this whole magical story. What disconnected me was two parallel stories of two dying people (the brothers’ mother died of cancer). I found it too overemotional. Afterwards, I wasn’t fully connected with the story despite its magical tone.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2023
In Once Upon a Wardrobe Megs embarks on a quest to answer her 9 year old brother’s question, “Where did Narnia come from?” George is ill and his time may be limited so Megs takes his request seriously.
She asks Professor Lewis to share the origins of his famous, beloved story. He doesn’t answer any of Megs questions directly, which as a mathematics student, she finds challenging at first, but learns to go with it, taking in his stories to bring home and share with George.
"Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing: ink is the great cure for all human ills.”
This a book about books, a book about the power of imagination, and about the love of a family.
She asks Professor Lewis to share the origins of his famous, beloved story. He doesn’t answer any of Megs questions directly, which as a mathematics student, she finds challenging at first, but learns to go with it, taking in his stories to bring home and share with George.
"Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing: ink is the great cure for all human ills.”
This a book about books, a book about the power of imagination, and about the love of a family.
November 3, 2021
**Happy Publication Day**
One of my favorite books this year.
********
4.5 Stars
Megs Devonshire loves mathematics, equations, and physics. She finds it comforting and exhilarating to solve a problem and know that there’s only one correct answer to the question. She’s a student on a scholarship at Oxford.
George is her eight-year-old brother with a weak heart and a lively spirit. He knows the limitations of his health and finds pleasure in escaping to the fantasy lands of the books. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C S Lewis, has enchanted George, and the kid asks his loving elder sister to help find an answer to his simple question- Where did Narnia come from?
Megs is not sure if she can go and ask Lewis the question. But she finds a way for her brother. After all, she’ll do anything she can to give him what he wants.
But Jack Lewis and his brother aren’t the ones to provide straightforward answers. Instead, he tells her about his childhood and life, asking her to listen and share them with her little brother. Megs is frustrated but has no choice but to agree.
As Jack continues with his tales, Megs understands what he intends. He wants her to look at the world from a different lens. The world doesn’t fit into mathematical equations, and Megs realizes that it’s a futile attempt.
Maybe there’s more to life than maths and physics. Maybe imagination, stories, and equations are not opposites. Maybe stories and science can co-exist and actually complement each other.
George embraces the stories with eagerness, and Megs is still conflicted about whether she should give equal importance to the imagination. Yet, she can’t help but feel hope blooming inside her. Can she wish for a miracle?
This is my first book by the author, and I can say for sure that I love her prose. As someone who wants strong imagery in stories but without a thesaurus, I’m always delighted when an author paints a vivid scene using simple words.
The story is warm with a constant undertone of melancholy. We know what could happen by the end of the book. Still, we can’t help but hope. There is pain, death, fear, and sadness. However, overpowering these emotions is the strong presence of love. Love in all its glorious forms.
It’s been a while since a book moved me as much as this did. So much that I even marked a few favorite quotes (an old forgotten habit of mine).
I’m so glad that I requested this book. It fills my heart with warmth even though there’s enough pain. Tears blurred my vision more than once, and I had to stop reading to take a couple of deep breaths. It’s been so long since a book did that to me!
To Sum Up, Once Upon a Wardrobe is a beautiful book that takes us to Worcestershire, Oxford, Ireland, and the distant lands of magic and myth. This is a book I’ll recommend to bookworms, storytellers, and just about everyone.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harper Muse and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#NetGalley #OnceUponaWardrobe
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TW:
P.S: Before anyone asks, the 0.5 deduction was for the (abundance of) adverbs. I can't help! :(
One of my favorite books this year.
********
4.5 Stars
Megs Devonshire loves mathematics, equations, and physics. She finds it comforting and exhilarating to solve a problem and know that there’s only one correct answer to the question. She’s a student on a scholarship at Oxford.
George is her eight-year-old brother with a weak heart and a lively spirit. He knows the limitations of his health and finds pleasure in escaping to the fantasy lands of the books. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C S Lewis, has enchanted George, and the kid asks his loving elder sister to help find an answer to his simple question- Where did Narnia come from?
“With stories, I can see with other eyes, imagine with other imaginations, feel with other hearts, as well as with my own. Stories aren’t equations.”
Megs is not sure if she can go and ask Lewis the question. But she finds a way for her brother. After all, she’ll do anything she can to give him what he wants.
