“We live in stories, not facts.” – Patti Callahan

Are you interested in learning about Patti Callahan’s touching novel Once Upon a Wardrobe? You’ve come to the right place!

This heartwarming historical fiction explores the origins of C.S. Lewis’s beloved Narnia series through the eyes of an endearing brother and sister.

In this article, I’ll explain everything you need to know about this powerful story. From plot details to reader reviews, I’ve got you covered.

Many readers find this book to be a beautiful blend of literary history, family love, and the transformative power of stories.Trust me when I say this isn’t just another historical novel.

It’s a book that examines how stories help us make sense of our world and connect with each other, especially during difficult times.

Plot Summary

“Sometimes, the biggest questions have the simplest answers.” – Patti Callahan

The story takes place in 1950, primarily in England, moving between the town of Worcester, where the main characters live, and Oxford, where a young C.S. Lewis teaches at Magdalen College.

It’s a time when Lewis has just published The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is beginning to captivate readers worldwide.

The main characters include:

• Megs Devonshire: A serious mathematics student at Oxford who sees the world through logic and facts
• George Devonshire: Megs’s eight-year-old brother who has a serious heart condition but a vibrant imagination
• C.S. Lewis (Jack): The author of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, who becomes a mentor figure
• Padraig Lewis: C.S. Lewis’s older brother and housemate who helps tell stories of their childhood
• Mr. and Mrs. Devonshire: Megs and George’s loving parents who try to make the most of their time with George

Once Upon a Wardrobe is a touching historical fiction novel set in England in 1950. The story centers around Megs Devonshire, a mathematics student at Oxford University, and her eight-year-old brother George, who suffers from a congenital heart condition that keeps him confined to his bed for much of his short life.

When George becomes enchanted by the newly published book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, he begs his sister to find out where Narnia came from. Although Megs is firmly grounded in facts, equations, and logic, she can’t refuse her beloved brother’s request.

Upon discovering that the author, C.S. Lewis (known as “Jack”), teaches at her university, she musters the courage to visit him at Magdalen College. To Megs’s surprise, Lewis doesn’t give her a straightforward answer about Narnia’s origins.

Instead, he invites her to return, and with each visit, he and his brother Warnie share stories from Jack’s life—his childhood in Ireland, the death of his mother, his experiences during World War I, his relationship with his father, and his journey from atheism to Christianity.

As winter progresses, George’s condition worsens. The stories of Lewis’s life become even more important, offering both children a way to discuss difficult subjects like loss, grief, and what might exist beyond this world.

George finds particular comfort in the character of Aslan and the idea that death might be the beginning of a greater adventure rather than an end.

After George’s death, Megs struggles with grief but finds solace in completing the mechanical bird toy her brother was building—a symbol of flight and freedom.

Through her mourning, she comes to appreciate how stories helped her brother live fully despite his limitations and how they continue to connect her to him even after his passing.

The novel concludes with Megs beginning to integrate both mathematical precision and imaginative understanding in her approach to life. She recognizes that while facts describe the world, stories help us make sense of it—especially its most difficult aspects like loss and grief.

The wardrobe of the title becomes a metaphor not just for Lewis’s famous creation but for the doorway between different ways of knowing and experiencing the world.

What Genre is Once Upon a Wardrobe?

Once Upon a Wardrobe is primarily historical fiction, but it contains elements of several genres:

• Literary fiction: The exploration of meaning, imagination, and human connection through stories
• Biographical fiction: The incorporation of C.S. Lewis’s real life events and experiences
• Coming-of-age story: Megs’s evolution from rigid logical thinking to embracing imagination
• Family drama: The central relationship between siblings and their navigation of serious illness

The main themes include:

• The power of stories to help us understand difficult truths
• The balance between logical reasoning and imagination
• Sibling love and sacrifice
• Facing mortality and finding meaning in limited time
• How literature can transform our perception of reality
• Faith, doubt, and the search for meaning beyond the material world

When you pick up this book, expect a gently paced, emotionally resonant story that interweaves historical details about C.S. Lewis with the fictional narrative of the Devonshire family. While there are moments of sadness, the overall tone is hopeful and affirming.

