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Note: What that reviewer calls "outdated" views of women and countries is historically representative of the era in which the book was written.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) ( )