But Jack Lewis and his brother aren’t the ones to provide straightforward answers. Instead, he tells her about his childhood and life, asking her to listen and share them with her little brother. Megs is frustrated but has no choice but to agree.
As Jack continues with his tales, Megs understands what he intends. He wants her to look at the world from a different lens. The world doesn’t fit into mathematical equations, and Megs realizes that it’s a futile attempt.
“The way stories change us can’t be explained,” Padraig says. “It can only be felt. Like love.”
Maybe there’s more to life than maths and physics. Maybe imagination, stories, and equations are not opposites. Maybe stories and science can co-exist and actually complement each other.
George embraces the stories with eagerness, and Megs is still conflicted about whether she should give equal importance to the imagination. Yet, she can’t help but feel hope blooming inside her. Can she wish for a miracle?
This is my first book by the author, and I can say for sure that I love her prose. As someone who wants strong imagery in stories but without a thesaurus, I’m always delighted when an author paints a vivid scene using simple words.
The story is warm with a constant undertone of melancholy. We know what could happen by the end of the book. Still, we can’t help but hope. There is pain, death, fear, and sadness. However, overpowering these emotions is the strong presence of love. Love in all its glorious forms.
It’s been a while since a book moved me as much as this did. So much that I even marked a few favorite quotes (an old forgotten habit of mine).
I’m so glad that I requested this book. It fills my heart with warmth even though there’s enough pain. Tears blurred my vision more than once, and I had to stop reading to take a couple of deep breaths. It’s been so long since a book did that to me!
“There is a light, a bright lantern light where all stories begin and end.”
To Sum Up, Once Upon a Wardrobe is a beautiful book that takes us to Worcestershire, Oxford, Ireland, and the distant lands of magic and myth. This is a book I’ll recommend to bookworms, storytellers, and just about everyone.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harper Muse and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#NetGalley #OnceUponaWardrobe
************
TW:
P.S: Before anyone asks, the 0.5 deduction was for the (abundance of) adverbs. I can't help! :(
February 28, 2023
I’ve read a few biographies on C.S. Lewis, his Narnia series, a few of his books on Christianity (including Mere Christianity and others) and his autobiography. But this book… this book –though it’s by a different author– captures him in a way that tore down and then reconstructed all I’ve ever known about him together into a clearer more vivid picture than I’ve ever experienced. The story within this story which has now become a part of my story which is a part of every person I have an influence on who then go on to touch countless other people’s stories! The concept in mind blowing and beautiful. New and ever known. This book definitely is one of the brighter threads weaved into the tapestry of knowledge that my mind has been weaving together since I started knowing things.
This book made me laugh, cry, smile, and hold my breath. Everything about it was so beautiful and pure and lovely. I absolutely consumed this story and when it was finished I was left sitting having to take a minute to fully comprehend it.
It ended in a way of finality where I knew it was finished and was wholly satisfied with it. I rarely ever feel that with a book. Most stories I read and I fall wholly in love with I feel a need to have more to the story and want to read more and more. But here… it was one of the most superb endings I’ve read in a book.
I waited a week to review it and still I’m not quite sure what to say but let me say this it’s a book I think everyone should read.
This book made me laugh, cry, smile, and hold my breath. Everything about it was so beautiful and pure and lovely. I absolutely consumed this story and when it was finished I was left sitting having to take a minute to fully comprehend it.
It ended in a way of finality where I knew it was finished and was wholly satisfied with it. I rarely ever feel that with a book. Most stories I read and I fall wholly in love with I feel a need to have more to the story and want to read more and more. But here… it was one of the most superb endings I’ve read in a book.
I waited a week to review it and still I’m not quite sure what to say but let me say this it’s a book I think everyone should read.
January 26, 2024
So, so, so beautiful 😭😭 Undoubtedly one of my top reads of the year 🤍
August 14, 2021
“Maybe we are each and every one of us born with our own stories, and we must decide how to tell those stories with our own life, or in a book . . . Or could it be that all our stories come from one larger story?”
It’s December of 1950 in Worcestershire, England, and eight-year-old George Henry Devonshire knows that “the heart he was born with isn’t strong enough, and they’ve done all they can.” But during his solitary days spent reading in his room, George has become captivated by a beautiful new myth called The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Now his fragile life has one focus: to discover where Narnia comes from.
