In July, I (and the little folks around my house) participated in the Narnia Reading Challenge sponsored by Carrie at Reading to Know. My original goals were to read/finish The Silver Chair
with my girls and to listen to the last two books, The Magician's Nephew
and The Last Battle
, on audio during our family vacation.I'm happy to say that we completed all proposed goals! I don't have any big, in-depth insights to share from the books. It had been a LONG time since I had read any of these stories so they felt very new to me as we went through them. I found that I have very ambivalent feelings about The Silver Chair. I had a hard time enjoying the characters of Eustace and Jill (although I learned to like Eustace very much in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
). Much of time, I felt like it was just a place holder in the series. The middle book that takes you from point A to point B but seems like filler a lot of the time. (Please don't hate!) : )We also did listen to the last books of the series on our trip and it has renewed my interested to read (with the girls) and re-read (for myself) those books again! I didn't remember much of either of those stories (or The Horse and His Boy
for that matter either) and it was fun reconnecting with them. While the girls and I are taking a small break on our Narnia reading for something a little lighter before school starts, I do anticipate we'll get back to them again before next year's Narnia challenge. At least, I hope so!
Next up is Amy's (at Hope is the Word) To Kill a Mockingbird challenge. Doesn't this well-worn copy look impressive?
Sadly, I've never read this book although it's been on my shelf a long time! I'm going to aim to tackle this one in August (along with school, etc.) so that will be the extent of my goals! However, Amy did mention that there is movie
made of this book so I may try and tack that on as well, after I read the book, of course. : ) Coincidentally, I read a really interesting article on the book and it's author in the July issue of Southern Living. I didn't realize this was the author's only book, and that she is extremely reticent to discuss it or really accept any recognition because of it. Her hometown of Monroe, Alabama is very sensitive to her wishes and while they have a few things planned for this anniversary year of the book, they are keeping it fairly low-key overall.Happy reading!
Hurray! I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't read To Kill a Mockingbird!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm glad you played along for the Narnia challenge. I think you accomplished a great deal! And I don't hate you for your opinions on The Silver Chair. That one (and The Last Battle) are my two least favorites....which is why I was thinking I would probably want to read Silver Chair next year to see if I change my mind. We'll see! =)
It is interesting your thoughts on The Silver Chair, since it is one of my favorites of the series. I like the adventures and I like the analogy to my own life of trying to apply God's word to my life -- it seems so clear on Sunday morning or in my quiet time but to apply it in application is much more difficult things look different than I thought they would to apply that piece. But I can see why it seems more like a place holder in the series.
ReplyDeleteOh, To Kill a Mockingbird. It is a good story. Impactful. I can't remember how difficult it is to get into the story. I read it in high school and then re-read it a couple of years ago for a book club. I got much more out of it reading it as an adult than in high school. Another along similar lines is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry....
I have read some of my Narnia challenge but not all. The older three have all read at least some of the books. Of course, speed reader Levi I think has read them all (among many other books this month).
I have read To Kill a Mockingbird 6 times. I like it more and more every time. I'm signed up for the challenge too. I'm listening to the audio version and I'll be re-watching the movie.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!
We didn't make it through our Narnia goals this month - just too many other things going on. I've never read To Kill a Mockingbird, either.
ReplyDeleteI'm signing up for the challenge, I can't believe I've never read it! I'd love a recommendation for a goal of mine...reading more non-fiction books in my 46th year! Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteWay to go with completing all your goals for the Narnia challenge!
ReplyDeleteI always think it's interesting to see what everyone else's favorite and least favorite books are in a series. We all have such different tastes! I like The Silver Chair quite a bit--until the children enter underworld. Those underworldish creatures just creep me out!
Funny, I don't remember The Silver Chair's plot, so I can't comment on it. It was neat to read about your goals and how you completed them...along with your thougths of course!
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