"Becoming Mrs. Lewis" by Patti Callahan
As a child, I escaped through a wardrobe to an enchanted snow-covered kingdom where I met talking animals, mythical beasts, a menacing enchantress, and a magnificent, noble, selfless Hero. A whole world unfurled before me, resplendent and alluring. I was hooked, and read C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series repeatedly, gaining new perspective each time as my mind's eye matured and recognized deeper symbolism and allegory with each re-reading. The Deep Magic spoke to my heart, Narnia captivated my imagination, and C.S. Lewis played an integral role in cementing my life-long love of reading. (And to settle the debate, the correct order in which to read the series is to begin with the Wardrobe - the order of release rather than the chronological order.)
When I found "Becoming Mrs. Lewis" on my library's electronic bookshelf, I was moderately interested. Within the opening pages, however, I was transported again. Not to a mythical kingdom, but to New York, then London and Oxford, as I traced Patti Callahan's biographical fictional account of the passionate meeting of minds and hearts which slowly blossomed between Joy Davidman (Gresham) and C.S. Lewis. I sometimes agonize over whether a book deserves four or five stars on Goodreads. Reader, if I could give this book six stars, I would.
Ms. Callahan's account is meticulously researched and artfully delivered. She weaves together factual details, fictionalized dialogue, and threads of poetry and prose from both Ms. Davidman and Mr. Lewis' work into a glorious tapestry. Readers will trek the hills around Oxfordshire, row a punt across the pond, shake the dust from the long superfluous blackout curtains at the Kilns, curl up in a corner of Lewis' musty Oxford rooms, and enjoy a pint in a darkened booth at the 'Bird and Baby' with notable contemporaries. Most notably, however, readers will gain insight into the humanity of a beloved literary figure and the woman who became his muse, his sounding board, his editor, and his friend.
To read "Becoming Mrs. Lewis" is to delve into the creative process of writers, to walk along the knife's edge of heartbreak, to bask in the glory of love, and to hear the roar of the Great Lion again. This book gives enormous insight into the making of a revered man and will make readers fall in love with Lewis' writing all over again. It may surprise and even challenge many readers' perspective of a childhood hero, but it will also delight. It certainly piqued my interest in several of his nonfiction books which I haven't yet read, as well as Joy Davidman Lewis' work. I also eagerly look forward to reading more of Ms. Callahan's work.