Will I love The Last Battle?

This was my absolute favorite Narnia book as a child and I delved into a reread of the series this year and I still came away from this installment much affected. There’s something profound in Lewis’ ending to his Narnia series, something chilling, raw, and beautiful. Sad, yes, but also stirring. I grew up loving Tirian and Jewel the unicorn, and I know I always will. There’s something eerie at the core of this story, but through all the deception, death, destruction, and darkness—true love and loyalty shine, friendships are forged, truth upheld—and Aslan prevails!

The Last Battle stopped me in my tracks growing up. I was the kid who sat in church and flinched when the music minister joyfully proclaimed we would all sing forever when we reached heaven’s shores. I flinched because I wanted to fly. I wanted to climb mountains. I wanted Jesus to show me stars flung out where I couldn’t possibly go now.

My attention span was not built for singing eternally.

So when I first read The Last Battle, I’m pretty sure I cried with relief. I decided that if C.S. Lewis could imagine a heaven like that,… show more.