Review By Veronica
Once Upon a Wardrobe is a magical heartfelt tale that shows its readers the power stories can have in our lives.
Favourite Quote:
“Wait!” George presses his hand to mine. “That’s not how you start a story.”
“How do I start it?” I ask him, looking up from my words. “Do I say, ‘Once upon a time’?”
“If you want.” He seems incredulous at this boring start.
“How about…” I think for a breath or two. “How about, Not long ago…”
“And not far away,” he says.
“Or,” I say with a grin, “once upon a wardrobe’!”
Goodreads Synopsis:
Megs Devonshire is brilliant with numbers and equations, on a scholarship at Oxford, and dreams of solving the greatest mysteries of physics.
She prefers the dependability of facts—except for one: the younger brother she loves with all her heart doesn’t have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a copy of a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there’s no way she can refuse.
Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, imploring them for answers. What she receives instead are more stories . . . stories of Jack Lewis’s life, which she takes home to George.
Why won’t Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.
This book was everything I could hope for and so much more. I had a hard time writing this review because I just adored this book so much! I wanted to find the perfect words to describe that love. As a child and even as an adult, I love the enchanted world of Narnia; there was just something so magical about the world that C.J. Lewis created that drew me in. Once Upon a Wardrobe is genuinely a work of art. Patti has this talent for creating masterpieces that just capture your attention and heart. Her writing style is just so beautiful and flows so nicely. It makes reading her books such an enjoyable experience.
I want to give readers a warning; you will need to have some tissues nearby. This story is really going to tug at your heartstrings and have you crying those big fat tears.
Once Upon a Wardrobe is a dual timeline book. We get to follow the stories of Megs and George and C. J. Lewis as he is growing up. I loved how Patti blended these two timelines; it felt seamless. I felt like I was in Oxford with Megs as she visited Lewis and his brother, or with George sitting in his wardrobe, or in Ireland in the attic exploring faraway lands with the young Lewis brothers.
The sibling relationship between Megs and George was just so charming and endearing. You could feel the love that they had for each other leap from the pages. George was a character I don’t think I will ever forget. George’s joy and belief in stories (especially The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe) remind readers of the impact of books on our lives. Megs is a character that I could connect with. I think it’s that big-sister connection. It was beautiful watching Megs step out of her comfort zone of numbers and equations and jump into the world of storytelling. I felt every emotion Megs was going through her frustration of not being able to help her brother, the attraction she felt for Padraig, and that sense of wonderment and comfort she felt spending time with the Lewis brothers.
If you are a fan of Patti’s books or the world of Narnia, then I would highly recommend reading Once Upon a Wardrobe. This book will leave you with a great deal to think about.
