Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold

C. S. Lewis once said, "The value of myth is that it takes all the things you know and restores to them the rich significance which has been hidden by the veil of familiarity." Nowhere is this more true than in his own retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche as he intentionally recasts the myth in a way that gives it logical coherence and subtly (and sometimes not-so-subtly) emphasizes a variety of philosophical and theological points.

I think that explaining and analyzing the significance of a myth tends to rob it of its impact so I'll just say that Lewis explores themes of beauty, bitterness, jealousy, longing, and theodicy as the first part of the book is written as the narrator's diatribe against the gods for what has happened in her life and the second, much shorter part features her thoughts after a few further events. As always, even though I have a few serious theological differences with Lewis, I loved it!

Given the fact that Lewis is one of my favorite authors, it is a bit surprising that, until recently, I had never read the book which Lewis himself claimed was his best-written and personal favorite of his own works. This is a situation now happily rectified!

Like his friend J.R.R. Tolkien, Lewis believed that stories were the best vehicle for spreading ideas. In this story, he adapts the old Greek myth of Cupid & Psyche into a novel told from the perspective of one of Psyche's sisters. (Incidentally, a summary of the original myth is included as an appendix to the book for those unfamiliar with it, so prior knowledge is no prerequisite for reading this book!) Through fiction, Lewis explores love and the hidden motivations behind human action.

The principal theme of the book is related to the 12th verse from 1 Corinthians 13, the "love chapter": For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. The novel wrestles with the question of whether we can truly know God without seeing him face to face. While this theme is a decidedly Christian one, the book is devoid of the overtly Christian symbolism common in most of his other works of fiction--something perhaps expected in a book that takes pagan mythology as its source!

If you've never read this story, I highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed; Lewis picked it as his favorite for a reason!

I find that very few people have discovered this fantastic gem of a book! Anyone interested in mythology, and especially in greco-roman mythological figures would benefit from this addition to their collection.

More than a re-telling of an old tale, Lewis uses the framework of this myth to delve into multiple philosophical and ethical questions, discussing throughout the book the motivations behind the players' choices. No, I won't give away the story nor the author's "message." Suffice it to say that the book, from a very dark beginning, has a redemptive ending you might find surprising but you hopefully will find enheartening. Hope you enjoy the reading, and I'd love to hear what you think afterwards.

Lewis' novel from 1956 is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, that painful allegory about love and passion and control and all of those conflicting human strivings that plague us all. It is the story of a king and his three daughters, one ugly, one normal and the youngest quite beautiful. It is the story too of the struggle of pure beauty against crude ugliness in the soul, as manifested in the outward appearances.

It is the allegory of bodily love versus spiritual love. Such is the beauty of the youngest daughter that she becomes a goddess, worshipped and adored, but yet cursed by the jealousies of others. She is sacrificed to the dark powers of an underworld mentality on the altars of vain ambitions. As with any fine myth, this one surrounds itself with all the furniture of the human condition as it gives us the palace of life in which the main character, Orual, is separated by the base instinct of consuming love and blinding obsession to do right. When a plague hits the kingdom, the jealous gods and priesthood demands the sacrifice of their best, and their best is beautiful Istra. This is the kingdom of Glome (gloom) where Greek wisdom is peppered nonetheless with rumors of beasts and superstitions, as in real life. Psyche (Istra) disappears into the fringe land of legend after her sacrifice, but possessive sister Orual (also called Maia) pursues her ghost to the Mountains. Psyche tells her she has another love, something unseen by Orual, in a land also unseen. This separation of two close sisters is like a divorce of the two characteristics of human nature, love and hate.

Ascending her father's throne, Queen Orual straightens up her kingdom but cannot straighten up herself. Even with the teachings of Fox and the swordsmanship of Bardia, she is helpless against her own dark drives. She finally brings her life grievance against the gods themselves, only to discover that her question of the unfairness of their ways is in reality the blindness of her own passions.

Lewis is a master of allegory. It is also uncanny how he has narrated this story from the perspective of a woman who has lived almost exclusively in the realm of men. Orual watches as male priests try to expiate sin by oblations to the vague images of the stone goddess Ungit; then, as Queen, she sees one priest try setting up a beautiful statue of a Greek goddess with human likeness in place of the faceless one. A face has been given to the faceless mystery of sin. Thinking it an improvement, Orual reasons "I think I felt that an image of this sort would be somehow a defeat for the old, hungry, faceless Ungit whose terror had been over me in childhood." But putting a face on her fears does not cure them.