His college-age sister Megs, who adores him and would do anything for him, realizes this is a matter of life and death for George. So she seeks out a friendship with C. S. Lewis to discover the answer. Lewis answers her questions with stories, which she then brings home to George. Each storytelling session beginning with, “Once upon a wardrobe . . .”
As Megs and George work through the personal history C. S. Lewis shares with them in story-form, they discover truths about the world and themselves and where their own stories begin.
Author Patti Callahan shares much of C. S. Lewis’s life, personality, and beliefs through these interactions with the fictional Megs. Both those who are “meeting” Jack for the first time and longtime Lewis fans are sure to find themselves enchanted as they read.
I savored this heartwarming tale. It made me smile and brought me to tears.
A must-read for fans of Narnia, C. S. Lewis & author Patti Callahan (Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Surviving Savannah). Don’t miss it! Top Pick!
Thank you to Patti Callahan, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for my opportunity to read & review.
Some favorite quotes:
“George takes something of this world and travels to another as if the story world and the real world run right alongside each other. Or maybe they are inside each other.”
“For a breath or two, I wonder about this magical world we live in. It’s a mystery we can never understand. For a moment, a small and breath-holding moment, I know it to be true: there is more, something more I can’t see, a vivid truth that can’t be described by logic or words alone, a truth that delights the heart.”
“He longs to climb inside the wardrobe and watch the story come together just as it happened. He doesn’t want to change the author’s life; he wants to watch it turn into something else new, something with snow, a white witch, and a lion that calls to George even in his sleep, its roar far off and deep, both comforting and terrifying.”
“I once believed they battled each other—imagination and reason—that they stood in sharp contrast one to the other.” . . . “Reason is how we get to the truth, but imagination is how we find meaning.”
“Stars are made of dust and nitrogen; they are balls of gas and hydrogen. But that isn’t what a star is; it’s only what it is made of.”
It’s December of 1950 in Worcestershire, England, and eight-year-old George Henry Devonshire knows that “the heart he was born with isn’t strong enough, and they’ve done all they can.” But during his solitary days spent reading in his room, George has become captivated by a beautiful new myth called The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Now his fragile life has one focus: to discover where Narnia comes from.
His college-age sister Megs, who adores him and would do anything for him, realizes this is a matter of life and death for George. So she seeks out a friendship with C. S. Lewis to discover the answer. Lewis answers her questions with stories, which she then brings home to George. Each storytelling session beginning with, “Once upon a wardrobe . . .”
As Megs and George work through the personal history C. S. Lewis shares with them in story-form, they discover truths about the world and themselves and where their own stories begin.
Author Patti Callahan shares much of C. S. Lewis’s life, personality, and beliefs through these interactions with the fictional Megs. Both those who are “meeting” Jack for the first time and longtime Lewis fans are sure to find themselves enchanted as they read.
I savored this heartwarming tale. It made me smile and brought me to tears.
A must-read for fans of Narnia, C. S. Lewis & author Patti Callahan (Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Surviving Savannah). Don’t miss it! Top Pick!
Thank you to Patti Callahan, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for my opportunity to read & review.
Some favorite quotes:
“George takes something of this world and travels to another as if the story world and the real world run right alongside each other. Or maybe they are inside each other.”
“For a breath or two, I wonder about this magical world we live in. It’s a mystery we can never understand. For a moment, a small and breath-holding moment, I know it to be true: there is more, something more I can’t see, a vivid truth that can’t be described by logic or words alone, a truth that delights the heart.”
“He longs to climb inside the wardrobe and watch the story come together just as it happened. He doesn’t want to change the author’s life; he wants to watch it turn into something else new, something with snow, a white witch, and a lion that calls to George even in his sleep, its roar far off and deep, both comforting and terrifying.”
“I once believed they battled each other—imagination and reason—that they stood in sharp contrast one to the other.” . . . “Reason is how we get to the truth, but imagination is how we find meaning.”
“Stars are made of dust and nitrogen; they are balls of gas and hydrogen. But that isn’t what a star is; it’s only what it is made of.”
October 18, 2021
In 1950 Worcester, England, 8-year-old George Devonshire, born with a heart condition, spends most of his time in bed. He loses himself in fairy tales and fantasy stories, while his older sister Megs is studying physics at Oxford. When George discovers C. S. Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, he tasks Megs to befriend Mr. Lewis and find out where his inspiration for Narnia came from. Megs soon finds herself in the cozy study of the Lewis brother’s listening to tales about C. S. Lewis’ boyhood and brings these stories back to her brother, one by one.
