**I finished. I turn the last page, read the last word, and close the book for the last time, putting an end to this story. I have spent countless hours traveling with the characters in a world that felt familiar. I put the book with the rest of the series and bid my goodbye to it, knowing that I may revisit it one day in a far future.**

Back in 2023, I started reading the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I had heard some good things about the series and I was starting to gain interest in reading it. I finally picked it up and just finished the series a day or two ago. I would love to share my thoughts on each book and the series as a whole then give a ranking of the books.

The Magician’s Nephew

This is the first book in the series if you read it in the recommended/chronological order. I actually read this one second and read Prince Caspian as number 3. I enjoyed this one and found the story to be interesting. I really liked to see the origin of Narnia and how the two kids transported to this world. I like that C.S. Lewis chose to add this on to explain how the world started and how the first kids got there.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

This was my first introduction to the series since I hadn’t known what order to read the books in. I really loved this one. The Pevensies are my favorite characters to read about from the series, especially Lucy. I found the story incredibly magical and it has one of the most fairytale-type feelings I have ever gotten while reading. The portal through the wardrobe was so unique and I loved getting to see the kids spend time in Narnia.

The Horse and His Boy

I’m not going to lie, this one was a bit boring. I didn’t really feel a connection to this one and found the story and characters a bit dry. I was also confused at first as to where this took place in terms of the rest of the Narnia universe. I just didn’t love the story and was trying to just get through it.

Prince Caspian

This was a lot better than the previous book, though I did read it before The Horse and His Boy. I enjoyed getting to see the introduction of Prince Caspian and I loved that the Pevensies made another appearance. However, upon reflection, I do think this one had a lot of storytelling. I don’t fully remember this one, but I think that Prince Caspian was getting told a story of some sort, so while I did really enjoy this one at first, I think that it did drag a bit upon reflection.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I loved this one. I was really nervous since we have a new character introduced, but this one was so good. We get a few familiar characters in this one and a great adventure across the seas. I love some of the other ones for the action and fantasy parts, but I love this one because it was just fun. I had a great time reading this one and really enjoyed it.

The Silver Chair

This was one that was the opposite of Prince Caspian. Initially, I didn’t love it, but by the end I really enjoyed it. I think that the plot/adventure wasn’t my favorite, but this one was so funny. We get introduced to a character named Puddleglum, one of the creatures of Narnia, and he was the highlight of this book. He was absolutely hilarious and had so many good lines. He really made this book.

The Last Battle

Finally, we end with The Last Battle, which I actually finished only a day or two ago. This is another where the plot wasn’t my favorite. I feel like the overall vibe of this one didn’t really match the rest of the series for most of it. I also was not the biggest fan of the end. I think that in some aspects it makes sense for the story and the themes, but I was not expecting that ending.

As a whole, I really enjoyed this series. I was not expecting much but ended up getting sucked into this world and the adventures that take place. This series, specifically The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is one of the most magical I have read, with that fairytale type story and setting. The transportation methods into the world of Narnia are also very unique, especially in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Magician’s Nephew. Now, getting to my ranking:

1. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
2. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
3. The Silver Chair
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Magician’s Nephew
6. The Last Battle
7. The Horse and His Boy

My four and five do switch, but for now, this is how I would rank the books in the Narnia series. I really enjoyed my time reading this and can’t believe I will never read another book in this world for the first time. If anyone has any recommendations for a similar series, I would love to hear it. I would also love to know your own ranking for the series.

xoxo,

Just another reader