Like other great mythologies, he has woven a tale of combative elements which twist and turn within our own lives. It is difficult if not impossible to avoid the comparison here of a Christian life against a secular world. The illusive image of Psyche is a type of Christ, drawing us from the darkness of humanity towards the need for the redemption of deity. The voice of the gods is the voice of the Christ, and until we have put on our real face we cannot hear it or approach it. What we are tempted to accuse deity of is what we are most guilty of ourselves.

I first read this book 20 years ago, and I loved it! It was my then-boyfriend's favorite book and I remember so many wonderful discussions we had about the themes in the book--beauty, jealousy, love, immanence, everything.

Then, we broke up. It was the usual disastrous college-sweetheart breakup, and for 20 years, I couldn't look at this book without thinking of him.

For some reason, for the hell of it, I guess, I picked this novel to teach in my intro to lit class, remembering only how much I'd loved it when I was their age. And oh. Oh my. After 20 years this book still has so much to say to me. Different things, I think, than it did then. When I was young it was an intellectual thing; reading it this time, with marriage and life and love, and false-loves behind me, I think I *feel* the novel more than before.

You will want a pen in hand when you read this book, to underline all of the brilliant, insightful lines Lewis throws at you with almost careless ease. And though in my bookstore I found it in the Christian section, I don't think it really belongs there. It's not of any one religion, though Lewis was an ardent Christian. Bottling him up, in this text or with Narnia, as solely 'for Christians' does a real disservice. True wisdom, true spirit, true beauty and insight belongs to no one religion. This book is magnificent and wise no matter what religion the reader brings to it.

There are already fabulous reviews regarding this work, so I will try to limit my scope on this amazing and multifaceted story. This classic is a retelling of the myth of Psyche and the Cupid through the eyes of the eldest sister – Orual.

Through this magnificent mythological/fantasy novel the author delves into important questions regarding logic and faith, divine justice, and the war that Orual engages against the gods through an elaborate written accusation (the book) where in the first part she describes her childhood, her enormous love for Psyche and how the gods took her, the years when she ruled Glome, and the unfairness and indifference of the gods; the second part is truly a work of genius, where Orual faces the reality of her actions throughout her life, and how much she hurt so many persons with many of the events which we witnessed in the first part and where the queen was completely oblivious…bringing us the question: should the gods be fair?

C. S. Lewis has created a masterpiece in Till We Have Faces, the retelling of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. The first time I read it, I thought it was amazing but did not understand it. The second time I read it I thought it was perhaps the best book I had ever read because I did understand it. Lewis takes 1 Corinthians 13:12, " For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known," and makes this his theme, masterfully weaving this theme into the story of Cupid and Psyche. Orual is the protagonist, the ugly sister of Psyche who is vilified in the traditional telling of the story. Lewis retells the story from her perspective, and through her questions about the justice of the gods are raised. In this book, Lewis rewrites in fiction what he wrote in the Problem of Pain, and in a much more eloquent mannor. Through Orual he asks the questions raised against Christianity and by Christians: why do bad things happen to me, where are the gods, why are the gods punishing me, etc. It is so well written that it is a great read even if you do not understand what Lewis is saying. It is all the better if you do.

A good number of previous reviewers have glorified the fact that this is not as openly Christian as Lewis' Narnian Chronicles. I fail to see why this makes it so much of a better book. The reason that this book is better is not that it is not as Christian, but that it goes so much deeper into the questions of Christianity than his other books tend to (with some exceptions). It is not that he leaves off talking about Christianity, he simply approaches it from a different angle in this book. Most of what is said of the "gods" can be looked at as talking about "God." He simply set his story in a polytheistic setting, so talk of the gods was necessary, and it would hardly do to have openly Christian conversations when the setting is way before the life of Christ.

Lewis said that he deemed this to be his greatest work. I am very inclined to agree with him.

Overall grade: A+

Till We Have Faces is a real departure from C. S. Louis's Narnia series. It is, instead, a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, as though they were not myths but instead are real people with real emotions that come to real divisions, and like most sisters their animosities both vindicate and betray them. It's a wonderful book, but it's also tough going. This is no "Myth". This is real life, and it isn't always pretty. At the same time, I was fascinated to see a somewhat different side of C. S. Louis. This is no book for children, but it's a fine one for adults.

