The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #3)
by C.S. Lewis, Pauline Baynes (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Lucy and Edmund are back in Narnia, this time accompanied by their annoying cousin, Eustace. The siblings join King Caspian again, this time on a quest to the Eastern edge of the world. They sail through rough seas, encounter sea monsters, chart magical islands, and fight battles. But the greatest adventure of all is what they find at the edge of the world.

This one is my favorite of all the Narnia books! It appeals to something deep inside me on many levels. The magical adventures, the spiritual themes, poor sad Eustace and his character development, the beautiful imagery, and the imaginative settings all resonate with me in special ways. There are so many sweet little moments that tug at your heart!

I especially was interested to see the imagery of light and shadows, and how the darkness means that something evil or dangerous is coming.

Of course the most striking part of the story is the spiritual transformation of Eustace. He has an adventure of his own on one of the islands and meets Aslan, who literally reshapes who Eustace is from the inside out. Eustace begins as a thoroughly prideful person, but his encounter with Aslan starts him on a journey of healing and redemption. It doesn’t happen overnight, but Eustace learns to be a better person. His heart is open to faith and love, whereas before he didn’t even know what those things meant. I love Eustace’s storyline!

There are just so many wonderful Christian themes and parallels in this book! It is amazing to me how deep and how specific the imagery is that represents particular verses from the Bible. Every time I read this book it is like a breath of fresh air and a joyful light.

The story itself is wonderful, with an exciting plot and magical setting. The characters are deep and complex, with lots of character growth. The writing paints a picture with only a few words, and calls up strong emotional responses in the reader. There is just something so enchanting about this story that has appealed to generations of readers!