Classic Remarks is a meme hosted at Pages Unbound that poses questions each Friday about classic literature and asks participants to engage in ongoing discussions surrounding not only themes in the novels but also questions about canon formation, the “timelessness” of literature, and modes of interpretation.

You can find more information and the list of weekly prompts here.

Today’s prompt is : Which Narnia book is your favorite and why?

Find Krysta’s post here to see what her answer was!

My favorite Narnia book is The horse and his boy, which is the 5th book in order of publication, and 3rd book in chronological order. When I was a kid, I got a boxed set of all Narnia books in chronological order, so this is the one I first read them in – but I had watched the first movie before that, so I did have an idea of what I was getting into.

I love the presence of the original characters as adults – I feel like this is one of the most interesting times in Narnia, and I really wish we had more content on the years during which they ruled together. Seeing the adult Pevensies without focusing entirely on them makes it a very enjoyable read for me, as you have the fresh perspective of a new character without being fully lost (unlike in The magician’s nephew…). The character of Aravis especially was very toughing and I remember getting attached quite fast to the small group of main characters!

I also think that Aslan’s role fits much better in the story than in the other novels, as he actually gets involved in a way that makes sense with the story – I loved the appearance of the lion chasing the horses in the desert, pushing them to go faster so they could accomplish their mission! And seeing more of the world outside of Narnia was so much fun – in this sense, it reminds me a lot of Voyage of the Dawn Trader, where the voyage to a strange land is also at the forefront.

On the main themes, the flight to freedom is one I especially appreciate, and even if I’m not that much on board with the religious aspects of C.S. Lewis’s work, I do think this novel was really well crafted.

All in all, I greatly enjoyed reading this book, and I hold a lot of affection for it, which is why I’d say this one is my favorite. (Now, about my least favorite…that’s a story for another day!)

What’s your favorite Narnia book ? Or your least favorite ? Did you enjoy this one as much as I did ? Tell me all about it in the comments!