Pullman vs. Lewis DEATHMATCH!!!111one!!!

[rj_anderson]

There's been a lot of Lewis links and commentary on my f-list lately (including a very nice referral to my own essay on Susan in a recommendation of Andrew Rilstone's recent blog post about the same thing, for which I thank you, kalquessa). Most recently (and thanks to kalquessa yet again) there's this kinda cool article from The Chronicle addressing Pullman's charges against Lewis's Narnia, including sexism, racism, a pernicious belief in heavenly bliss, and lack of love.*

Which reminds me, the other day I found a quite hilarious book-a-minute-style summary of the Dark Materials trilogy by Abigail Nussbaum. Thanks yet again to kalquessa for reminding me where it was.

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* Given the actual content of both series, the only thing I can imagine Pullman means by the latter is that in Lewis's universe twelve-year-olds do not have sex. I am sorry that we are not all as cool and enlightened as you are, Mr. Pullman. Some of us still think this is a little early.

Comments

[yunitsa.livejournal.com]

I imagine he thinks it proves something; I'm really not the person to ask. I do think it's quite bad from an artistic point of view, like much of Amber Spyglass.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I never got beyond the second chapter of that, I must admit. I remember reading the baroquely showy prose of chapter one and wondering, this is meant to be for children? I said this many times: in my view, it was written not to please children, but to impress reviewers.