Anyone who is a fan of C.S. Lewis may be somewhat shocked by "Till We Have Faces" for it is unlike any other piece of writing Lewis ever published, yet it is distinctly his own and aligns seamlessly with his other works. "Till We Have Faces" is a retelling of the myth of Psyche and Cupid, but it goes far beyond the classical story to a reinvention that is better than the original. For this work is not only about the myth, but about human nature in general and how we all too often mistakenly see the world around us.

The tale is narrated by Princess Orual, the oldest and ugliest princess of Glome. She did not always know of her ugliness, but it is made plain to her especially by the birth of her youngest sister, Istra, who is beautiful beyond comparison and worshipped as a goddess among the village people as she grows up. When famine and plague come to the land, the people are convinced that Istra is to blame and she is sacrificed to the Shadowbrute. Orual is devastated by the loss of her sister but cannot come to terms with what has truly happened to her for in her eyes it is a fate worse than death. Yet for the rest of her life, even as she becomes Queen of Glome, Orual searches for a way to reconcile herself to not only her lost sister, but to herself and to the mysteries of the gods.

"Till We Have Faces" is a philosophical examination of the classical myth of Psyche and Cupid. Lewis created a world that instantly comes to life and characters who are very real in their struggles even when those struggles are supernatural. It is a thought-provoking work about the nature of love and worship and how all too often our eyes remain closed to the truth that exists within the myths we create for ourselves.

C.S. Lewis was of course the author of the "Narnia" children's stories, the moral comedy "The Screwtape letters" and a number of other novels and books about religion, most of them told from a more or less openly Christian perspective.

This brilliant retelling of the legend of Psyche and Cupid is unusual for C.S. Lewis in that it considers the relationship between human and divine while stepping outside his Christian perspective. It is also possibly his best novel.

The story reads as a memoir written in her old age by Queen Orual of Glome, who had been eldest of the three daughters of the previous King. Orual herself is wise but ugly, and loves her beautiful younger sister Psyche in a way which is genuine but fierce and also jealous.

During a famine, The priests advise the King that there is a curse on the land and to lift it he must leave his daughter Psyche chained in the wilderness as a sacrifice to the gods. Orual is frantic and offers herself as the sacrifice instead but neither the King nor the priests will hear of it. Psyche is left chained in the wilderness, and when she is not there the following morning everyone assumes she has been killed. Instead, however, Cupid the God of Love takes her as his wife, refusing to let her see his face.

In the original legend, Psyche is allowed to receive a visit from her two sisters, who are consumed with envy at the sight of the luxurious home which the God has given Psyche, and trick her into shining a light on her husband while he sleeps. Furious at this disobedience, the god condemns her to wander the earth in great misery.

This version is similar, but with two key differences: the first is that Orual cannot see the beautiful house which Psyche believes she is living in. To Orual's senses Psyche is living in the open air and dressed in rags. Orual's motives in persuading Psyche to shine the lamp on her sleeping husband are far more complex and less unequivocally evil.

The second difference is that, where in the original legend the Gods cause the malicious sisters of Psyche to die soon after their betrayal of their sister, in Lewis's version Orual survives her father and becomes Queen. Indeed, Orual's struggle to rescue her country from the mess in which her father left it provides some of the most powerful scenes in the book. (I'm not giving away anything here: the narrator introduces herself in the first pages of the book as Queen of Glome and makes quite clear that she is describing the events of her youth from the perspective of old age.)

When she starts the narrative, Queen Orual is writing it as a complaint against the Gods who have mistreated her and slandered her. By the end of the book Orual's perspective has changed.

This is a magnificent and deeply moving story. If you like the Narnia books, think of it as Narnia for grown-ups.

This is, I think, Lewis' best fantasy novel, written close to the end of his life. Many elements that annoyed me about his earlier works (such as his occasional flashes of misogyny) are refreshingly absent here, in a story very much focussed on strong female characters.

This is usually sold as religious fiction (which it is, in a roundabout way). But it has plenty of the usual fantasy trappings (a cool warrior queen, swordfights, weird pagan gods, human sacrifice, battles and other fun political intrigue among ancient kingdoms, etc). It is no more religiously-inspired (though arguably no less so) than his Space Trilogy, or his Narnia series, which you often see shelved in the fantasy sections of bookstores, and is in some ways better than any of them. Lewis is a compelling read, and the pages just fly by. On the other hand, it is no doubt far too introspective for someone looking for the latest Dungeons & Dragons style action adventure.