A heartwarming and moving novel of faith, hope and the transformative power of stories. This enchanting novel brings readers not just the story of Lewis’ upbringing, but the wonderful story of the creation of the magical world of Narnia. Megs, whose focus is on logic and numbers, blossoms into a woman who finds the magic and beauty in books and their power to heal the soul.
This was a charming novel of hope and beauty, with wonderfully written characters and a sense of magic that will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers, but especially fans of the tales of Narnia.
Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
A heartwarming and moving novel of faith, hope and the transformative power of stories. This enchanting novel brings readers not just the story of Lewis’ upbringing, but the wonderful story of the creation of the magical world of Narnia. Megs, whose focus is on logic and numbers, blossoms into a woman who finds the magic and beauty in books and their power to heal the soul.
This was a charming novel of hope and beauty, with wonderfully written characters and a sense of magic that will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers, but especially fans of the tales of Narnia.
Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
May 2, 2021
MOVING AND MAGICAL
🦁 A poignant and magical story, in which young terminally ill George asks his older sister Megs to find out how C.S. Lewis created Narnia. Megs will do anything for her beloved brother, and goes to the Oxford don’s house to ask. She has tea with Lewis and his brother Warnie, who over a series of sessions relate tales from their childhood. As Callahan writes, “The way the stories change us can’t be explained ... It can only be felt. Like love.”
🦁 This luminous and beautifully written book reveals love to George, Megs and its readers. The characters felt so authentic, especially young George, and I sensed a holy presence as I read, filling me with joy. A transformative experience, certainly, and Callahan’s best yet!
Pub Date 19 Oct 2021
#OnceUponaWardrobe #NetGalley
Thanks to Patti Callahan Henry, @Harper Muse Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#pattichenry #harpermuse #netgalley #onceuponawardrobe #fictiononcslewis #narniafiction #CSLewisbooks #warnielewisfiction #booknerdigans #bookstagramcommunity #generalfictionforadults
🦁 A poignant and magical story, in which young terminally ill George asks his older sister Megs to find out how C.S. Lewis created Narnia. Megs will do anything for her beloved brother, and goes to the Oxford don’s house to ask. She has tea with Lewis and his brother Warnie, who over a series of sessions relate tales from their childhood. As Callahan writes, “The way the stories change us can’t be explained ... It can only be felt. Like love.”
🦁 This luminous and beautifully written book reveals love to George, Megs and its readers. The characters felt so authentic, especially young George, and I sensed a holy presence as I read, filling me with joy. A transformative experience, certainly, and Callahan’s best yet!
Pub Date 19 Oct 2021
#OnceUponaWardrobe #NetGalley
Thanks to Patti Callahan Henry, @Harper Muse Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#pattichenry #harpermuse #netgalley #onceuponawardrobe #fictiononcslewis #narniafiction #CSLewisbooks #warnielewisfiction #booknerdigans #bookstagramcommunity #generalfictionforadults
February 6, 2024
Are you someone who read The Chronicles of Narnia once or twice as a kid and never gave it another thought? You might like this book. Are you someone who has read not one but THREE biographies of C.S. Lewis (AN Wilson, Alister McGrath, and Lewis' own autobiography Surprised by Joy)? Then this book is worthless.
At least, that's all I can figure. My friends' list is littered with 4 and 5 star reviews and meanwhile I am barely eking out a 2 star. It is essentially a fictionalized account of Lewis' early life with the framing device of a 17 year old university student trying to find out the inspiration for Narnia for the sake of her ill 8 year old brother. So it just reiterates anything you already know about Lewis' life while conveniently whitewashing anything that would make him...well, human.
Which leads me to my next problem - how the book is written. Lewis, George, Padraig, and basically everyone except Megs talks in pseudo-philosophical tea towel sayings instead of normal human language. Lewis is always smiling cryptically and dropping some vague "wise" turn of phrase meant to blow Megs' (and our, presumably) mind. And speaking of Megs! One of the reasons this book is so ridiculous is 1) I cannot believe there is an 8 year old out there that precocious and 2) I cannot believe there is a 17 year old university student that STUPID. I'm sorry, does she really not understand that authors of fiction...make things up?
