Poorly constructed, preachy - don't bother
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Lewis is, I'm afraid, going off the boil with this installment in the Narnia series. The story seems to be more of a selection of loosely connected episodes than a single story, it has no real beginning, nor a real end. And it's preachy, especially in the last episode. Not worth bothering with.
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The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
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Third book printed, fifth book chronologically.
I began re-reading the Narnia series after coming across a beautiful boxed set of all seven novels. Mainly this was out of nostalgia, as these were favourites when I was young, and I was interested to see how they held up as adults. I found them all to be written very clearly with provocative descriptive prose, and narrative that often draws the reader immediately into the story.
This one's a fine companion to "Prince Caspian" and feels more like the second half of that novel rather than a novel in its own right, but this doesn't stop the enjoyment of the tail despite the feeling of implausibility that the reader gets at times. The growth of the characters following previous instalments is tangible and feels authentic however, and the whole thing is as entertaining as the books set before it.
7.5/10
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An unforgettable voyage!
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The Voyage on the Dawn Treader is about Lucy and Edmund, when they are sent to stay with their cousin Eustace Scrubb for a holiday. In the room Lucy and Edmund are staying in there is a picture of a Narnian ship - the Dawn Treader. On board that ship is Prince Caspian and when they fall through that picture Caspian immediately recognises Lucy and Edmund but not Eustace. When they are rescued from the sea and boarded on to the ship, they're given dry clothes and a nice meal. The reason for this trip is to get to the end of the world as a request by Aslan - the Great Lion! I would rate this book 5/ 10 and I reckon this book is suitable for 9 - 13 year olds.
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"Why Should We Not Come to the Very Eastern Edge of the World?"
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The third book in the Chronicles of Narnia (or the fifth if you're reading them in chronological order), is a rather unusual book within the context of the series, considering the good-against-evil theme that permeates the other six books in the series is largely absent here. Of course there are dangers and trials, as well as personal conflict that need to be resolved, but because there is no central villain nor any fundamental evil that needs to be defeated, "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is more thoughtful, more carefully paced, more obviously spiritual and more episodic than any of the other books.
Likewise is the role that the children from our world play within the story. Sadly, Peter and Susan are too old to return to Narnia, and so the adventure belongs to Edmund and Lucy, as well as their horrible cousin Eustace Scrubb who are sucked through a painting in a spare bedroom into Narnia. However, unlike in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian", in which they had clear and important roles to play in the unfolding of Narnia's well-being, they are pulled aboard the ship the Dawn Treader in order to...well, just tag along really. Indeed, the children do not even set foot in Narnia throughout the course of the story - but crucially important words are spoken by Aslan at the conclusion of the tale that sheds a whole new light on the meaning behind the children's presence in Narnia: "In your world I have another name. This was the very reason you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little while, you may know me better there."
But I'm getting ahead of myself. After Lucy, Edmund and the odious Eustace are aboard the Dawn Treader they discover that their rescuer is Caspian, the boy crowned King at the conclusion of "Prince Caspian". But because of the time difference that exists between Narnia our own world, several years have passed in which Caspian has grown into a young man, whereas Edmund and Lucy remain children. Caspian is on a sea voyage to discover the fates of seven lords who were banished by his evil uncle Miraz; and map the uncharted seas of the East. Also on board is the talking mouse Reepicheep (also introduced in "Prince Caspian") who is on a quest of his own: to find Aslan's Country, said to exist at the eastern end of the world's oceans.
Edmund and Lucy (who are still considered monarchs in Narnia) quickly settle in to the routine of the ship, which is more than can be said for Eustace who seems only capable of making a nuisance of himself in his desire to return to more civilised lands. As the ship sets off into ever more dangerous waters and stopping at islands that become steadily stranger, Eustace eventually must come to find redemption in the discovery of the leonine Aslan - but I won't give away the details of his spiritual transformation, you'll have to read and find out for yourself! It is perhaps Eustace's development that makes up the main plot-thread of the book considering the book opens and closes on his character, though it is certainly not centred around him - Caspian, Edmund, Reepicheep and Lucy all get their chance to shine.
Furthermore, Lewis treats us an imaginative scope of adventure and mystery that is perhaps not matched by any other book in the series in regard to its variety and quantity. Since the fun of reading a book like this is in the discovery of each new marvel presented, it would be wrong of me to list them all - but of course it will come as no surprise to readers that Aslan's presence heavily surrounds the ship and its purpose. Some of Lewis's most overtly Christian connotations are found within "The Voyage" - yet as always, they are not so obtrusive that they become preachy or alienate readers who are not particularly interested in the subtext. Toward the end of the novel in particular, the christological references of the story are beautifully incorporated into the narrative of the story...and again, I have to resist temptation to go into detail!
As always, Lewis fills his books with little touches of intrigue and enigma, for example: the bracelet of a missing lord, which now hangs on a stone outcropping till the world ends, the unspoken sin of a star that was banished to earth, and the friendship that is formed between Lucy and a mermaid in the moment that they both meet and part. Lewis was a master at making small, thought-provoking events that didn't mean much to the overall continuation of the plot, but existed simply for their own sake in enriching and enlivening the story.
For many, "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is the best book in the series; not to mention their favourite. To be honest, I'm not sure where I stand on such a question, but I do know that it is an unusual (in a good way!) inclusion in the Chronicles, and in many ways a turning point for the series. This is the last book in which Pevensie children play a major part in the action; as Eustace takes over in the next book "The Silver Chair" as protagonist. As such, there is a bittersweet quality to it, which is well in keeping to the nature and purpose of Narnia itself.
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Shipping forecast
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This is one of the best of the "other" Chronicles of Narnia, a true piece of fairytale in which the younger two Pevensies, Lucy and Edmund, team up with their objectionable cousin Eustace Scrubb for a voyage to the end of the world with King Caspian, the hero of the previous book and now King of Narnia. The book also re-introduces Reepicheep, his mouse companion, of whom it has been foretold that he will sail or swim to the end of the sea. It is part allegory, part morality tale (Eustace goes through the same process of redemption that Edmund went through himself in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe) and part traditional pantomime story, with the inevitable "fair maid" at the end. The illustrations by Pauline Baynes are as timeless as ever, though her treatment of the ship is not as flowing as some more modern renderings have depicted it. Aslan of course makes his entrance, and the ending is pure simplicity itself, a beautiful and mystical finale which sees Lucy and Edmund take their leave of Narnia (almost) for ever. Lewis' philosophy is voiced through Aslan as well, with some interesting and humbling views on what we are permitted to know and accepting what we may never understand. Lewis does get rather political in the way he describes Scrubb's parents, and this is a very politically incorrect book, but it is a refreshing taste nonetheless of his opinions more fully explored in his adult theology and works such as "The Screwtape Letters". A lovely book to give a child - or indeed an adult: I know at least one lady (of my parents' age) for whom this book is a firm favourite and for whom I made a Reepicheep toy at Christmas.
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