The Last Battle (The Chronicles of Narnia, #7) (Narnia)

by C. S. Lewis

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

It begins with a lie. A lie can be a powerful tool, and like a good piece of gossip if spread around enough fiction can warp into fact. That is what a coniving Baboon and a simpleton Ass have done. Someone is impersionating Obama er... Aslan -- and getting away with it! So the last King of Narnia, Tirian and a reunion of the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve go about saving Narnia a land not only they but all readers of these chronicles have taken into their hearts.


Well, not all of the Daughters of Eve return, Susan is conspicuously absent with the explanation given by past companions:

Peter says that she is "no longer a friend of Narnia"
Jill Pole -- "she's interested in nothing now-a-days except nylons and lipstick and invitations."
Eustace Scrubb -- "What wonderful memories you have! Fancy you still thinking about all those funny games we used to play when we were children,"
Polly Plummer -- "She wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she'll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that age. Her whole idea is to race on to the silliest time of one's life as quick as she can and then stop there as long as she can."

Is this suppose to signify anything? That girls are vain and conceited creatures, but then we have valiant and kind Lucy so it can be perceived as unclear what role they play. Personally, out of all the characters and mysteries of Narnia I think Susan is one of the greatest of them all, as all the other Kings and Queens of Narnia have a completed story.

The Last Battle, while it gives closure to a magical world with a solid ending was very bittersweet as I would have loved for it to go on and on and to step through the Wardrobe myself. One could wish this all they like but eventually Turkish Delight must come to an end. C.S. Lewis has done this and more throughout all his chronicles with a tear-dropping, spectacular ending.