I love the Chronicles of Narnia,
They are the first portal fiction I remember reading. I was captivated by the idea that I could find a door to another world. I am still looking. I have never passed a wardrobe without checking, just in case.
The Magician’s Nephew takes us to the very beginning of Narnia, even to before the beginning. We, along with Digory and Polly, are present at the moment of creation.
I know the publisher re-ordered the series some years back, and that Magician’s Nephew is now Book One in the Narnia series. This, to my mind, is a mistake. I liked the original order, where we got to really know and love Narnia before we found out its history.
This book has so much that I love inside,
The Wood Between the Worlds. The creepy, frozen world of Charn. The Guinean pig with the ring taped to it trotting around the Wood. Uncle Andrew, who keeps forgetting how terrifying Jadis is when she is out of sight, and then remembering again on her return. Uncle Andrew being planted and watered by the Talking Beasts. Frank the cabbie and Helen his wife, who become the first King and Queen of Narnia, and of course his horse Strawberry, who becomes the Pegasus Fledge.
And a story that is very close to my own heart, the story of Digory’s mother. As a child reading, I was just caught up in the adventure of it all. As a mother who struggles with chronic illness and pain, the story of Digory’s mother haunts me sometimes.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the
story of how Digory made the right choices, the hard choices, and was rewarded with the magic apple, the apple that brings health and life back to his dying mother. But as a mother, I see it all differently.
I would never want my child to feel the weight Digory does, the weight of responsibility for my failing health. And there are frustrations to the story told. Some of this is mentioned in my book, The Lost Princess of Story.
I have always fallen short of the picture painted by Digory’s mother, beautiful in her bed of pain. Patient. Lovely.
My struggles have not been so picturesque and idealized.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love the gift of a healing apple. But I know life is not so simple.
One thing that meant a great deal to me while writing The Lost Princess of Story was being able to tell the story of a mom trying to be the best mom she could while dealing with chronic illness and pain. It is a story I find sadly lacking in books.
I hope that other moms living that life will find recognition in the pages of my book, will relate to the joys and struggles of that life.
The Lost Princess of Story is available on Amazon TOMORROW.
Thanks and love to everyone who supported me along the way.
