One of the most enchanting, magical, heartbreaking books I have ever read. I loved it, I was racing towards the end yet reluctant to part with the characters and reach the ending.
I shed fat ugly tears, smiled, laughed and had ultimate hope.
Once upon a wardrobe, not very long ago and not very far away lived a brave little boy forever in my heart.

Such a beautiful and touching story about Megs and her love for her brother, George. But it’s so much more than that, also. It’s George’s curiosity and imagination, his need for something other than this world, and how that makes those who know of him feel, that really make this book special. I am not a big Narnia fan and was a little concerned this might ruin this book for me but it doesn’t. In fact, it’s the opposite; if George can love it so much it helps him get through his darkest days, maybe I should give it another try. There are so many touching moments in this story and I highly recommend it (with a box of tissues).

Wow, wow, wow. If I could give this more than five stars, I absolutely would! Fantastic read, especially for C.S. Lewis fans, but even if you’re not, the writing and storyline will for sure keep your attention. Lots of food for thought and a thoroughly enjoyable read. I can’t recommend this one enough.

Once Upon a Wardrobe by
Patti Callahan Henry

“Reason is how we get to the truth, but imagination is how we find meaning.”

This novel, heralded as one of the best books of 2021, was a thought-provoking and enjoyable read for me. But because I ADORED Ms. Callahan’s prior bestsellers, Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis, this one left me wanting more.  


And that is likely my fault. 


Perhaps because, as a child, I never read C.S. Lewis’ beloved fantasy, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In that tale, to escape the raging war in London, four children retreat to a country home and the magical world of Narnia.


And that’s where the two books intersect. In Once Upon a Wardrobe, Megs’ ailing little brother longs to learn how Narnia came to be. He begs his sister to ask the author himself, Professor Clive Staples Lewis, a tutor at the nearby university.


Megs, a mathematician, wants definitive answers. But C.S. Lewis, in response to her questions, only offers stories. At first frustrated, Megs eventually discovers those tales lead to discoveries about life and the world around her.

This novel was so enjoyable! It had a magical tone to it, probably due to the emphasis on the magical world in the famous book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Megs is a college student. She deals in reality and equations. But at the same time her little brother George is interested in the magical worlds in the fiction books he reads, especially the one created in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. One day Megs finally reads the book with George. And she promises to help him answer his question that he wants to know where did Narnia come from. This begins a journey for both of them. The story is magical, cozy, and emotional all at once. The book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is special to me. When I was in elementary school, a teacher read us this book. But she only read to a certain part for some reason we never finished the book. She stopped right at the part in the wardrobe and feeling the coats there. It stuck with me but I never finished it either. But many years later when my own child was in school I found the book again and we got to experience reading it together.

This book just didn't do it for me. I felt like George was saying things that no child that age would say and Megs got on my nerves at times.
I really liked Lewis story so would have been OK had she just written his story and left out the other parts.
One thing I will say is the whole book you know one thing is going to happen and you are just waiting for it and then when it happened I still teared up. Patti does a great job of getting the emotions going.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book for my honest opinion.

Patti Callahan wrote the story of C. S. Lewis' relationship with Joy Davidman in Becoming Mrs. Lewis, and continues with another story about the Narnia author in Once Upon a Wardrobe.

George Devonshire is a young boy with a terminal illness who is wholeheartedly invested in the world of Narnia from the novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He asks his sister Megs, who is conveniently studying at Oxford, to ask the author where Narnia came from.

Megs visits C. S. Lewis and his brother at their home, and "Jack" as he is known to his family tells Megs stories about his childhood as a roundabout way of telling her where Narnia came from. Megs writes down the stories and tells them to her brother George on the weekends when she visits him.

Megs learns a lot about life from both Mr. Lewis and George throughout the novel, which ends on a bittersweet note that had this reviewer in tears.

Recommended for lovers of Narnia and readers of historical fiction.

I adored this book from the gorgeous cover to the last page turned! The book is set in 1950's England, when The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe has just been published. Megs Devonshire has a little brother who is dying of heart failure and all he wants to know is where did C.S. Lewis come up with Narnia. Megs goes and sits outside the author's house and is spied by his brother, Warnie, who invites her in. The story unfolds from there. You won't be able to put it down. When you finish, you will want to hug it and start all over again!

