Sibling Stories Week | The Pevensies

    Salvete! As I’ve been getting more involved in the blogging world, I’ve tried to look for other Christians who love literature as much as I do. I came across Hamlette’s Soliloquy not too long ago, and when I saw her Sibling Stories Week challenge, I decided to try it out. Of course, being a lover of all things C.S. Lewis, the Pevensies immediately sprang to mind. 

The Chronicles of Narnia was the first thing of Lewis’ that I’d ever read, and thinking of it now brings back lovely memories of sitting by the fireplace as a wee lass discovering the wonder of the world and the beauty of the allegory Lewis wove throughout his story. 

    We are all Peter, trying his best to protect his family and yet struggling to truly understand. We’re all Susan, doubting that the truth could really be so wonderful. We’re all Edmund, tempted by sin and material pleasure but eventually led to understand the tremendous sacrifice our LORD made for us. We’re all Lucy, trying to believe with childlike innocence and feeling for the first time the weight that grief holds upon us. And every one of us needs a Saviour, the Lion of Judah, who died so that we could live. If you don’t think that’s an amazing story… well then, we’ve got to talk. 

    But until then, here’s a little more about each character and their wonderful sibling dynamic. 

§ Peter

    The Magnificent

“Shadow or spirit, whatever you are, if you are from Narnia, I charge you in the name of Aslan. Speak to me! I am Peter the High King."

        The fierce protector who would die for his siblings a thousand times over. That’s Peter. He’s loyal to a fault—that fault being endangering himself for love of his family. He wants to be the shepherd who guides his flock, but he also knows that he can’t succeed alone.

§ Susan

    The Gentle

“And I really believed it was Him tonight, when you woke us up. I mean, deep down inside. Or I could have, if I’d let myself."

    Susan is quiet but nurturing. The peacemaker, the mediator, but fierce when she has to be. She would rather tend to things that grow than fight in a war, but if fighting is the only way to save her family, then she’ll go down resolute. 

§ Edmund

    The Just

“But even a traitor may mend. I have known one that did.”

    Edmund made a mistake once, and he won’t let himself be tempted ever again. After he betrayed his family, he became more loyal to them than ever. Though he’s more often snarky than serious, he won’t let anything get between him and someone he loves. 

§ Lucy

    The Valiant

“I think—I don’t know—but I think I could be brave enough.”

    Lucy is hope. She’s sunlight on golden flowers and everything that is pure. Without her, her siblings wouldn’t know Narnia. Yet despite that, she’s still humble. Her trust in them is unfailing, and her trust in Aslan is even greater. She is bold and courageous and ready to fight anything that dares oppose her. 

____

    And yet, without each other none of them would be the same. Theirs is the pure friendship of trust and love, the kind that flourishes most with hard times and rejoices with peace. 

———

What are your thoughts on the Chronicles of Narnia? Do you have any favourite literary siblings?

Namarië,

Astrya

Quote of the Month! | February Edition

 It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than a month since I started this blog. It feels like yesterday, sometimes! Well, it’s February now, and time for the second edition of the Quote of the Month. 

    My highlighted quote of today comes from J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved epic The Lord of the Rings. (Are you surprised?) At any rate, this is not just because of my undying love for this book, but also because I just spent a week reading it in the middle of nowhere. A wondrous experience. But during this particular re-read, a few things stood out to me that hadn’t before. I won’t go into all of them here, but one in particular was how deep and wonderful the characters really are. They have true depth (at least most of them!), and I really enjoyed reading about their adventures. 

    A beautiful and beloved passage in particular was in The Return of the King, book 2, in which Faramir meets Éowyn for the first time. Their love is a true and beautiful thing, and Faramir in particular is strong and noble, while also being sweet and gentle. 

    What I really love about this entire chapter is the strength with which they both bear the oncoming Shadow, and both of their desire to forego things of war and destruction, and instead tend to beauty and light and things that grow. Such a desire glorifies God, I believe, and in the words of Thorin Oakenshield, “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” There’s light and beauty that no shadow can touch!

“And Éowyn looked at Faramir long and steadily; and Faramir said: ‘Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart, Éowyn! But I do not offer you my pity. For you are a lady high and valiant and have yourself won renown that shall not be forgotten; and you are a lady beautiful, I deem, beyond even the words of the Elven-tongue to tell. And I love you. Once I pitied your sorrow. But now, were you sorrowless, without fear or any lack, were you the blissful Queen of Gondor, still I would love you. Éowyn, do you not love me?’

Then the heart of Éowyn changed, or else at last she understood it. And suddenly her winter passed, and the sun shone on her.

‘I stand in Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun,’ she said; ‘and behold! the Shadow has departed! I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren.’ And again she looked at Faramir. ‘No longer do I desire to be a queen,’ she said. 

