Review: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (film)

“This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”



The entire, joyful purpose of a Christian writer’s existence, summed up in one, profound sentence. O! C.S. Lewis, how I love you!

And that's where the similarities between the film and novel versions of Voyage of the Dawn Treader end.

I must say, I did not go into this film with any particular expectation of having a C.S. Lewis story performed upon the screen. After all, I did see what was done to Prince Caspian. Did anybody manage to dig up some similarity between Lewis's novel and that film? I didn't think so. Nevertheless, I managed to enjoy Prince Caspian as a disassociated, adventure/fantasy, summer flick, and that was fine. I expected about the same from Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Problem is, Dawn Treader was never written to be performed on screen. The pacing is episodic, the climax is not the stuff of movie magic. Dawn Treader is about a long voyage full of many, many discoveries, but the ultimate goal (beyond looking for the seven lords) was to sail to the “utter East,” to find Aslan's Country. These mariners are sailing for heaven in a gorgeous allegory fraught with peril and temptations!

The film turned it all into a Harry Potter wannabe, with seven swords substituting for seven horcruxes that must be gathered together to vanquish Voldemort/Scary-Green-CGI-Mist.

Oh, and Aslan’s Country? That turned into a, “Well, I suppose while we’re in the neighborhood, we might as well stop by” jaunt. Something to do as a breather after the real mission—stopping the Scary-Green-CGI-Mist—was accomplished by a bunch of glowing horcruxes stacked on top of each other.

I miss C.S. Lewis.

But, for the sake of cinema, I can understand why they tossed in this Overarching Villain for the characters do defeat. Movie-going audiences are obviously unable to grasp the drama and power of a “Voyage to Heaven,” so it’s best to make it simple for them. Give them a specific baddy to latch onto (because personal temptations and weakness aren’t all that bad, eh?), and everything will come out right. Especially if it’s Scary-Green-CGI-Mist.

Sarcasm aside, I really can see why they felt the need to do this, especially if their goal is to make money rather than to see Lewis’s genius performed on screen.

What I don’t understand is . . . what happened to their editors? I mean, did anyone in the universe see the point of sticking that (cute-as-a-button) little girl, Gael, into the story? Did she serve any purpose whatsoever? The reinventing of Rhince was bad enough, but if you must stick in Scary-Green-CGI-Mist baddies, sure, you’ve got to make it a more specific peril for someone. So give Rhince a wife and have her sacrificed to CGI terrors . . . but what’s with the almost dialog-less daughter? There were too many underdeveloped characters as it is!

I think the part that made me saddest, however, was the story of Eustace as the dragon.

Those of you who have read Heartless will recognize the strong parallels between Princess Una’s story and that of Eustace Scrubb. A similar transformation for similar (though not identical) reasons. By their own sin and selfishness, they both become the physical manifestation of what lies in their hearts. And, though both make the attempt, neither one is able to rescue themselves from this terrible form. Their only hope is grace . . . and even that grace is so painful that both shy away from it at first. But oh, how great and how beautiful is that grace when it tears through their foul form and releases them from the burden of themselves!

Love that story. Always loved C.S. Lewis’s short version of it in Dawn Treader . . . Thoroughly enjoyed writing a novel-length variation myself!

But the film, of course, modernized it.

The story of grace is almost there . . . Aslan does rescue Eustace in the end. But only after Eustace has proven himself a hero. Only after Eustace has suffered for the sake of his friends, fought the monster, risked his life . . . proven himself worthy!

Do you see the problem here? The modernized philosophy of grace? Oh, it makes me so sad! You see it everywhere in our modern literature/movies. For a character to be redeemed, that character must first earn his/her redemption. He must prove himself worthy in some profound way and then can be released/transformed/rewarded in return. It’s a give-and-get philosophy.

The true power of grace is lost.

When Lewis wrote it in his novel, Eustace did not have a heroic moment. Yes, he came to a point of realization . . . Through his awful transformation, he began to realize what he truly was and how he had behaved. We get to see him helping the others, desperate to make amends. He gives them fire, finds them a new mast for the ship, etc. But there’s no heroic moment for him. There’s no moment where he proves himself worthy of Aslan’s help. He is a dragon, and he cannot change himself, cannot atone for his own sin.

