“There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.”
C. S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 1952
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You can have your “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times” and your “All children, except one, grow up”; for my money the opening line of Dawn Treader is my favorite first line of any book. The supremely unlikeable Eustace, who would feel right at home in a Roald Dahl story, begins as a side character, but takes on more importance as his “hero’s journey” develops.
The island hopping, exploration focused book was my childhood favorite in Lewis’ Narnia series. In the adventurous vein of Gulliver’s Travels the crew sail from island to island, discovering strange creatures and unknown cultures while searching for the lost seven Lords of Narnia. Of special note is Lewis’ invention of an island of shadow and fog where “all your dreams come true.” At first the crew is excited at the prospect, but then shudder with horror and flee for their lives before ever setting foot on the island. Think about it and you’ll share their terror.
This is the first time I’ve read C. S. Lewis since deconverting from Christianity. The religious elements feel heavy-handed and hamfisted now, especially the various passages about Aslan which are obvious parallels to the Christian version of god. Clearly Lewis’ faith was important to him, but that part of him simply doesn’t resonate with me any longer. Fortunately these bits are brief and easy to fold into the rest of the mythology of the tale, and the story as a whole remains as enjoyable as ever.