Then Faramir laughed merrily. ‘That is well,’ he said; ‘for I am not a king.’…

And he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many. And many indeed saw them and the light that shone about them as they came down from the walls and went hand in hand to the houses of Healing. 

And to the Warden of the Houses Faramir said: ‘Here is the Lady Éowyn of Rohan, and now she is healed.’”

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Chapter 5

    

    Is that not truly beautiful? We all need a Faramir in our lives, I think, to remind us that we are loved, that no darkness can hold at bay the things that truly matter—not war, but beauty, and things that grow. 

———

    What’s your opinion of Faramir and Êowyn? Do you have any other favourite moments from The Lord of the Rings? (I do, by the way). Let me know what you think!

Glory be to God!

Namarië,

 Astrya

Seller of Dreams Preview

 Greetings, everyone! You might have noticed that I already published a post today, but as I’ll be out of town next week, here’s a bonus to tie you over. 

    So, here’s a preview of a novel I’m starting. Admittedly, I had a bit of writer’s block after the prologue, but here’s what I’ve got so far. I’d appreciate some feedback, as well—the good, the bad, and the ugly. So here goes nothing…

Seller of Dreams

A novel by Astrya Wolf

Prologue

“The miserable have no other medicine, but only hope.”

William Shakespeare 

I am a fool. 

I am going to die, and I am a fool. They offered me one chance, the chance to condemn everyone I have ever loved (if a traitorous soul like mine could love) in exchange for my own life, and like a coward I took it. But I know I’ll die anyway. The Council is not one for mercy. 

Commanding Officer Cathal has demanded that I start from the beginning. Very well—I suppose I must be a proper little traitor, now, and do my part. They’ve locked me in this room (I’m feeling generous—it’s really more of a closet) equipped for battle with leaky pen and stale paper, and one command: WRITE. Well, I’ll write. But know this, Cathal. You have underestimated me. 

He’s looking over my shoulder now, yelling in my ear not to waste time. The whole story, he says, and NOW. I think he must always speak in all-caps. I hate it. I hate him. I hate everything about this place. Wherever I am.

So, the beginning. 

——

In the beginning, God created the world—

——

Officer Cathal didn’t like that. He ripped the pen from my hand and snapped it above my head. Now I have inky hair and (worst of all) I have to use a confounded pencil. At least I got ink all over Cathal when I shook my head. He was not pleased. (That’s putting it lightly.)

Now he’s yelling at me to START, ALREADY, YOU USELESS GIRL, and I guess I’ve stalled enough. Ready for the worst betrayal of my life? Good, because I’m not. Oh well. 

——

Monday, November 12th, 2491. The day of my arrest—AKA, the worst day in my life. Well, the second worst… maybe the third. It was stupid, really. I should have known better.

They caught me. 

——

“This is not the beginning,” Cathal interrupts. “We know this already.” He seems not to have sensed my sarcasm, even though I know it’s radiating from the page. 

“Fine,” I huff. “But you’re not going to like it.”

You want the real beginning? Okay. Here’s the beginning, Your Majesty Officer Cathal, really and truly this time. 

After all, I promised to tell the truth. 

——

So here I am, bearing my soul before the man who has the power to kill me. How did I get here? Well, that’s a long story. Suffice it to say, I was really, really dumb. I know better now, but it’s too late. I feel like Scheharazade, telling stories to survive. Except she wasn’t a traitor. I am. The worst kind. 

Can a traitor be redeemed?

_____

I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think. 

Namarië, 

Astrya

For God So Loved The World…

 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

    So Wednesday was Valentine’s Day, and as such I thought I’d do a post in honour of it. Only, I don’t know much about the day itself, nor why it was commemorated as a national holiday. While it may have its origins in a secular tradition, I do know that now is as good a time as any to celebrate and remember the love that God bears for us.

    The Bible claims multiple times that “God is love.” This does not refer to physical love, but rather to the fact that everything He does is out of love. Despite the fact that we sinned against Him, despite our constant rebellion and disobedience, despite everything, He loves us still. 

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

1 John 4:7-8.

    In light of this, I hope you all had a marvellous week, and never forget that you are not alone. We should rejoice! For though we have lived through dragonfire, and will undoubtedly encounter it again, God will never abandon us. Happy Valentine’s Day!

______

Namarië,

Astrya

Hope: A Poem

 Hallo! (By the way, does anyone know some more interesting greetings besides saying hi in multiple different languages?) 

    Anyways, here’s a poem I wrote a bit ago—fitting, I think, for the time in which we live and not forgetting to trust that God won’t ever abandon us, even in the darkest time. 

Hope

I stand and watch as the morning light

Is covered by the starless night

I stand motionless, fixed to the ground

I cry out, but my lips make no sound

Where is our hope, I wonder?

Why has our world been torn asunder?