Anyway, if you like intelligent fantasy, but find the title a little off-putting, may I suggest you just pick it up from the shelf in your bookstore and read a few pages. If you are intrigued by the beginning, I doubt you will be disappointed by the remainder.

ADDENDUM 4/23/2006: A more recent post has inspired me to add a few comments. They are as follows:

(1) Since this forum is not set up for debate, it might be best if reviewers stick to reviewing the book rather than reviewing eachother's reviews.

(2) I stand by my review and my choice of words. There are obviously many ways a character can be "strong". I trust the reader will understand what I mean (and what I do not mean) after he reads the book. It would make no sense to give away half the plot with an extensive discussion of the issue.

(3) I was intrigued by Lewis' treatment of the middle sister, which does not neatly compare to any other character in Lewis' fiction. I can see, however, how she might be misunderstood by a very inattentive reader. To say more would be a spoiler.

(4) Because I really liked this book, I hoped to convince others to read it. My review is mainly addressed to those who to some extent enjoyed Lewis' other sci-fi/fantasy fiction, but who might not have considered trying this title. I trust no-one will be misled into believing this is a radical feminist tract.

Cupid and Psyche. In the classic myth, a beautiful princess becomes the bride of an mysterious, nocturnal suitor who forbids her to see his face. Goaded by her two ugly, jealous sisters, Psyche disobeys her husband and lights a lamp to look at his face while he sleeps. As luck would have it, her husband, the god Cupid, awakens and abandons her. Heartbroken, Psyche wanders the land looking for him until they are at last reunited, and she is made a goddess. Lewis tweaks the myth in his retelling, choosing one of the "ugly" sisters--here named Orual--to tell a different version of the tale. In Till We Have Faces, Orual is the doting older sister who adores and cares for her much younger half-sister, Psyche, after her stepmother dies in childbirth. But when Psyche finds love in the arms of a enigmatic lover, Orual feels betrayed. She tries to sabotage the relationship not from jealousy of her sister's good fortune, as the myth claims, but out of jealousy for Psyche. Lewis's novel is rich and multi-layered, interweaving themes of unconditional love, death, and adversity to create a truly compelling tale. While the pace is rather slow, patient readers are sure to be rewarded by the story's end.

This was nothing short of amazing. I have yet to read anything by Lewis that did not amaze me. For some strange reason I've been looking for this, and BOOM! I ran into it, and I had to pick it up. The title doesn't really give too much away as of what to expect. Then I read the back cover, (uh-huh, 2 sisters, and one is ugly, and it is set in the backdrop of Glome. OK! Cupid also plays a role in this) and not really knowing that much about myths, I basically cracked the first page and uttered to myself, "Here goes!" I knew that this had to be something good: I just had to find out what it might be. You talk about the old saying, "More than meets the eye..." Uh, YEAH!

So Orual is embittered because Psyche is loved by a great lover. Sounds simple, maybe a little too simple, but it isn't all that simple! Some may call Orual jealous, maybe even self-possessed when it comes to Psyche. What the heck is Lewis trying to say here? He always paints a picture, but what did he bring to the canvas this time? Take a closer look, a good look, and you'll be looking in the mirror. What? Yeah, I felt like putting it down a few times. But I know I would've missed something very revealing. How obsessed are we with ourselves? We are strange creatures! This time it is beyond special, and a favorite work of C.S. Lewis. One of his personal favorites!

Nothing will really prepare you for what is to come. A king, a knight, maybe even a servant or two? That doesn't even crack the surface! Being a myth retold (as the title suggests), you might even say that the gods come into play. In short, I found this to be some heavy stuff. I believe I found it heavy because Lewis never offers the easiest of answers. Yeah, leave this alone if you seek an easy popcorn read. This is meant to get into the head a little. It's also meant to prick the heart just a little bit more!