Yet Aslan comes to him anyway. And in one of the most beautiful scenes ever written, we hear Eustace tell the story of his rescue . . . of how he tried to tear off his own hide, but couldn’t. Of how Aslan had to do it for him. And it hurt! It hurt so badly! Grace, in the beginning, is such a painful gift. For true grace reveals to us how little we deserve it. The pain of our own worthlessness makes it almost unbearable . . . but unbearably beautiful at the same time!

Sigh. I miss C.S. Lewis. I miss his way with words. I miss his profound understanding and his wisdom in realizing that the most profound mysteries are often best expressed in stories for children.

And seriously, people. When your source material is a genius . . . why not use that genius’s words? Where was C.S. Lewis’s dialogue? Where were his clever phrases? I recognized one line. And yes, it was a beautiful line. The most beautiful line in the movie. But doesn’t that say something? Doesn’t that imply that Lewis should have been brought in just a tiny bit more?

All that to say, there are simply some novels that should not be turned into movies. I have many more thoughts on that subject, but will save them for a later post . . . .

P.S. I have no complaints about the casting, cinematography, gorgeous backdrops, props, and music. Georgie Henley and Skandar Keynes are so well cast, Ben Barnes is adorable in a not-too-perfect way for Caspian, and Will Poulter was a thoroughly obnoxious Eustace (though I have difficulty picturing him in a heroic role for The Silver Chair). There were plenty of lovely things to enjoy on the screen!

Glorious New Blog!

There are definite advantages to having a) a husband, and b) a husband who is sick at home. For you see, today my poor, sick husband, being bored with his lot as an invalid, decided to take upon himself the redesigning of my sadly-neglected little author blog.

Behold the result!

Is it not the most beautiful thing? Far beyond the wildest dreams of the technically illiterate! I am a huge fan of that man of mine.

Now, to better express my gratitude, I must away to make him a magnificent thank-you feast. Tonight's menu includes: Sundried Tomato and Olive Bread, Cheese-stuffed Manicotti in Meat Sauce, and a fresh green salad. I only hope it is adequate!

Stay tuned . . . I feel inspired to become a blogger once more!

Review: Gone with the Wind

Here I sit on a sunny Tuesday morning, eagerly experimenting to see whether or not my technical difficulties have indeed been resolved! My technical support is awesome. Just saying.

Everything is sleepiness around me. My technical support is home sick with a terrible cough, and the creatures are all curled up in various places across the house. Marmaduke went to the vet yesterday and still hasn't forgiven me for it. He's burying his face in his paws, refusing to acknowledge anyone but Rohan. Sigh . . . It really is for your own good, Marmaduke!

Okay, let me see if I can post some thoughts on Margaret Mitchell's famous masterpiece, Gone with the Wind. I am embarrassed that it has taken me this long to get to it!

I confess, I wasn't entirely certain what to expect when picking up this enormous volume. I've seen the movie, of course . . . an impressive piece of cinematography that really couldn't help but be enjoyable to watch when the cast includes Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, and Leslie Howard (dreamy sigh! But don't judge him on this film. Find his version of Pygmalion instead). But everyone knows that you should never, but never, judge a book by its film adaption!

Years ago, I gave Gone with the Wind a half-hearted attempt, but gave it up because I couldn't stand the character of Scarlet. It is so interesting approaching the book now after several years of literary training, one published novel, and a second one about to release. It definitely gives me a new perspective! Scarlet is, of course, a terribly annoying and even reprehensible character. She is vain and selfish, petty and rude, hypocritical and two-faced etc. It's enough to drive a reader up the wall!

But now as I read it, I recognize the genius of what Mitchell was doing with the character. She never intended Scarlet to likable. She intended her to be memorable. Who, after reading of her despairing love for Ashley, her confused hate/love for his wife, Melanie, her strange passion for Rhett Butler, and her heart-rending devotion to Tara, her father's plantation, can possibly forget Scarlet O'Hara? My word, is she flawed! My word, is she difficult to swallow sometimes! But she remains unforgettable.