I'm so glad everyone else liked this book. Meanwhile my Oscar the Grouch ass will slam the trash can lid down over my head and grumble.
At least, that's all I can figure. My friends' list is littered with 4 and 5 star reviews and meanwhile I am barely eking out a 2 star. It is essentially a fictionalized account of Lewis' early life with the framing device of a 17 year old university student trying to find out the inspiration for Narnia for the sake of her ill 8 year old brother. So it just reiterates anything you already know about Lewis' life while conveniently whitewashing anything that would make him...well, human.
Which leads me to my next problem - how the book is written. Lewis, George, Padraig, and basically everyone except Megs talks in pseudo-philosophical tea towel sayings instead of normal human language. Lewis is always smiling cryptically and dropping some vague "wise" turn of phrase meant to blow Megs' (and our, presumably) mind. And speaking of Megs! One of the reasons this book is so ridiculous is 1) I cannot believe there is an 8 year old out there that precocious and 2) I cannot believe there is a 17 year old university student that STUPID. I'm sorry, does she really not understand that authors of fiction...make things up?
I'm so glad everyone else liked this book. Meanwhile my Oscar the Grouch ass will slam the trash can lid down over my head and grumble.
September 25, 2021
This is not my typical book; I’m not a CS Lewis fan nor do I like fantasy. However, I previously read Callahan’s Becoming Mrs. Lewis which, although it took me a while to engage with, I really liked.
Callahan writes beautifully and this was such an imaginative way to share some of CS Lewis’ life. There are many superlatives I could use here (and others have)…..
heartwarming, captivating. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy reading good writing, be sure to put this on your TBR list.
Note: I do not usually provide a synopsis of a book in my reviews; you can read that on Goodreads or Amazon. You can read my other reviews at http://vickieonmarco.blogspot.
Callahan writes beautifully and this was such an imaginative way to share some of CS Lewis’ life. There are many superlatives I could use here (and others have)…..
heartwarming, captivating. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy reading good writing, be sure to put this on your TBR list.
Note: I do not usually provide a synopsis of a book in my reviews; you can read that on Goodreads or Amazon. You can read my other reviews at http://vickieonmarco.blogspot.
November 18, 2021
Perfection!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
March 16, 2024
Once Upon A Wardrobe by Patti Callahan 5 Stars
What a beautiful story filled with the essence of Narnia and so much more. The storytelling was perfect, I need to read everything Patti writes now. This was filled with love and family. The ties to Narnia and CS Lewis are truly immersive. This story is all about college student Meg and her younger brother George. His last wish as terminally ill young boy with a weak heart is to uncover the truth of Narnia, as its his favorite story. What happens next is a beautiful story of love, sibling bonds and the life-changing magic of stories like Narnia. Set in 1950, we see Meg as a student at Oxford University. When George asks her to find out about Narnia, she tells him its just a children's book....but soon realizes it's so much more herself. She goes on a hunt to find the answers to George's questions and the rest is history as she meets CS Lewis himself (since he is a teacher at her university) and she asks him the questions. But what CS Lewis responds are stories of his own life for Meg to form her own conclusion that led to his inspiration. She takes these stories home to George and the adventure goes on from here....
The writing is magical. The story is magical. EVERYTHING WAS JUST MAGICAL AND BEAUTIFUL AND I CRIEDDDDD. The ending - those last few pages - everything - so many tears.
You really fall right in with this family and connect with Meg and George and you feel the beauty of Narnia in the pages of this book. I can't really express how this story will sit in my heart forever. Highly recommend.
What a beautiful story filled with the essence of Narnia and so much more. The storytelling was perfect, I need to read everything Patti writes now. This was filled with love and family. The ties to Narnia and CS Lewis are truly immersive. This story is all about college student Meg and her younger brother George. His last wish as terminally ill young boy with a weak heart is to uncover the truth of Narnia, as its his favorite story. What happens next is a beautiful story of love, sibling bonds and the life-changing magic of stories like Narnia. Set in 1950, we see Meg as a student at Oxford University. When George asks her to find out about Narnia, she tells him its just a children's book....but soon realizes it's so much more herself. She goes on a hunt to find the answers to George's questions and the rest is history as she meets CS Lewis himself (since he is a teacher at her university) and she asks him the questions. But what CS Lewis responds are stories of his own life for Meg to form her own conclusion that led to his inspiration. She takes these stories home to George and the adventure goes on from here....