C.S. Lewis' book Till we Have Faces is a fantastic literary achievement that shows how important point of view actually is. We are all familiar, I'm sure, of the Greek myth of Psyche and Cupid. The myth in a nutshell says that Psyche was married to Cupid, but she could never know to who it was she was married. Psyche was extremely happy, although she never saw her husbands' face. She lived in a big palace, and was pretty much set for life. Psyche's sisters, however, came to visit her one day and saw her big home and her happiness, and they became extremely jealous. They decided to ruin Psyche because that is what all good sisters do. They convince Psyche to turn on the lights that night to see who her husband is. She does and becomes doomed to wander the Earth aimlessly. She later is forced to do impossible labors for Cupid's mother, who is jealous of her beauty. Eventually Psyche becomes reconciled with Cupid and she becomes deified. Then they live happily ever after. C.S. Lewis version of this story casts a very different light on the story when it told from Orual's, one of Psyche's sisters, perspective. This is why this book is so interesting. In C.S. Lewis version we learn that Orual's intentions are really quite pure, and that she inadvertently brings about Psyche's downfall. She then blames herself for years for bringing such misery upon the sister she loved so dearly. So by simply changing the point of view of the story, Lewis creates a character who is sympathetic rather than spiteful. It is this message of looking at things from different perspectives that is one of the main themes in this story.
The other theme of this story is that beauty, true beauty, is found on the inside. I have wondered why Lewis chose to name this book Till we Have Faces, and I am still not sure of the significance of it. It is possible that the whole theme of beauty is what this title suggests. When we are beautiful on the inside, then it shows in our countenance and our faces. Our faces then reflect what we are, and people see us in that way. It is interesting that until Orual veils her face, she is considered ugly, but once she does veil it, she is considered to be very beautiful because she then allows her true, beautiful self to take over. In this way, people really don't see her true face until she veils her ugly one.
This book is a great read. It is full of symbolic elements that are interesting to try and interpret. Lewis is a great author, and this book lived up to all of my expectations for it. If you do plan on reading it, plan a huge block of time when you can read the entire thing, because once you start it, you won't want to put it down. I really enjoyed it because it made me think. C.S. Lewis is a terrific author, and he does not disappoint with this book.

CS Lewis, the master Christian apologist, was also a fabulous storyteller, as well as a sort of Classical scholar. This book is a synthesis of his theology, his love for the classics, and his storytelling ability. It is a reworking of the Psyche/Cupid myth, spun by Lewis in such a way as to teach important moral values--values which Lewis propagated in his Christian writings, but which he proves (in this book) to be important to all cultures. One of the most compelling things about this novel is that it is set in a `barbarian' society, with many gods comparable to those of the Greeks. Even in the midst of this foreign religion, however, Lewis manages to teach his Christian moral values with surprising success.

In a nutshell, this is a story about too much love. Orual, Psyche's sister, loves Psyche more than anything. Her love, however, is a selfish love, and Orual ends up destroying her sister because of that love. The central message of this book (to me, at least) is that people often treat their love protectively, and that jealousy often prompts people to hurt the one they love in an effort to keep the beloved all to themselves. The result, in this story and in others, is that someone (like Orual) who claims to love another person (like Psyche) ends up being the person in the world who hurts them the most. This culminates, in the novel, with Orual using Psyche's love for her as blackmail to get Psyche to destroy her life with the god Cupid.

Readers familiar with Lewis's `The Screwtape Letters' and `The Great Divorce' will recognize this familiar theme of love gone too far. As always, Lewis provides insights in this book that are both profitable and that hit close to home for many of us. This is a great work of fiction by CS Lewis, both for its theological content and for the narrative itself. I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it, and both enjoyed and profited from the reading.

