“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
Digory and Polly are two children living in London in the early 1900s. One summer day, they decide to explore an abandoned attic but are waylaid by Diggory’s Uncle Andrew.
Polly is quickly tricked into touching a magic ring which causes her to vanish. Uncle Andrew is devilishly delighted when the magic works and turns to his nephew to propose the second half of the magic.
Distraught, Diggory requires no convincing to take the second magic ring to try to find Polly. If the two magic rings are reunited, then they should be able to return to London.
Diggory finds Polly almost immediately, but they also discover that they are in a charming woodland filled with pools that link different worlds. And so, being children and on an adventure, they jump into a pool and begin exploring.
“Make your choice, adventurous Stranger, Strike the bell and bide the danger, Or wonder, till it drives you mad, What would have followed if you had.”
I thought this was a fun prequel to the story.
I liked being able to visit Aslan and the background we obtained about Narnia .It didn’t have as much charm as the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe nor as much adventure as Prince Caspian but ultimately, I was entertained.
I did think Diggory and Polly were a bit precocious at times but it wasn’t enough to ruin the story for me.
‘By gum,’ said Digory, ‘Don’t I just wish I was big enough to punch your head!’
Also, that uncle was just a monster. With family like that, who needs enemies.
PS. If you are reading this series in order of publication, this is book 6…but if you are reading it in chronological order, this is the prequel (aka book 1). Keep that in mind. I went publication for my first read through but chronological for the rest because reading the story in order of events that happen in the story was easiest for me.
