Once Upon a Wardrobe

 

This is my first Patti Callahan book, and it certainly won't be my last.  She writes thought-provoking novels with history woven into the prose.  This is her second novel about C S Lewis, but it stands alone quite well.  I truly appreciated Douglas Gresham's words at the end of the novel, because he provided an extra perspective on the story.  

Once Upon a Wardrobe in a land not so far away and not very long ago, Megs made an effort to meet Clive Staples "Jack" Lewis to find out where Narnia came from so that she could tell her younger brother.  While Megs was sitting on a rock on the writer's property, she met Jack's brother, Warnie, who invited her in and began a sweet relationship among the three of them.  

Megs has a younger brother who has a serious heart condition that limits his physical life, but in no way hinders his mind.  He has read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and he has questions about where Narnia originated and who Aslan was.  

In meeting with Jack and Warnie, Megs got more answers than she bargained for, answers that made her think about her preconceived notions.  She also got stories to tell her brother, George, and made his last few months so much more full.  

In his afternotes, Douglas says that this is the kind of book you read once and then set aside to come back to later, because there are so many layers and then you come back and read it again to discover even more depths in the book.  

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a wardrobe to escape to when times are tough. 

Harper Muse and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.