Compare her for a moment with even such marvelous literary heroines as Jane Eyre, Elizabeth Bennet, etc. As much as I adore Jane and Elizabeth (in very different ways, for they are very different heroines as well), there is something about Scarlet that speaks to a deeper place in my heart. A secret place that I don't quite want to acknowledge. That quiet little corner of my mind that says, 'I could be just like her. Change my circumstances only slightly, and how am I any better?' Scarlet, for all she is an extreme, is also a universal. We relate to her even as we despise her . . . perhaps all the more so because we despise her.

And seriously, how can we help but admire her as well? With an admiration that we almost don't want to admit, because who wants to look up to a heart-breaker, a user, a liar, a manipulator? Of course, it's difficult to love her. Not like you can love Melanie, who is strong in her virtue and honest love. But Melanie, as lovable as she is, is not the universal character of Scarlet. We perhaps know Melanies in our own lives, but how many of us would dare to think that we are like her?

After writing a character like Princess Una from Heartless, I've developed a lot more understanding for authors who portray such flawed heroines (not that I would place Una in the same literary class as Scarlet! Heaven forbid!). I've received more than one harsh critique on that character, criticizing her weakness, her selfishness, her petty nature. All or which, are completely true about her! Sadly, many of these readers don't realize that, were she to be the strong and courageous type of heroine, then the whole plot of Heartless would be rendered pointless. And the fact is, a character with flaws as dominant as Princess Una's is much harder to forget. As much as we may despise her, we also see ourselves in her. We'd like to think, "No, I would never behave that way in that situation!" But the fact is, many of us would, have, and will again.

Anyway, I digress. So, halfway through reading Gone with the Wind, this is my opinion of Scarlet O'Hara: an unlikeable character, but so strongly drawn that, once you encounter her, you don't forget. They story is gripping and manages, despite it's incredible page count, to keep up a fantastic pace (due in large part to Mitchell's skillfully handled omniscient narrative). The characters are vivid, the imagery, superb, the depiction of that horrible period of history, breathtaking.

Note: It is painful to read Mitchell's harsh and ignorant portrayal of African Americans. She uses insensitive language and foolish portrayals of the characters (which isn't surprising, considering the time in which she was writing, but doesn't make it more palatable). And while I understand that not all of the slave owners were the evil and abusive monsters often portrayed in fiction these days, I don't think Mitchell presents a balanced picture of what life was actually like for those enslaved either.

Nonetheless, an interesting read so far! I suppose it's silly to post a review on a book I haven't finished yet, so don't count this as a review . . . merely thoughts on a read-in-progress.

And my mug of tea is empty. I think I'm going to fill it again . . . . Then time to get back into my current manuscript. I haven't so much as LOOKED at it for more than a week, and I scarcely remember where I left my poor characters. Someone was looking at some ancient and defaced tombs, someone was lost in an abandoned city, and someone else . . . but that I don't remember. Yes, time to pull up my poor, neglected little draft . . . .

Compete to Win an Autographed Copy of Heartless

Hello again! Sadly, still no progress on the "technical difficulty." It's tennis season, you understand, and my husband (a brilliant tennis player) is a little tied up at present. But once he has vanquished them all at tournament, he will help me figure out my little blog-issues.

In the meanwhile, you might like to jump over to my facebook fan page and compete to win an autographed copy of HEARTLESS. All you have to do is name all the literary or cinematic dragons you can think of! It's as simple as that.

Try it . . . you'll enjoy it!

Technically Illiterate . . . .

Forgive me, dear and patient readers. I have had every intention of posting more random thoughts and reviews (specifically on Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, which I have been devouring lately). But I am having technical issues with this blog site which I have not yet been able to figure out. Time to call in the husband support! In the meanwhile, you might enjoy reading this interview: http://www.wherethemapends.com/Interviews/current_interview.htm This was one of the most fun interviews I've had an opportunity to do! Hope you are amused by it.