Till we have faces by C.S. Lewis not only retold a myth from another point of view, but also gave an insightful look into to a battered life. He cleverly took the story of Cupid and Psyche, originally told from Psyche's view point, and flipped it to a different dimension. The whole basis of his story is the struggle that Orual, the oldest sister, faces because of her love for Psyche. King of Glome has three daughters. The oldest, Orual, is extremely ugly. The second daughter is beautiful, but is surpassed when Psyche is born. Psyche's mother dies at birth. This is important because Orual becomes her surrogate mother. Orual, who also lacks a mother and attention from her father, channels all her love and attention onto Psyche. Her somewhat happy life is shattered when the townspeople turn on Psyche and demand she be sacrificed to the Gods. Here C.S. Lewis pulls the reader into the novel. I sat on the edge of my seat as I watched the events unfold. Although the events were nerve wrecking, the pain the Orual faces caught my interest. Lewis brings the reader alive as he unfolds her emotions. At first the reaction is to dismiss her duty of love and believe that it is exaggerated, but after a moment I realized that such love does exist. Our parents are living examples. We know that they would willing give their lives for us and would do all in their power to protect us. Christ is the ultimate example because he did give his life for us. Orual seems to act irrational but her intent is to only protect Psyche. I enjoyed watching the thought process of Orual as she struggles to accept the divine qualities in herself. That paralleled my emotions. Since I strive for perfection, I always look for fault. I fail to see that beneath my mistakes there is also good. Orual strives to purge herself from ungodliness and doesn't see her attainment until someone tells her. Later when I was discussing the book, someone brought up the question if having a man write the book effected the portrayal of the woman. I reflected that it had, because I could relate more with Orual than with her others sisters. Orual was more mannish then her younger sisters. She also seemed more realistic because of that. The other sisters were distant from me because they floated in aa world of beauty where everyone worshiped them. Orual had plenty of rejection. Her own father for one rejected her. This made her seem as if life had a grasp on her. This book explored the faithful love of Orual. This love was blinding at times even causing her to bring more pain onto her sister. It also blinded her so she could not see the beauty within herself. All the other character achieve the purpose of helping to expand and test Orual's character. This was successfully done so at the end we feel that we know who she truly is.

C.S. Lewis was endowed with a natural ability to tell tales. Whether they were fictitious or true, he was always able to convey his ideas clearly, through characters and ideas, such as in Till We Have Faces. Throughout the story, we are introduced to multiple characters which, when analyzed, are seen to have a foil of some form or another in the story. Lewis cleverly wove these characters to represent the opposing ideas and concepts of the main character, Oural. One such example of this were the characters of the Fox, and Bardia. The Fox was in fact an intellectual Greek who was sold to the King of Gloam, and raised Oural from childhood through adolescence. While rearing her, he consistently invited her to not only to questioning everything, but to analyze life's occurrences, and search for some logical explanation as to their purpose or makeup. The Fox not only created, but represented the logical portion of Oural's thinking, while Bardia was the exact opposite. Bardia was a warrior and a devout follower of his heart. He believed that supernatural forces did exist, and that there were some things in this world that were never intended to be explained. Both of these extremes would come to play a critical role when Oural convinced Psyche, her younger sister, to confirm the identity of her new found husband. The logical portion of Oural told her that her sister was in fact married to a thief who was using her for her "natural attributes," while her emotional portion told her that her, from the back recesses of her mind, that Psyche was in fact wed to a god. Once Oural discovered that Psyche had been married to a god all along, it is her emotional portion that kept her strong, when her logic failed. The use of the external characters to not only explain how Oural attained her qualities, but as examples of such was pure genius on the part of Lewis. Oural's struggle as to how to deal with the situation only became more evident in her sidestepping and/or outright lying to the Fox and Bardia as to what truly happened on the mountain that fateful evening.Lewis also created a simply brilliant contrast as to what beauty truly is. Psyche was, as described by the story, to be among the most enchanting and beautiful creatures to ever grace the Earth. She was even so radiant that the public of Gloam even began to worship her as a goddess. Her outward beauty was unmatched save only her inner beauty. While in sharp contrast, Oural was in fact quite an ugly individual. The King even told her on one occasion, that to strike her in the face would only be an improvement. Oural, because of this "curse," was never given much if any love as a child. Oddly enough, once she veiled herself, after Psyche disappeared on the mountain, and proved herself to be a noble queen the people began to see her as beautiful. The citizens of Gloam even believed that she was so beautiful beneath her veil, that to show anyone, would place all others in a distant second. Lewis purposely created Psyche to be so perfect, that we, as readers, would naturally withdraw ever so slightly from her as she represented that which is unattainable for mortals - perfection. While he created Oural with realistic qualities (the opposing physical traits), illustrating that true beauty does emanate from within, and that even physical shortcomings can be muted by dedication, love, and a pleasant demeanor. It is this contrast of "beauty" and representation of personalities that made this work so enjoyable to me, and will hopefully for you as well.

