While I liked the book, I was surprised that Shasta was the main character, and I was surprised that the setting was not mainly in Narnia. ( )

Book 274 - CS Lewis - The Horse and his Boy

If this series was written today we would have had the same main characters all the way through the series. As Lewis wrote these in a mixed up order depending on the pictures he saw in his head. This story takes place during the reigns of our 4 heroes from the previous novel.

It is difficult one to define… and to try see what it adds to the overarching themes. A boy is being treated as a slave and we meet him as he escapes and heads to Narnia with a fabulous horse called Bree. We meet King Edmund and Queen Lucy and get caught in a battle between Narnians and those who wish to usurp the true lineage of royalty in the land.

And Aslan ? Well…the mighty lion is never too far away from helping those who believe… something we all need to hold on to.

Life is hard..life is crazy… and life will always throw curveballs at us that hurt… trusting in Aslan and the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea…is the most important lesson from all the books. So reassuring. ( )

(see other copy) ( )

Although this book is set in the Narnia Universe, it is tangential to the main story arc. I liked its exploration of moral values, particularly addressing vanity (species and personal), courage, intercultural conflicts, and true fellowship.
The religious aspects, which are central to Lewis' purpose in writing the books, are strong but not obtrusive.
See this internet review for more details.

https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/the-horse-and-his-boy-is-the-best-narnia-bo....

I also think this is a much under-valued episode in the Narnia canon.

Note: What that reviewer calls "outdated" views of women and countries is historically representative of the era in which the book was written. Lewis stepped out of the bounds of his culture in so many ways, and you can't expect him to color outside of ALL the lines.

Reading from the POV of the past is not "cringe," it's anthropology. ( )

(see other copy) ( )

Ao saber que não era filho de Arsheesh, o pescador, o jovem Shasta decide fugir da cruel Calormânia. Na companhia do cavalo falante Bree, ele parte em direção ao Norte rumo a Nárnia, onde o ar é fresco e reina a liberdade. Em sua jornada pelo deserto árido, Shasta tenta imaginar o que estará esperando por ele adiante. Tudo parece tão vasto, desconhecido, solitário... e livre.

This is my favorite Narnia book so far (I'm reading this in publication order, so still two more books to go).

Unlike the other books, the main characters are not English children who visit Narnia, but natives of the secondary world. There is a cameo from some of the Pensieve children, in their roles as kings and queens of Narnia, and it is nice seeing them from an outside perspective.

I liked about this book how solid and standalone the story is. It's not a showcase for thinly veiled religious propaganda in the form of Aslan. That was a problem for me in the other books of the series. Aslan was too much of a deux ex machina, and the plot showcased him too much, at the expense of the storytelling. We still get Lewis' delightful storytelling style, but at the service of a better tale.

The story is an adventure with fairy tale elements, and a really solid story. ( )

Delightful

Once I started reading The Horse and His Boy, I got caught up by the drama of it. C.S. Lewis had a delightful writing style. ( )

Being a story within a story, this one confused me a little, until I was swept back onto my feet by the amazement and wonder of it all. ( )

[Reading in chronological order, #3]
Holy nose dive, Batman. Didn’t enjoy this at all. Partly because it’s boring. Mostly because it’s remote than a little racist. Hopefully it’s an anomaly on both accounts.

Alex Jennings narrated this in audio. ( )

Coming back to this series, I'm surprised by how much I really like it. "The Horse and His Boy" is a little parable which doesn't really connect with the rest of the Narnia series, but there's something about the imagery of this duo and their cross-country travels that really appealed to me as a child. I think it's rather lovely, really. ( )

A more palatable story than The Silver Chair, but less interesting for the same reason. The Why of it all never really landed for me—why we were being told this random story about a boy and his horse while the Pevensies were kings/queens in Narnia. I suppose there doesn’t need to be an answer to Why, but the feeling that spurned on the Why remained. ( )

This is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were King and Queens under him. It is during this glorious era in Narnian history that Shasta, a young boy living in Calormen with a cruel man who claims to be his father, dreams of traveling to the unknown North. One night he overhears his 'father' offering to sell him as a slave, and Shasta decides that now is the time to begin his journey. When he meets Bree, a Talking Horse of Narnia who is a slave himself, the two decide to escape together. The pair soon encounters Aravis, a high-born girl escaping a forced marriage, and Hwin, another Talking Horse. The travelers must combine their wits and all their strength to reach the freedom they long for. And when they discover a Calormene plot to conquer Narnia, they must also race against time. The battle that ensues matches in excitement any of the adventures described in C.S. Lewis's previous two books of The Chronicles of Narnia. Assisted by the majestic Aslan, the Kings and Queens of Narnia, first introduced in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe", once again rise to the occasion to defend their kingdom.

Several years ago, I was talking to a friend about reading, and we got onto the topic of C.S. Lewis’ writings and his Narnia series in particular. When he found out I’d never read this book yet, he told me that needed to be the next book I read, as it was his favorite. Well…I didn’t follow that advice, but I have been able to since read it aloud to my siblings, and what fun that has been!