I’ve always been a C. S. Lewis fan, so when I heard about Patti Callahan’s new book, Once Upon a Wardrobe, I just had to read it. I am so glad I did!
The perfect blend of history and fiction, this book focuses on the story of Meg Devonshire, a loving sister whose dying brother, George, becomes enchanted with the story of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Since Meg is a student at Oxford, where C.S. Lewis was a professor, George begs her to find out where the idea for Narnia came from. Meg breaks through her shyness to reach out to Professor Lewis at her brother’s request and ultimately begins meeting him for tea and conversation. Instead of giving her quick, easy answers, Professor Lewis tells Meg stories of his own life growing up with his brother. Meg shares what she learns with George, but in the end, she is the one who benefits the most from the stories, as they offer her the gift of hope.
Callahan’s story is beautiful written, making me laugh in some points while leaving me in tears at others. I now plan to reread the Narnia series and delve into other books by the author, such as Becoming Mrs. Lewis, which tells the story of C. S. Lewis’s relationship with the love his life, his wife, Joy Davidman.
I highly recommend this book to fans of C. S. Lewis, as well as historical fiction in general. I received the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book through NetGalley, but I was under no obligation to leave a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

A beautifully written novel inspired by a timeless author, I thought Once Upon a Wardrobe was a well-rounded book. While intelligent in ways many of us can only imagine, Megs is a heroine that is relatable with her insecurities, doubts, and caring heart. Her determination and the way she loves so fiercely is inspiring. Those who have loved the Chronicles of Narnia will enjoy reading more about the beloved C.S. Lewis. His and Warnie’s conversations with Megs are endearing. A heart-rending read, this book will bring a tear to your eye, but will ultimately offer hope.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Muse through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lover's of Narnia and the writings of C.S Lewis are in for a treat. The story begins with George (a young boy suffering a heart condition) whose condition confines him to bed. His only escape to the outside world is through books, and when he reads the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, he becomes obsessed. He asks his sister Megs (a college student at Oxford) to find C.S "Jack" Lewis and ask him a question. Where did Narnia come from?

Befriending "Jack Lewis" and his brother Warnie, Meg becomes a frequent visitor at their home after she queries the writer about the origins of Narnia. The reader and characters learn about the progression of Jack's life through a series of stories he tells Megs, who then writes them down to read to George. Meg races against time to give George his answer before it's too late.

During this experience Meg learns as much about herself, as she does about Lewis. He opens her eyes to the world around her, and to the fact that there is more to life then the definite answers she finds in her beloved math equations. Frustrated that Lewis does not come right out tell her where Narnia comes from, she fears she will never find the answer George so desperately wants.

In the end Meg and George do learn about where Narnia came from, just not in the definitive way they imagined. Through this journey Meg experiences love, friendship, a new appreciation for literature while strengthening her bond with her brother, and preparing herself to say goodbye to him forever. A beautifully heartbreaking and poignant story.

Many young students worldwide read C.S. Lewis' <i>The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</i>. They may never go further than that, ignoring the rest of the Chronicles (as well as his many other writings). Still, some may wonder how did this book come to be? Who imagines a world with a fauns and umbrellas, or talking lions? A sick English child named George reads the book and convinces his sister Meg to ask Lewis those questions. What follows is a lot of biography of Jack (and Warnie), repeated by Meg to George. There is nothing new for anyone who has studied Lewis, but this may inspire readers to go deeper and read the rest of the books.

This is not a fantasy book! It's historical and biographical fiction. Read accordingly.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

My Heart. Think of me with my hand over my heart as I read the last words in this novel with tears running down my face. ONCE UPON A WARDROBE is an absolutely beautiful novel. As someone who grew up reading the Chronicles of Narnia, the question of where Narnia came from was something I wondered about but moved on from as I got older and explored new books. Patti Callahan has taken a childhood wondering to the next level.
From the characters to the story to the emotion, there are not words to convey how wonderful this novel is. I wish I could go back and experience it, again, for the first time. My heart alternately soared and broke for George and Megs. I can see this magnificent story becoming as much of a classic as the story that inspired it. Don’t miss this incredible read.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#OnceUponAWardrobe #Narnia #PattiCallahanHenry #PattiCallahan #HarperMuse