The writing is magical. The story is magical. EVERYTHING WAS JUST MAGICAL AND BEAUTIFUL AND I CRIEDDDDD. The ending - those last few pages - everything - so many tears.
You really fall right in with this family and connect with Meg and George and you feel the beauty of Narnia in the pages of this book. I can't really express how this story will sit in my heart forever. Highly recommend.
March 7, 2023
This was great! It really felt like a love letter to storytelling as a whole. I love that CS Lewis was a character here and explored what could have been going on in his life while he wrote The Chronicles of Narnia books. I loved the relationship between Megs and her brother George. It was sweet and special. The love story that bloomed was also great. I thought it was beautifully written and a great concept for a story.
January 1, 2022
A lovely, heartwarming story, blending fiction and facts just in the right amount.
I had tears in my eyes when I finished.
And it makes me want to re-read Narnia & my biography about the Inklings.
Also, I will check out Ms Callahan's other book about C.S. Lewis' wife.
I had tears in my eyes when I finished.
And it makes me want to re-read Narnia & my biography about the Inklings.
Also, I will check out Ms Callahan's other book about C.S. Lewis' wife.
February 28, 2024
"The way stories change us can't be explained... It can only be felt."
This was a beautifully written and moving story that pays a strong tribute to the power of stories. I loved learning more about C.S. Lewis's life and what may or may not have inspired him to create Narnia. The relationship between Megs and George was so sweet and made you feel like you were also a part of this family. I think the way Henry wove the "lion" throughout this story had to be my favorite part. As a Christian, it holds a very powerful message how God is right there with us as we're walking through the journeys of our life, both the good and the bad, and how even death cannot separate us from Him. (But that last chapter just about made me cry!)
"And he heard, as loud as a new world thundering out of the cosmos, the mighty roar of a lion."
This was a beautifully written and moving story that pays a strong tribute to the power of stories. I loved learning more about C.S. Lewis's life and what may or may not have inspired him to create Narnia. The relationship between Megs and George was so sweet and made you feel like you were also a part of this family. I think the way Henry wove the "lion" throughout this story had to be my favorite part. As a Christian, it holds a very powerful message how God is right there with us as we're walking through the journeys of our life, both the good and the bad, and how even death cannot separate us from Him. (But that last chapter just about made me cry!)
"And he heard, as loud as a new world thundering out of the cosmos, the mighty roar of a lion."
January 6, 2022
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
As soon as I saw the title Once Upon a Wardrobe, I knew I needed to read this book immediately. I have Callahan’s 2018 novel, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, sitting on my bookshelf. I bought it immediately because I love all things C.S. Lewis, but for some reason I’ve never gotten around to picking it up. But Once Upon a Wardrobe sounded like it would have a bit more Narnia between the pages than its predecessor might, so I started reading it a week after I found out it existed. There’s a charm, a nostalgic quaintness to the story and the setting that is immediately inviting. This is the very definition of a cozy novel. Though it is also a sad one. There’s a poignancy here, where sorrow and hope and joy intermingle.
But something about Callahan’s prose falls flat for me. It feels both youthful, almost to the point of juvenile, and outdated, as though she is trying to capture the magic found in the written voice of her inspiration, Lewis, without access to a key ingredient. The result is unfortunately stiff, in my opinion, to the point that I couldn’t fully connect with the truly lovely story being told. I think this is in part due to Callahan’s propensity for telling instead of showing what is going on through the eyes of her characters. It felt too directed, too forced. There were moments of beauty and brilliance, but that made the failings of the writing in other areas even more jarring.
However, the story made up for the writing. I knew the core story, the tale of Lewis’s life told through vignettes. I’ve read about his life in his own words, though that was long enough ago that I very much enjoyed becoming reacquainted. But the framework story, the tale of Megs and George, was heartachingly lovely. George is a young boy with a failing heart. He fully expects this Christmas of 1950 to be his last. George is utterly enchanted by a new book recently published for children: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Megs, George’s older sister who loves him dearly and would do anything for him, actually attends Oxford, where the author of the aforementioned novel teaches. George begs Megs to find Mr. Lewis and ask him one single, buring question. “Where did Narnia come from?” The answer isn’t what Megs expects. Lewis tells her the story of his life, stories that Megs writes down afterward the best she can so she can share them with her brother. This leads the siblings on some marvelous adventures together, through the stories Megs has been told. But where in all of these stories is the answer to George’s question?