A ray of light tears through the darkened sky

An eagle rides through with a single cry

The clouds are parted, the darkness lifts

I stand watching the rising mist

I hear a voice on the wind

Our hope is here, it cries

We cannot save ourselves, but a Saviour will rise

Give His blood for ours

For we have not that power.

The night is banished

The dark has vanished

Above all shadows rides the sun

The end is written; the good has won.

Our hope has returned

To light we will turn

And we will be free again.

I hope you enjoyed it!

—

Namarië, 

Astrya

Top Five Reads of January

 What-ho, fellow travellers! As January comes to a close (time really does fly) I thought I’d share my top five books of the month. These are in no particular order, by the way, (because I can’t decide!) 

I

Les Miserablés - Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo's tale of injustice, heroism and love follows the fortunes of Jean Valjean, an escaped convict determined to put his criminal past behind him. But his attempts to become a respected member of the community are constantly put under threat: by his own conscience, when, owing to a case of mistaken identity, another man is arrested in his place; and by the relentless investigations of the dogged Inspector Javert. It is not simply for himself that Valjean must stay free, however, for he has sworn to protect the baby daughter of Fantine, driven to poverty.

    This was a reread, but delightful as always. Granted, Victor Hugo does take some rather extensive rabbit-holes (I think he took a few tips from Herodotus) but the story itself is a beautiful one, of redemption and coming of age. 

II

The Father Christmas Letters - J.R.R. Tolkien

For more than twenty years, the children of J.R.R. Tolkien received letters from the North Pole - from Father Christmas himself! They told wonderful stories of mischief and disaster, adventures, and battles: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place, how the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas's house, and many others.

    This was the most amazing thing. I received this for my birthday in November, and re-read it in January simply because I could! It doesn’t need to be Christmastime to enjoy Tolkien’s irreproachable wit and lovely characterization of Father Christmas. 

III

The Book of the City of Ladies - Christine de Pizan

Female writer Christine de Pizan's spirited defence of women against medieval misogyny and literary stereotypes is now recognized as one of the most important books in the history of feminism, and offers a telling insight into the role of women in a man's world.

    I read this book in school, but nonetheless found it quite poignant and should definitely be more widely known. The author approaches the subject of female repression from a Christian point of view, calling on her extensive education and knowledge of God to guide her. 

IV

The Dead - James Joyce

Often cited as the best work of short fiction ever written, Joyce's story details a New Year's Eve gathering in Dublin that is so evocative and beautiful that it prompts the protagonist's wife to make a shocking revelation to her husband—closing the story with an emotionally powerful epiphany that is considered one of the best in modern literature.

    Technically, this is not a book, but I felt I had to include it because it struck me as… well, unusual, for lack of a better word. It offered a snippet in the life of an Irish professor who was neither very handsome nor very interesting (outwardly, that is). But the writing draws you in and makes you feel as though you were really there. 

V

The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters has entertained and enlightened readers the world over with its sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the unique vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to “Our Father Below.” At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, C.S. Lewis gives us the correspondence of the wordly-wise devil to his nephew Wormwood, a novice demon in charge of securing the damnation of an ordinary young man. The Screwtape Letters is the most engaging account of temptation—and triumph over it—ever written. 

    Like Les Mis, I had read this before, but when scrounging for a project at school I came across it once more. It just proves Lewis’ genius—what more can I say? Go read it for yourself; you’ll see what I mean. :)

    And there you have it—my top five books of January! I hope the first month of 2024 went smoothly, and that the rest of the year be blessed and wonderful as well. God be with you! 

Namarië

——

All summaries from Goodreads

10 Short Story Prompts!

     Hi there! It’s Friday (again), and if you haven’t noticed by now that means it’s time for another post at Inkling Corner! I must admit I was rather at a loss for what to write about today—I’m working on some poems but didn’t want to upload any unfinished work—and so decided to offer up some writing prompts! 

    Coming up with good, interesting, and not-cliché ideas for your writing can be a challenge sometimes (I’m looking at you, writer’s block). I’m certainly no exception to this, but sometimes taking a fresh look at things can help quite a bit. So here are ten short story prompts that will hopefully inspire and aid you in your work. Some are a bit vague and could really mean anything, and others are specific plots. I hope it helps!

1. She hates the colour green. To some it means life, but to her, it means the end. 

2. “I am a fool,” he mumbles, and almost believes it.

3. The moment she steps foot in the snow and feels the taste of the snowflakes on her tongue, she knows she’s home.

4. The first thing he sees when the darkness leaves his eyes is her smile.

5. The Old Forest is the most terrifying thing he’s ever seen—a snaggle of dead branches and overgrown thickets. But he plunges in, because he knows he has to save his brother.