To say the least, I throughly the book Till We Have Faces. It was a book that once started could not be put down until I had finished - I actually read the entire book in two days. It is set in mythological times, and tells the story of Cupid and Psyche from a different perspective. I enjoyed the book for many reasons. The first was for the exciting storyline and great action - this was the main reason I couldn't put it down. I was completely caught up in the adventurous life of Orual, and those surrounding her. There was never a dull moment - new issues and episodes would always arise to keep my interest. The book is definitely successful in keeping the reader interested. The second, and the more important reason this book was good is because many lessons can be learned from the message it puts forth. Even though the setting is not in our times, many parts of the book can be applied to life today. Throughout the book the characters were very easy to relate with. This was the main reason applications to life could be drawn from the story. Orual, the main character, went through the most amount of change. Changing characters are the easiest to relate to because our lives and perspectives are constantly changing. As the book progresses from start to finish, we see different parts of Orual's character revealed. Her relationship with the Fox, Physhe, Bardia, and her father are all revealing to her character. The Fox helps her learn many lessons, and causes Orual to grow. He was captured from Greece and forced to become a slave in her fathers house. He was assigned to be Orual and Redevil's tutor. As the story progresses the Fox and Orual grow closer and become great friends. They even work together after her father dies. Orual learns to trust from this relationship. From her relationship with Phyche, Orual learns other important lessons. Phyche is the child of one of her father's wives. When it is found out that she is a girl, her father doesn't want anything to do with her Orual takes her under her wing and learns to love in an almost motherly way. It even gets to the point that she loves Phyche too much - she was willing to do anything for her. Her love for this child, her half sister, shape most of her life. In the story Bardia is the king's best helper. As the story progresses Orual comes to be in contact with him more and more. They grow to be great friends and they work together a majority of the time. She is forced to learn the bounds of this relationship, and in the end hurts much because of this. Orual never marries, and her relationship with Bardia is the closest she gets to experiencing this. Orual's father was king of the land. He was busy all the time with important matters, and he had a violent temper. Growing up, Orual knew that her father didn't love her. He made it plain to her that she was ugly and that he didn't think anything would come of her life. This helped Orual in more ways than it hurt her. She pushed away from him, turned to the Fox, and made something of her life just to spite him. The relationship helped her grow even though it wasn't a very healthy one. There were many other things that influenced Orual and caused her to change but these were just a few. Her relationships with others did most of the revealing. It made me think of how I relate to others, what I learn from them, and how I change. It provided a new perspective and I was very glad I had the opportunity to read the book.

This review is for the audiobook version narrated by Nadia May. I will start out with the audiobook. I was very impressed with the narrator. I've heard her on several other classics and she always does a good job. This book is no exception. Her characterizations were done well and made it easy for me to determine which person was speaking. She has a very agreeable voice, and this book made for a very pleasant commute the last week or so.

I am a CS Lewis fan and this is my first time through this novel. Most of his books have a clear Christian slant, but I was surprised when this one didn't. This wasn't a problem, just unexpected. It did do an excellent job pointing out certain universal truths, but did seem to stick with the pagan mythical religious theme that this story was derived from.

I thought that his rewriting the story of Psyche and Cupid from the perspective of the ugly sister was very well done. One of the things I enjoy with great literature is looking at things in life from a different viewpoint and learning from it. This book shows how people sometime do bad things with the best of intentions. It also reinforced to me that I need to look at situations from many angles before making a decision or judgment.

I highly recommend this book and the audiobook was an excellent way to go through this book.

As there exists a wealth of [mostly] helpful reviews, I will try to add to the current body rather than restate it all.

Till We Have Faces is known, by now, to be an allegory using the myth of Cupid and Psyche. For those who want a primer, Lewis has Apuleius' version of the myth summarized at the end of the work, which is helpful for keeping the allegory in mind, rather than trying to figure out what is going on with the plot.

By far, my impression is that Lewis' strength in this work is his stunning use of characterization. He makes both Orual and Psyche, as well as the King and Fox, so incredibly consistent-consistencies that required `tweaking' of the myth itself in order to implement-and consistencies that are required in order to make them seem more real. The result of such piercing characterizations is the ability to find pieces of ourselves in the characters, which adds to the meaningfulness of the allegory and the satisfaction from the story.

Here I wish to warn the reader: the climax and denouement are gentler in this story than they are in The Last Battle, The Space Trilogy-I should just say, gentler than Lewis' normal style. It is no less impacting, and no less worthy, but a careless read will cause the reader to miss it. Unfortunately, many (not all, of course) readers tend to speed up near the end, where things `get good'. I would advise against this: for those readers who know they tend toward this, tread carefully in Part Two.

I also cannot declare that it is Lewis' best fiction: maybe such a thing differs depending on which of his works personally speak to which readers. However, it is certainly worth the time and energy, and there are many benefits to the way he chooses to retell the myth. I personally do not find that it detracts from the myth in any way, but that each can be savored separately.