Ratings and Reviews

“We need stories, more than facts, to understand our lives, our existence—the Great Mystery that surrounds us.” – Patti Callahan

Once Upon a Wardrobe has a 4.3/5 star rating on Goodreads from over 20,000 readers, showing strong appreciation for this literary historical fiction.

Readers across platforms share many positive thoughts about the novel:

• “A beautiful tribute to both C.S. Lewis and the transformative power of stories. I was moved to tears by the relationship between Megs and George and how Narnia helped them navigate their difficult journey.”
• “The historical details about Lewis’s life were fascinating, and I loved how Callahan wove them into a fictional narrative that felt both authentic and meaningful.”
• “As someone who grew up loving Narnia, this book gave me a new appreciation for how Lewis’s own experiences shaped his creation. It made me want to reread the entire series.”

Some critical reviews mention:

• “The pacing is quite slow, particularly in the middle sections. Readers looking for more plot-driven stories might find it meandering.”
• “At times, the philosophical messaging about the importance of stories feels a bit heavy-handed rather than letting readers draw their own conclusions.”
• “Those seeking a strictly factual account of Lewis’s life might be frustrated by the fictional framing, though the author is clear about what’s historical and what’s imagined.”

What sets Once Upon a Wardrobe apart from other historical fiction is its gentle exploration of how literature impacts our lives. The result is a multi-layered meditation on storytelling itself—why we create stories, why we need them, and how they help us make sense of life’s greatest mysteries.

Who Should Read Once Upon a Wardrobe?

This book is well-suited for adult readers who enjoy literary and historical fiction with emotional depth.

It would also be appropriate for mature young adult readers who appreciate thoughtful, character-driven stories rather than fast-paced plots.

Content considerations:

• Themes of childhood illness and death
• Grief and loss
• Some discussions of war experiences (though not graphic)
• Philosophical and sometimes religious content

This book is perfect for readers who enjoyed:

• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
• Literary fiction that explores the impact of books and stories on our lives

It’s also excellent for fans of C.S. Lewis’s works, particularly those interested in the inspirations behind Narnia. If you prefer action-packed plots or are uncomfortable with emotional content around illness and loss, this might not be your ideal read.

Book Recommendations If You Liked Once Upon a Wardrobe

If you enjoyed Once Upon a Wardrobe, here are some books with similar qualities:

• Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan: Another historical novel by the same author, this one focusing on the relationship between C.S. Lewis and his wife, Joy Davidman.
• The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan: A warm, charming story about the healing power of books and how they can transform lives.
• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón: A literary mystery that explores the profound impact books can have on readers’ lives.
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield: A gothic-inspired novel about storytelling, family secrets, and the blurry line between truth and fiction.
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: Though more fantastical, it shares a lyrical quality and exploration of imagination’s power to transform reality.

Conclusion

Once Upon a Wardrobe stands as a beautiful tribute to both C.S. Lewis and the transformative power of literature.

It reminds us that behind every beloved book are the accumulated experiences, sorrows, and joys of its author, transformed through imagination into something that can touch countless lives.

The novel’s greatest strength lies in its emotional authenticity. The relationship between Megs and George feels real and poignant, making their journey with Lewis’s stories all the more powerful.

By showing how Narnia helps one family navigate their own personal winter, Callahan demonstrates why some books become not just entertainment but essential companions through life’s challenges.

If you want a book that celebrates literature’s power to comfort, connect, and transform—while offering a glimpse into the life of one of the 20th century’s most beloved authors—Once Upon a Wardrobe delivers a moving and thoughtful reading experience.

About the Author

Patti Callahan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sixteen novels, including historical fiction, contemporary fiction, and non-fiction. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a pediatric clinical nurse specialist.

Callahan is particularly interested in the life and work of C.S. Lewis, which she has explored in Once Upon a Wardrobe and her earlier novel Becoming Mrs. Lewis. The latter focuses on the relationship between Lewis and his wife, Joy Davidman. Her thoroughness in researching Lewis’s life adds authenticity to her fictional explorations of his world.

Other books by Patti Callahan include:

• Becoming Mrs. Lewis
• Surviving Savannah
• The Favorite Daughter
• The Bookshop at Water’s End
• Wild Swan (about Florence Nightingale)

Callahan is known for her emotionally resonant prose and ability to weave historical details into compelling fictional narratives. Her work often explores themes of family relationships, self-discovery, and the healing power of stories.