6. I am a fool. I am going to die, and I am a fool.

7. She lowers the weapon slowly. “I couldn’t become a murderer. Not even to kill one.”

8. I’ve never been particularly fond of dying. Unfortunately I seem to have gotten into a strange habit of nearly doing so every other day. Like, for example, right now. Dangling halfway off a two-hundred-foot cliff, surrounded on both sides by people who want to kill me isn’t my idea of enjoyable. Yet here I am.

9. The unspoken rules are ingrained in the minds of all. Religion is forbidden. Love is out of the question. And most of all, never question the will of the Council.

10. They think they know everything about me. They think that they can control my every thought, word, and action. They think they can govern me. But they are wrong.

There you are! Ten short-story prompts. I hope it helps!

Namarië,

Astrya

Quote of the Month! | January Edition

 Greetings, all, and welcome to a new tradition at Inkling Corner! I’m excited to introduce the Quote of the Month, where every month I’ll be posting a new quote that inspired, touched, or influenced me in any way. 

I’ll be doing a quote from a different genre each month, usually going between fiction, theology, and history. 

I’d love it if you could share your opinions in the comments, and also offer suggestions for next month! 

This month’s is from C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, which is a “Christian apologetic novel” (description from online, not me) which was dedicated to Lewis’ great friend J.R.R. Tolkien and written in a satirical style.

The plot and characters are very fictional, but Lewis expertly uses them to address Christian theological issues. Lewis and Tolkien are, incidentally, two of my favourite authors and you’ll be seeing a lot of them in the near future. (The stories I posted last week are based on Tolkien’s work, actually).

 

But that is the cursed thing; the gods are strange to mortal eyes, and yet they are not strange. He had no faintest conception till that very hour of how they would look, and even doubted their existence. But when he saw them he knew that he had always known them and realised what part each one of them had played at many an hour in his life when he had supposed himself alone, so that now he could say to them, one by one, not ‘Who are you?’, but ‘So it was you all the time.’ All that they were and said at this meeting woke memories. The dim consciousness of friends about him which had haunted his solitudes from infancy was now at last explained; that central music in every pure experience which had always just evaded memory was now recovered.

C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, Chapter 31

This quote, while spoken in the book by the demon Screwtape, is in fact quite poignant and very true (at least in my humble estimation). We have always known, somehow, that God is there, but when we finally “see Him face to face” we realise that it was Him in our lives all along. We might not choose to recognise Him, or if we do we might not see Him there, but He is. “And that is an encouraging thought”.  

Thanks for joining me for this month’s edition of Quote of the Month! I hope you enjoyed my mini-essay, and if you did, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

The LORD be with you!

_______

Quotation #1–C.S. Lewis, Till We Have Faces

Quotation #2–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

(Didn’t I tell you you’d hear more from these astounding writers?)

Thanks for reading!

Greetings! (And a poem)

 Salvete, omnes (that’s Latin for “hello, everyone” if you weren’t sure) and welcome to Inkling Corner! Thanks so much for being here. I’m Astrya—aspiring writer, avid reader, and violinist. This blog will mainly focus on stories and poems I’ve written, with the occasional book review. I’m so happy you decided to join me!

I’ve already posted three short stories, each set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s wonderful world of Middle-Earth, and I hope you enjoy them. In addition, here’s a short poem for your enjoyment before we bid farewell. 

Brother

I see him lying there

Motionless and crimson-stained

The ice is cracked everywhere

Only half my heart remains

I fall to my knees in silence

A scream echoes through the air

Too late I realise it’s mine

Farewell, my brother, I murmur there

I forgive you. 

I see him lying there

Arrows piercing his heart

He meets my eyes in a final stare

We’re forever apart

Till we meet again

In a land where sorrow flees

And there is no pain

I fall on my knees

Not his captain nor his king

But his brother who loved him

Farewell, my brother, I softly sing

I’ll keep my promise to you.

I see him lying there

Here at the end of all things

Embers flying through his hair

Dare we have hope? For hope eternal springs

That evil is gone

The thunderous sound of pain

So this is the end of our song

Echoes through my ears again

I glance at my brother through weary eyes

He gave me hope where I had none

The clouds cover the darkened skies

Farewell, my brother, it’s now done 

We’ve finally won.

Note: maybe it isn’t specific enough to tell, but either way I wanted to highlight the sibling relationships (though they be not by blood) in the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, as they are often taken for granted or (tragically) over-romanticised. The first stanza is Bilbo and Thorin, the second is Aragorn and Boromir, and the last is Frodo and Sam. I hope this little poem inspires sorrow, yes, but also longing, hope, and a bittersweet acknowledgement that there is pain in this life, but in the next we sit eternally in the presence of God. 

For Tolkien, friendship was one of the most important relationships in life and I’d like to follow in that tradition. I hope you enjoy this poem. Thanks be to God!

Thanks be to God, indeed. Well, farewell for now, and I’ll see you later!

__

Namarië,

Astrya