The Creatures of Rooglewood

My handsome husband and I have now been married for six months, settling into a delightful and busy life in our home, Rooglewood. The writing life has been full and fun, we have decided to become green-thumbs (first batch of dead sprouts aside), and we make every effort to keep up with the jazz and classical music scene to be had in Raleigh. Such a delightful stage of life!

I believe the time has come to introduce some of the important furry people who also live at Rooglewood. Those of you who have read Heartless will have guessed already that I am one of those strange cat-people types. So it had to happen, eventually. You knew I would one day make you read a post devoted to my favorite creautres . . . three very distinct people-cats. Helpful, inspirational, evil--

WOW! There was a big crash in my library just now! Back in a second . . . must go stop fuzzy carnage! Okay, I'm back. The Evil One just broke a clay figurine of a blue cat. Sigh . . . more on her later, though. First, let me introduce you to:

Molly Boots!

(aka: Angel Face, Molly Bootsness, Molly Bootsity, Good-Golly-Miss-Molly, etc).

She is my blonde. Her catch phrase is: "I don't know what's going on!" She either looks content or confused. Admit it, we all know people like that. And we are thankful to have them because we also know people like:

Minerva Louise!

(aka: Fluffy Cat, Bitty Kitty, and . . . The Evil One.)

She is, in reality, the most chill little cat I have ever met (I know you don't believe me, but I mean it!). The thing with Minerva is her compelling need for attention. Which she gets by destroying little blue clay figurines of cats (as an example). Once, soon after I got my most recent kitten, Minerva knocked an entire portrait commission off its easel and proceeded to . . . um . . . hairball it.

Thus she is The Evil One.

Her catch phrase: "Oh, Rohan! Anne Elisabeth has been wretched to me today! But you love me, don't you? Oh, Rohan!"

She is my husband's favorite. And oh, she knows it!

Other catch phrase: "All shall love me and despair! Teehee!"

Moving on.

Prepare your eyes for beauty beyond the ken of mortal men. The next wonder upon which you will look is an Abyssinian, direct descendant from the ancient gods of old Egypt, time-honored and worshipful, glorious in grace and perfection, the awesome, the mighty, the marvelous . . . .

Lord Maramduke Chuffnell!

(aka: Duke, Duker, Captain Marmalade, and Punkadoodle.)

All right, so he's not the most dignified Egyptian deity you'll ever meet. But he's a charmer and a terrible flirt! His tendency is to fall instantly in love with you at first sight, and he is more than happy to leap into the arms of total strangers, wrap his paws around their necks, and nuzzle nose-to-nose. It's a little embarrassing sometimes . . . .

His catch phrase: "You're breathing! I'm breathing! We have so much in common! We should be friends!"

Other catch phrase: "ME TOO! ME TOO! ME TOO!" He is the youngest, after all . . . .

My current work-in-progress is a story heavily featuring Princess Una's cat, Monster, from Heartless. While writing this character, I find myself pausing more often than not to ask, "What would Marmaduke do here?"

One final image:

Molly sits in angelic (if confused) glow, Marmaduke is graceful, and Minerva plots evil. A typical day at Rooglewood Manor!

All right, I've got the galleys of Veiled Rose to finish reading now, catching all the last misprints so that none of you will have to deal with them! Have a blessed day, dear readers.

Poor Little Blog

Oh dear.


I have sadly neglected this poor little blog of late! Guilt abounds.


But I have been relatively busy these last few months. For starters, I was on a deadline. Not just any deadline . . . we are talking the Mother Of All Deadlines.


Two months to write an 120,000 word novel.

YIKES!


By the grace of God, I succeeded, my editors liked the draft, and we are moving along at a fair clip. Soon I will post the cover for VEILED ROSE which will come out in summer of 2011. So exciting!


And, because life can always get more exciting . . . .






I am now married to the kindest, the most wonderful, the dashing, and clever, and charming, and brilliant Rohan de Silva, fencer extraordinaire!

And we are ridiculously happy!




Okay, back to the manuscript . . . .