While investigating the attics of several houses, Polly Plummer and her friend, Digory Kirke, stumble into the study of Digory's strange Uncle Andrew. By the use of magic rings, Uncle Andrew sends both children into another world. There Digory awakens a witch and they accidentally bring her back to London with them. In an attempt to get her out of their world, they bring evil into another, newly created world.
Morality
Good is good and evil is evil. Though Jadis, the witch, steals jewelry and Uncle Andrew is a selfish, egotistical man with a taste for both cruelty and cowardice, because they are the bad characters these things do not reflect upon the general morality of the book. For selfishness Digory is punished by Aslan, and when explaining to her parents where she was in the time that she was in The Wood Between The Worlds, Polly is careful not to lie.
Spiritual Content
The book is something of an allegory, something of a 'supposal' or a 'might-have-been'. The creation of Narnia bears strong similarities to the Creation account in the book of Genesis. The Witch, Jadis, uses the 'Deplorable Word' to destroy her world, but it isn't written down what that is. She refers to Uncle Andrew as a magician.
Violence
Digory twists Polly's arm at one point. Jadis says that in the war between herself and her sister the streets ran with blood. She also hits several policemen on the head with the arm of a lamp post, which she later attempts to kill Aslan with.
Drug and Alcohol Content
Uncle Andrew seems to have a strong attachment to brandy.
Sexual Content
Jadis has bare arms and Aunt Letty thus calls her a 'shameless hussy'.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
Uncle Andrew says 'demm' occasionally and refers to Jadis as a 'demmed fine woman'.
Conclusion
The Magician's Nephew is an excellent fantasy with strong roots in Scripture. Aslan, as in all the Chronicles of Narnia, portrays Christ in the making of Narnia, etc. Self-sacrifice is clearly shown and all the values are timeless.
This review is brought to you by Jeanne.
