Monday, August 24, 2009

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

Well, I finally finished them all! I read the last pages of "The Last Battle" this morning. Although I can see all the Christian references in the story, I was disappointed that there wasn't a bigger ending. This is my least favorite of the Narnia Chronicles. There is deception and treachery and King Tirian & company are LOSING! Yes, I see the similarities to reality - but I don't read a fantasy to be reminded of reality. And, in the end, they are all dead! Peter, Lucy, Edmund, Eustace and Jill and the Pevensies' parents are all dead! Yes, they are together in a beautiful place - Heaven, or the new Narnia - but they will never get back to England again. And, what about Susan? Just because she chose to grow up and forget about the stories of Narnia, she is separated from her family forever? I don't know. It just seemed as though King Tirian, Eustace and Jill and the others were going around in circles, then they went through the stable door, died and ended up in Heaven. The sun went out in Narnia, it got covered in water and ice and High King Peter closed the door on it. If the ending of the story, as beautifully described as it was, was meant to make me feel peaceful, it didn't. I believe in Jesus and I know that we will all be together with Him and our loved ones someday, but I guess I thought the theological hands were laid rather heavily on this book. Suffice it to say I didn't like it. It just didn't seem a worthy ending to a great series of books. Just my opinion.

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