Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia

Written by: C. S. Lewis

Illustrated by: Pauline Baynes

Published by: Macmillan Publishing

“It is hard for you, little one,” said Aslan. “But things never happen the same way twice.” (Pg. 118-119).

When Walt Disney Pictures released “Prince Caspian” in 2008, I was at the midnight showing with at least a dozen of my friends, all Disney Cast Members, and many of us part of the College Program. Our dear friend, Kathy, was leaving as her internship came to a close, and Caspian was on her list of last minute celebratory events. Do I recommend going to a midnight showing when you have an early shift the next morning? I do not. But I do recommend making wonderful memories with amazing friends that will last the rest of your life. This film will forever be coupled with sweet Abby’s laughter, and that’s a memory I wouldn’t trade for the world.

“Son of Earth, shall we be friends?” – Aslan (Pg. 129)

Since my children have been born, I wanted to read them the Chronicles of Narnia. It was a goal last year to complete the series, and while I met many of my goals, sadly, Narnia was not one of them. So I’m moving that goal to 2023. Honestly, I’m not that sad about it – I tried reading “Prince Caspian” to the boys twice before, and it didn’t hold their attention. This time, though, they were deeply invested, absolutely adoring Trufflehunter, Trumpkin, and, surprisingly, Nikabrik. (Honestly, I think they just liked his name.) My boys enjoyed the second book in the Narnia series, but I loved it. I loved how Caspian asked the badger and dwarves to be kind to his horse, regardless of what they did to him. I loved Aslan’s return, Edmund’s character growth, the heroic Reepicheep, and the parallels between Scripture. How wonderful to hear Aslan call others, not just the Pevensie children, wonderfully dear names! How wonderful it would be to hear my Savior call me “dear heart” or “dearest”!

“You came of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve,” said Aslan. “And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor in earth. Be content.” (Pg. 182).

Have you read the Chronicles of Narnia? Which is your favorite book? What was your favorite part of “Prince Caspian”?

Conceal, Don’t Feel: A Twisted Tale

By: Jen Calonita

Published by: Disney Hyperion

I have been dying to get my hands on one of Disney’s Twisted Tale books, and now that I’ve read one I’m sure I’ll be tackling all of them. For those who haven’t heard of them, Disney’s Twisted Tales take a unique spin on Walt Disney’s beloved animated classics. In Conceal, Don’t Feel, Jen Calonita took Frozen, and recreated the tale of two sisters as if they had never known one another; she did it brilliantly.

I have fond memories of seeing the movie for the first time on a Disney College Program reunion with several sweet friends who insisted I see it with them. We piled into several cars, met up at the then named Downtown Disney, and saw an evening sing-along feature. The movie had been out for awhile, so the theater wasn’t packed, but there were plenty of little Anna’s and Elsa’s loudly singing along with Elsa and Olaf. It was absolutely adorable, and the charm and design of the film enchanted me. I’m telling you this so you’ll understand what I’m about to say next: I prefer the book to the movie.

In Calonita’s rendition we meet Elsa and Anna as teenagers, both living happily, but separately. Anna is being raised by adopted parents in a small town north of Arendelle, and Elsa spends her days with her parents in the castle, along with several trusted servants and nobles. The young women know something is missing in their life, but they’re happy, thriving, and loved. Anna isn’t lonely, and Elsa isn’t hiding in her room, traumatized by her powers. In fact, she doesn’t know she has powers… yet. This may be a twisted tale, but the characters we love (and hate) are still the same. The Duke of Weselton is still an annoying, piercing, draining presence on Elsa, and Hans is still just as devious. Unlike the film, though, Calonita fleshes them out, giving them more face time, and making them true villains.

I love a good villain.

Calonita took a deeply beloved tale, and gave it new life while remaining true to the themes, characters, and plot that endeared itself to so many fans, young and old alike. Ultimately, that is what I loved most about the book; yes, we still experience the tragedy of the King and Queen’s death, but before that we get to see them with their children, and experience the warmth, love, and admiration they have for each of their daughters. We know Hans is a snake, but watching it play out so thoroughly was absolutely delicious. Perhaps most important of all, we know how much Anna and Elsa mean to one another, and while they are vastly different women, their love and determination to fight for the other is beautifully depicted.

Calonita does all this while effortlessly weaving lines and scenes from the original film into the her novel, a wink to the reader each time one pops up. It happens often enough to make the reader smile, but not enough to take away from the originality of the tale, and Calonita does it flawlessly. The only thing missing was the magical soundtrack, but don’t you worry – I was humming along the whole time.