This book is subtitled "A Story of Narnia and a Sister's Love", but it is SO much more than that! This is not a book to be rushed through- it is a book to savor and delight in. Callahan gives us a new look at our childhood favorite book and how Lewis' lifetime experiences created Narnia and more importantly how he came to see God in Aslan. Megs asls Lewis for a stright answer for her brother of how he made the book and Narnia, but instead he sends stories and ultimately shares his life and lessons learned. As Megs herself changes, as she allows her imagaine to fly, she sees the wonder that Lewis has sent thru her to George. George on the other hand knew what he was actually seeking, and catches on quicker than Megs, and leaves her witha chance to live her life differently than she planned. It's a book full of joy, even with George's impending death lingering over the story, and it's perfect for reading as a family too!

If you haven't read the author's excellent previous book, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, which dealt with the relationship betwen C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidham, you may want to read it after this one! It is obvious she truly did her research and appreciated all the nuances of the family dynamics, and this book also includes a note from Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis’s stepson, which brings it all together. having done my own research into C.S. Lewis and his life, I think she has done an amazing job at incorporating facts into a fictionalized story and making it seem like it really did happen!

In a Nutshell: I liked parts of the book but I didn’t find it coming together in a cohesive whole. This is an outlier opinion, so please read other positive reviews before making up your mind.

Story:
The story is set in 1950. Eight year old George has a weak heart and is stuck to his bed. His solace lies in books, and his latest favourite is C.S. Lewis’s “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”. When his loving elder sister Meg, a physics student at Somerville College in Oxford, mentions that Lewis is a tutor of English literature at nearby Magdalen College, George begs her to meet him and ask him one question: Where did Narnia come from?
What follows is a combination story, partly focussing on Meg’s and George’s bond with each other, and partly focussing on Lewis’s recounting of his earlier years to Meg as an answer to her query.

I must admit that I am not a C.S. Lewis fan as such. I have read a couple of his Narnia books and found them decent, not outstanding. So I never bothered to complete the series. But of the ones I read, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” was my favourite. So I hoped to enjoy this story better. Unfortunately, my expectations probably ended up being too high.

Where the book clicked for me:
✔ George’s character seems a bit too precocious for his age and health condition, especially given that he hasn’t ever been to school. But he is still a sweet loveable boy. The relationship between him and seventeen year old Meg was adorably sweet. (Their bond reminded me a bit of the beautiful connection shared by Auggie and Via in R.J. Palacio’s “Wonder”, one of my favourite contemporary children’s books.) A similarly protective and loving relationship is depicted between C.S. Lewis (or ‘Jack”, as he is called in the book)and his elder brother Warnie. These two sibling connections are the best part of this story.
✔ While you don't need to have read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in order to enjoy this story, having some familiarity with it will help you relish the context more. You will get to know of Aslan and the four children and Mr. Tumnus and the whole magical wardrobe a lot better though Lewis’s story.
✔ The author’s attention to historical detail is very evident in the writing. The veracity of her story gets confirmed in the ending note which is written by actor Douglas Gresham, one of Lewis’ stepsons from his marriage to Joy.
✔ The start and the end of the book rates a full 5 stars. The foundation of the story is set beautifully in the initial chapters and the changed perspective and emotional growth of the characters is evidenced by the ending.
✔ At first, I wasn’t a fan of the romantic track included in the story. I assumed it was yet another book with the mandatory teen love track to add spice to the proceedings. But I liked how Callahan didn’t incorporate the romance just for the sake of it but worked it into the main narrative reasonably and gave it a lovely purpose.
✔ This book gave me two great names to be added to my TBR. One is “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan, which I want to read after knowing more about her in the above-mentioned ending note. The second is “Phantastes” by George MacDonald, which is recommended by Lewis to Meg.

Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ I liked the George and Meg story a lot. I also liked the Jack and Warnie story to a great extent. What I didn’t like was the blend of these two stories together. Somehow, they didn’t mesh with each other seamlessly and I felt as if I was reading two separate books with some overlapping characters. The constant and abrupt switch between narrative voices didn’t help. The book would have worked far better for me if it were just focussed on Jack and Warnie, and tried to be kind of memoir of the Narnia author’s years before his writing success.
❌ I didn’t understand Meg’s character, though I initially connected to her very strongly because she seemed as logical and practical as I am in real life. But I soon realised that she was absolutely closed to the idea of anything creative. Her mulishness to get a precise answer about the origin of Narnia seemed unrealistic. I can understand George’s wanting to know where the story sprung from, but seventeen year old Meg’s determination to find a single and specific source for an author’s imagination seemed too farfetched to accept. For someone so logical to discount anything creative as impossible seemed... well, illogical. I would have loved for her character to be written in a more balanced and realistic way.
❌ The C.S. Lewis flashback story dragged in many places and I lost my patience with it multiple times towards the middle. (but not as much as I lost my patience with Meg who simply didn’t understand what Lewis was trying to tell her.)

All in all, this book wasn’t quite what I expected. But I can see the merits in it. C.S. Lewis fans will undoubtedly enjoy this way of knowing him better through his early years. Writers who bring stories to life in their minds may find it beautiful. Narnia fans might find it enthralling. This is a sweet and sentimental story, and I guess, as long as you keep yourself focussed on those points and ignore the writing gaps and the abrupt plot development, you will enjoy the work far more than I did.


My thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC of “Once Upon A Wardrobe”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I initially picked up this book because I love The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in particular, of course. I hadn't read anything by Patti Callahan before but I heard great things so I decided to give it a shot. And wow. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. There is hope, love, and fierce imagination woven into every word. There is something in this book for everyone, regardless of age or proclivity.

George is an 8 year old boy with a fatal heart condition, who loves to read and wants to know how C.S. Lewis created Narnia. Where did it come from? His older sister Megs, sets out to find answers and ends up asking Mr. Lewis and his brother directly at their home. Instead of a direct answer, she gets stories. Stories about C.S. Lewis's (aka Jack's) life. She writes these stories down and then brings them home to George. While she initially thinks she is doing this only for George's sake, she soon realizes that she is getting much more out of these stories than she could have possibly imagined.

This book is magic in a way that I find difficult to describe. It made me feel more mature and more like a child simultaneously. It filled me both with sadness and with joy. But hope, most of all. I highly recommend this book to all who feel like they've been missing something recently. It may help you find what you're looking for.

Patti Callahan's Once Upon a Wardrobe is the sort of sentimental tale I wouldn't normally go near, but there's the Narnia angle...

I was afraid this book would be
Plodding
Cloying
Didactic
Hagiographic
Manipulative

In fact, it turned out to be
Gentle
Thoughtful
Subtle
Straightforward
Heart-warming

It's not the type of book I usually read, but I'm quite glad to have read it—and I have several friends and relatives who spent time in Narnia with me when we were younger who will be getting it for Xmas.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher; the opinions are my own.

Once Upon a Wardrobe was my initiation into the storytelling of author Patti Callahan. It will not be the last read, as I was motivated to place a couple of her books on hold at my local library. I look forward to more from this gifted writer. This definitely lives up to the hype and recommendations from best-selling authors. The exhortation from Douglas Gresham, C.S. Lewis' stepson, is priceless and accurate.

The tale which weaves biographical material from Lewis' life as conversations with a young college student and her family's unique and poignant situation is devastatingly beautiful. Callahan masters the emotional landscape of a family enduring excruciating circumstances while struggling through daily life in a vivid portrayal. Included are well-handled lessons on life, living, joy, logic and grief. Have a box of tissues on standby!

I received a copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley electronically for review. It is historical at its best with characters that are memorable…the story moves quickly most of the time…this is a quick fun read…

Megs Devonshire, a student at Oxford, deals with numbers and equations. Her world revolves around logic. Her young brother, George, spends most of his days in bed due to a heart condition. He knows he won’t grow up to do all the things he dreams of. He becomes infatuated with a book called The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis. George asks Meg to contact Mr. Lewis and ask where Narnia comes from. She would do anything for her brother and sets out to ask Mr. Lewis that very question. However, she doesn’t get just a simple answer. She ends up making several trips to visit Mr. Lewis, who prefers to be known as Jack, and his brother, Warnie. At each visit, she learns more and more about the brothers’ lives, but still doesn’t get the answer to George’s question.

This is a wonderful story about hope, sadness, loss, love, and so much more. Megs opens her heart to new beliefs, which leads her down a path she never would have thought herself to be on. It tugs at the heartstrings. Have some tissues nearby.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher. This review is my honest opinion.