I did not initially like Megs, though I loved George from the start. I think this is in large part due to my issues with Callahan’s writing. At first, Megs was giving off hard “I’m not like other girls” vibes, which is a trope that always drives me to the brink of madness. But as Megs took this journey for the sake of her brother, as she learned more about herself and about life outside of the tangible and rational, she grew on me. She dealt with impending grief in believable, sympathetic ways. The love she had for her little brother was palpable, and Callahan did a wonderful job on their sibling dynamic.
While I had my issues with Once Upon a Wardrobe, my opinions by the end were mostly positive. Callahan told a powerful, moving story in a sweet, gentle way. While there is sadness here, this book would be perfect for sensitive readers who still want to think about some harder topics. The overall tone of the novel was uplifting. I might not have loved her writing style, but Callahan told a brilliant story here.
As soon as I saw the title Once Upon a Wardrobe, I knew I needed to read this book immediately. I have Callahan’s 2018 novel, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, sitting on my bookshelf. I bought it immediately because I love all things C.S. Lewis, but for some reason I’ve never gotten around to picking it up. But Once Upon a Wardrobe sounded like it would have a bit more Narnia between the pages than its predecessor might, so I started reading it a week after I found out it existed. There’s a charm, a nostalgic quaintness to the story and the setting that is immediately inviting. This is the very definition of a cozy novel. Though it is also a sad one. There’s a poignancy here, where sorrow and hope and joy intermingle.
But something about Callahan’s prose falls flat for me. It feels both youthful, almost to the point of juvenile, and outdated, as though she is trying to capture the magic found in the written voice of her inspiration, Lewis, without access to a key ingredient. The result is unfortunately stiff, in my opinion, to the point that I couldn’t fully connect with the truly lovely story being told. I think this is in part due to Callahan’s propensity for telling instead of showing what is going on through the eyes of her characters. It felt too directed, too forced. There were moments of beauty and brilliance, but that made the failings of the writing in other areas even more jarring.
However, the story made up for the writing. I knew the core story, the tale of Lewis’s life told through vignettes. I’ve read about his life in his own words, though that was long enough ago that I very much enjoyed becoming reacquainted. But the framework story, the tale of Megs and George, was heartachingly lovely. George is a young boy with a failing heart. He fully expects this Christmas of 1950 to be his last. George is utterly enchanted by a new book recently published for children: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Megs, George’s older sister who loves him dearly and would do anything for him, actually attends Oxford, where the author of the aforementioned novel teaches. George begs Megs to find Mr. Lewis and ask him one single, buring question. “Where did Narnia come from?” The answer isn’t what Megs expects. Lewis tells her the story of his life, stories that Megs writes down afterward the best she can so she can share them with her brother. This leads the siblings on some marvelous adventures together, through the stories Megs has been told. But where in all of these stories is the answer to George’s question?
I did not initially like Megs, though I loved George from the start. I think this is in large part due to my issues with Callahan’s writing. At first, Megs was giving off hard “I’m not like other girls” vibes, which is a trope that always drives me to the brink of madness. But as Megs took this journey for the sake of her brother, as she learned more about herself and about life outside of the tangible and rational, she grew on me. She dealt with impending grief in believable, sympathetic ways. The love she had for her little brother was palpable, and Callahan did a wonderful job on their sibling dynamic.
While I had my issues with Once Upon a Wardrobe, my opinions by the end were mostly positive. Callahan told a powerful, moving story in a sweet, gentle way. While there is sadness here, this book would be perfect for sensitive readers who still want to think about some harder topics. The overall tone of the novel was uplifting. I might not have loved her writing style, but Callahan told a brilliant story here.
January 10, 2022
I am in love with Patti Callahan. I highly recommend you reading her. Her writing is like poetry and this one didn't disappoint. A boy who is dying from a heart condition has fell in love with the Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe. His older sister goes to the same college that CS Lewis teaches at and her brother want her to find out where Narnia comes from. So her sister becomes friend with CS Lewis and his brother. CS or also known as Jack tells her his life and how the story comes about. It is a wonderful story full of hope, love and as Jack wrote to his niece who was older when the book came out "But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again!" As the older sister soon became a child again reading the letters to her ailing brother. This story was simply wonderful. If you haven't read this book or Becoming Mrs Lewis you simply must and go back to your childhood once again!!
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