Once Upon a Wardrobe

by Patti Callahan

Hennepin County Library hardcover 271 pages

Published: 2021

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction 

Based on C.S. Lewis and his Narnia books, this story focuses on Megs Devonshire and her little brother George. Megs is a math and physics student at Oxford. Her little brother has a sickness that will likely end his life early. A fan of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, he asks his big sister to find out where Narnia "came from" as author Lewis is a professor at Oxford. Only Megs' love for her brother brings her to seek out the famous man. Only his way of answering questions is through telling stories about his life. Megs wants certainty. 

I enjoyed this book very much, but it was not a page-turner for me. I really enjoyed the sister and brother dynamic (even more than Megs' evolution as a character and a thinker). 

Page 99: "I watch him. The thing is, I want a miracle for George. I want something or someone like Aslan to prowl through the door and save us, save us from the sorrow and the pain and the absolute loneliness of it all." 

Part of the reason I didn't connect as much with Megs is because I am NOT a logic-focused person. I love stories and imagination. When she read to George or told him stories, I connected best with that relational aspect of her character. Wanting an Aslan, a saviour, resonates for me!

Page 120: "It took months, but Jack saved up his money, and Warnie, out of love, chipped in. Jack bought the book for fifteen schillings."

I love the brother relationship between Clive Staples / C.S. / "Jack" and his brother Warner. I love that he wanted to own a book so much that it became his focus. (This book was Twilight of the Gods). 

Another book that was raved about was Phantastes by George McDonald. This came up as SUCH a big deal, that I added a post-it note about reading it myself. I have soooo many books on my shelf already, but I'm curious. I may have to request it from the library just to appease my curiosity.

Page 154: "Warnie walks ahead as if he has somewhere to be, while Jack continues chatting. 'Every life should be guided and enriched by one book or another, don't you agree? Certainly, every formative moment in my life has been enriched or informed by a book. You must be very careful about what you choose to read - unless you want to stay stuck in your opinions and hard-boiled thoughts, you must be very careful.' "

I love the idea of going for a walk and talking and listening and thinking about meaning. 

Page 204: ". . . Jack had known that his intellect stood over his imagination, that the two hemispheres, as it were, of his mind were in sharp contrast. He realized that all he'd loved, he believed to be imaginary, and all he'd believed was real, he thought grim and meaningless.

Near dawn, Jack went home, and morning rose over the Kilns to see him a different man.

Something within him had shifted.

'Even if Christianity isn't my favorite myth,' he told Warnie,' it's the only one that is true.'"

I love when atheists come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ! I love how the thinking and talking of the Inklings made such a difference for Lewis and others. 

Page 205: "He wants to know if it's true that there's something more when this something ends. Not whether there is a doorway in the back of his wardrobe; he know that is just a way to tell a story about something more. But maybe in the back of his life there is a place he will go, a place they will all go."

George, as young as he is, knows that his life will not be long. He wants the answer to that big question: what happens when I die? His hunger for more of Mr. Lewis' stories is deeper than mere curiosity about Narnia.

Page 218: "'Megs, every human interaction is eternally important.' He smiles, and I swear those eyes that usually twinkle are swimming with tears."

That phrase struck me - every human interaction is eternally important. I want my interactions with people to point them to Jesus. I want to glorify God each and every day, through my thoughts, words, and actions.

Page 233: ". . . I think of George in front of the fireplace asking for only this for Christmas. I think of next Christmas when George likely won't be here, and me wishing I'd taken the chance, broken through the stone wall of logic and fear."

I was so worried that Megs would not take advantage of Padraig's offer to drive her and George to see Dunluce Castle in Ireland. What a bold adventure! I loved Padraig as a character! What a delight. And I'm so glad she overcame her fears. (And I had to look up info about the castle online . . . tourist visit someday?)

Page 259: "I think the lion follows all of us around. We just have to look for him."

George has wisdom beyond his years. I love that he drew Aslan into the different scenes he drew of the stories of Jack Lewis' life.

Page 266: "I'd believed - fool that I was - that because I knew this end was coming, I was prepared, that I would not grieve as I had. As if one can pre-grieve and get it out of the way. It's not true. Grief is the price I paid for loving fiercely, and that was okay, because there was no other choice but to love fiercely and fully."

Yes. Grief is the payment for loving deeply and losing someone.

I look forward to our book club discussion in three and a half weeks!