Summary
The Magician's Nephew is a beloved children's fantasy novel by C.S. Lewis. First published in 1955, it serves as a prequel to the author's acclaimed series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Though the sixth Narnia book published, most collections now place it at the beginning of the series as its origin story.
The novel follows two children, Digory and Polly, who are tricked by Digory's eccentric Uncle Andrew into using magical rings to travel between worlds. Their adventures lead them to witness the birth of Narnia at the hands of the great lion Aslan while also encountering the evil witch Jadis, who becomes a central antagonist in the series. With its imaginative world-building and exploration of themes like temptation and creation, this classic work of children’s literature continues to captivate readers.
Plot
The Magician's Nephew opens in London in 1900, when two children, Digory and Polly, discover magical rings created by Digory's eccentric Uncle Andrew. The rings transport them to the Wood between the Worlds, a tranquil forest filled with portals to different realms. They visit the dying world of Charn and accidentally awaken an evil witch queen named Jadis. She follows them back to London and causes chaos before the children manage to transport her away.
Jadis, Digory, Polly, Uncle Andrew, a cabby named Frank, and his horse Strawberry all end up in a dark void as a new world is being created through the singing of a powerful lion named Aslan. They witness Aslan bring Narnia into existence and grant some animals the power of speech. Aslan confronts Digory about bringing evil into Narnia and tasks him with retrieving a magical apple to protect the land.
Digory and Polly fly on the now-winged Strawberry to a distant garden to retrieve the apple. There, Digory resists temptation from Jadis to steal an extra apple for himself. He returns to Narnia and plants the apple, which grows into a tree that will protect the land from Jadis for centuries. Aslan then sends Digory, Polly, and Uncle Andrew back to London, while Frank and his wife Helen remain as the first King and Queen of Narnia.
Back in London, Digory uses the apple’s magic to heal his dying mother. He then plants the core, along with Uncle Andrew's rings, in his yard, where it grows into a tree. Years later, Digory has the wood from this tree made into a wardrobe—the same magical wardrobe that appears in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The creation of Narnia and the origin of the wardrobe are thus explained, setting up the events of the rest of the series.
