the right kind of books have dragons in them

[aria]

Since I am apparently still having lots of Thoughts (& FEELINGS) About Narnia, I decided it was time for a poll. Have at it!

Poll #5874

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 61

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Favourite book?

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The Magician's Nephew
6 (10.3%)

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
7 (12.1%)

The Horse and His Boy
15 (25.9%)

Prince Caspian
4 (6.9%)

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
19 (32.8%)

The Silver Chair
4 (6.9%)

The Last Battle
3 (5.2%)

Favourite kid protagonist? (Ticky boxes this time because I am not cruel.)

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Digory
5 (8.9%)

Polly
9 (16.1%)

Peter
2 (3.6%)

Susan
12 (21.4%)

Edmund
27 (48.2%)

Lucy
29 (51.8%)

Eustace
14 (25.0%)

Jill
15 (26.8%)

When I was little, I ...

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believed in Aslan
15 (25.0%)

went looking for magic countries in closets
32 (53.3%)

already knew the lion was Jesus
25 (41.7%)

hadn't actually been exposed to Narnia yet
9 (15.0%)

PS if you answered 'The Last Battle' to the first question, you will have to defend your answer in comments. DISCUSS.
PPS the order in which I listed the books is not in fact the order in which you should read them. Publication order all the way, yo.

Comments

[genarti]

Also, the whole "good things done in the name of Tash/evil done in the name of Aslan" distinction stuck with me so strongly as a fundamental truth that it was a core aspect of my theology pretty much right up until I lost my faith and became and atheist.

I was pretty much agnostic from before I knew what the word was, but all the same that was a fundamental truth to me too, and I was absolutely struck when I read that passage. Now I can look at it and see all the problematic levels of the entire Calormen nation (occasional virtuous ones aside), but at the time, all that struck me was the truth of that.

I didn't love all of Lewis's version of the afterlife, and I was always kind of bitter about there being one -- no ending your magical happy land in grinding misery, even if you make it better later! was the cry of my tiny heart -- but that aspect I loved too. That everything was there, England too, not just Narnia, and the good and loved things no matter which world they come from or how they saw it or whether they'd ever heard of Aslan at all -- yes, I loved that, because it was so inclusive, in a way that so much fiction (and especially allegory) isn't.

[aria]

That everything was there, England too, not just Narnia, and the good and loved things no matter which world they come from or how they saw it or whether they'd ever heard of Aslan at all -- yes, I loved that, because it was so inclusive, in a way that so much fiction (and especially allegory) isn't.

I hadn't actually considered that, and on reflection I do love it! I think I disapproved as a child because Narnia!heaven really isn't the same as getting called to Narnia to save it, and yes, absolutely, no ending your magical happy land in grinding misery! But the inclusiveness is delightful.