I’ve found, over the last few years, that I love books that have animals as main characters—especially ones that have spunky animals. Actually, I take that back. I like spunky characters, no matter whether they’re animals or great-aunts. Anyway, I loved Bree in this story. He’s funny, has a great perspective (normally, anyway), and knows his mind. I also loved Shasta, and the journey the two take together is one to be experienced!

Since this was my first time reading this story, I don’t feel like I have a very good grasp on the allegorical side of the book. I do understand how this book—and the series as a whole—got to be so popular, though, and don’t doubt that I’ll return to this story one day (and maybe I’ll understand the allegory better then?). My siblings and I are all enjoying the chance to experience the stories together, and this book was no exception. Often, when I sat down to read aloud, I’d hardly be able to stop reading until we’d gone through several chapters and my voice was giving out. In all, this is a great continuation of the series, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next books contain! ( )

This novel is not set in Narnia for the most part, but in Calormen, a country south of Narnia. The protagonist is the boy Shasta, who lives with a fisherman who treats him hardly better than a slave. One evening Shasta eavesdrops on the fisherman and a rich guest and learns that the fisherman plans to sell him. Shasta goes to the stables and seeks solace with the horses, when the guest's horse starts talking to him - Bree is a Talking Horse from Narnia and plans his escape. He takes Shasta with him and together they live through many adventures on their way north.

I loved this story as a child - although I did not remember details before my reread, I knew that I loved the adventure, the talking horse and the sense of freedom running through the story. I still enjoyed these aspects of the novel now: The companionship between Bree and Shasta, the descriptions of the landscapes, the rough life they led on the way. However, the depiction of Calormen and its inhabitants is rather problematic: It is clearly inspired by Arabic countries and it is full of stereotypes and ridiculousness. The Calormenes are depicted as stupid, foolish and weak, in contrast to the free and noble Narnians and Archenlanders who of course are real men and look much better, too. I felt really uncomfortable reading all that. It is a pity because apart from that, it is a really good story. ( )

Fantasy

I just love this book. It's well devised and has a classic plot told in a unique way. The characters are well developed. ( )

SPOILERS!

This is definitely one of my favorite books of the series! I know that it doesn’t revolve around the original characters as much and it’s not really set in Narnia, but I liked both children (I adore Shasta) and of course I loved both horses… I also enjoyed reading about the golden age of Narnia during the Pevensie children’s reign. Such a wonderful book. ( )

on Audible ( )

Young readers should have opportunities to talk about how Lewis portrays the Calormenes. They are described as darker-skinned than their northern neighbors. Their society tolerates slavery and its leaders are evil. There is only one Calormen character who is noble and good (and she is running away from Calormen, never to return). It seems clear Lewis modeled Calormen after the Middle East, but it is not a fair portrayal. As a whole, Calormenes are villainized.

So I can't recommend this book on its own, though it is a good avenue to discuss stereotypes, xenophobia, and white supremacy in children's literature. ( )

This was my first time reading this book.....I had read some of the series, but not all of them. I recently purchased the box set and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

This has become my second favorite in the series.....The Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe is my first.

I enjoyed the new characters in this story, as well as getting a glimpse of Edmund, Susan and Lucy in a different light...reading about the times when they ruled in Narnia was great.

I highly recommend this series for everyone....child and adult alike. ( )

This is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were King and Queens under him. It is during this glorious era in Narnian history that Shasta, a young boy living in Calormen with a cruel man who claims to be his father, dreams of traveling to the unknown North. One night he overhears his 'father' offering to sell him as a slave, and Shasta decides that now is the time to begin his journey. When he meets Bree, a Talking Horse of Narnia who is a slave himself, the two decide to escape together. The pair soon encounters Aravis, a high-born girl escaping a forced marriage, and Hwin, another Talking Horse. The travelers must combine their wits and all their strength to reach the freedom they long for. And when they discover a Calormene plot to conquer Narnia, they must also race against time. The battle that ensues matches in excitement any of the adventures described in C.S. Lewis's previous two books of The Chronicles of Narnia. Assisted by the majestic Aslan, the Kings and Queens of Narnia, first introduced in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, once again rise to the occasion to defend their kingdom.

The first (and, as far as I can tell, only) book in the series where the main characters are not from our world, this story shows some interesting insight into Narnia and the countries nearby. Bree's perspective, as a talking horse living amongst non-talking horses, provides some great contrast, and I could imagine how difficult it would be for both him and Shasta to find some kind of understanding. And Hwin, though she's portrayed as demure and submissive, still speaks her mind when the occasion warrants it.

For me, though, the highlight of the book is Aslan's contributions, both obvious and subtle (which is still sort of obvious, to be honest), culminating in a conversation near the end of the book. For those who see a parallel between Aslan and God, it's a reminder that God is working in ways that we can't see and may never be aware of (as much as I'd like to sit down with Him and learn how His hand was at work after a long, difficult week). I'm not sure how I feel about Aslan's treatment of Aravis, but overall, this was a fun read. ( )

My late-summer reading list took a turn when political and natural disasters overwhelmed. Returning to Narnia kept me calm and sane and reminded me of the miracle of imagination and the magic of allegory.

Rereading my favorites from the series as part of my personal self-care and wellness. ( )

Book three in The Chronicle of Narnia series that focuses on the story of Shasta, an orphan and Bree, a proud war horse trying to get back to Narnia. ( )