Enjoy!

Many authors have taken old stories and retold them from another character's point-of-view in order to change the theme and lesson portrayed in it. C.S. Lewis did just that in his Till We Have Faces, a retelling of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche from the perspective of one of Psyche's treacherous sisters. In doing so, Lewis adds depth to a superficial story and makes his readers question the motive of their love.
Orual, the eldest sister of Psyche, doesn't love anyone more than she loves her youngest sister. In turning the story in this direction, Lewis shifts the conflict from one between the sisters to one at first between Orual and the supposed gods who were the cause of Psyche's sacrifice and then, after Orual realizes her fault in her loss of Psyche, a conflict between Orual and herself. Orual's haunting self-examination and the revelation that she has loved Psyche so much that she pulled her away from happiness, and that she also has done so with everyone she has ever loved is a stirring wake-up call to all of us. The lesson that love is not a selfish action, but one in which, if you act with pure intent, your most important wish is for the one you love to be happy, is one which we all need to learn, as it will bring about greater happiness both in our lives and the lives of those we love.
The title of the novel is the source of another important lesson. Throughout her life, Orual lives with the fact that her looks are anything but attractive. To make things worse, her sister Redival, whom she absolutely detests, is considered somewhat of a beauty. Her father tells her she looks like a man, and that her looks could knock down a horse, and the like, and she becomes embarrassed to show her face to anyone. She puts on a veil, and decides never to take it off. When she does so, people stop noticing her ugly looks and begin to focus on who she is. As queen she becomes famous for her generosity, courage, and wisdom. She is remembered as the bravest, most valiant queen who ever lived. Her fame spreads, and so do tales that she wears the veil to cover a beautiful face, because certainly no one whose acts are so lovely can be ugly. Thus, through her actions, Orual receives a new face, a beautiful one, one which fits her personality and love for others. In doing so she conquers the goddess, who has no face, and achieves her victory over the gods.
Lewis' portrayal of love as the only thing to brighten an otherwise bleak and desolate world is fitting in this day. At a time when selfishness and greed are prevalent, the world needs a lesson in the value of devotion to others. Till We Have Faces is just that lesson. It provides a great example of love to all who are willing to learn from it.

I find myself recommending this work more than any other of Lewis' fiction. It is a painting of general revelation, where Lewis builds on the ideas within The Last Battle, where a character who has always worshipped the demon god Tash finds that he so loved Tash with true love, that he was actually worshipping Aslan, whom he never personally met. In Till We Have Faces, Lewis looks at how someone could come to Christ who lived at the time of the Israeli kings, far to the North, in a country where the protagonist, Orual, could not possibly know anything of the Judeo-Christian tradition. It is two love stories in one, building on the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, to explore how Jesus woos us to love Him with all that we are- each in different ways, in a personal relationship.
The book is mythic in style, and the beginning has a feel of timelessness and legend. Orual and her sister, Psyche, grow up together, learning about the ways that men objectify and treat women based on their appearance- for a woman, appearance is everything in the eyes of their society. (Somewhat familiar.) And then Psyche finds a mysterious man, that Orual knows nothing of.
Through the wooing of the mysterious stranger, Orual and her sister Psyche learn to more fully love others. And because of the focus on female characters, this is some of Lewis' most feminist work- strong female characters who think and develop and become complete, and completely heroic.

I've always liked C.S. Lewis's allegories and writings on faith, but I never thought that he would produce such a beautiful and subtle work of fiction. This was actually assigned as a summer reading project in English, and I was also surprised at myself when I not only enjoyed it, but liked it better when I had to map out all its themes and parallels. The novel takes place in the times of ancient Greece, when myths are still being made, and it is interesting just to see the myth of Cupid and Psyche from another's point of view, Psyche's older sister Orual --especially the angry shock when she finds out how much the "true" story has been altered by the tellers of tales. It is also interesting to see how the gods themselves -- in this case, Aphrodite -- exist in all cultures but have different forms, and the beautiful goddess of the Greeks can be the vengeful hag of Orual's people. The myth structure is used to explore a number of themes: the nature of love, the nature of the gods, and the personal journey every person must make.
Besides all this, though, there are two things that surprised me most of all: the main character, Orual, is multi-dimensional, and very female (even though her circumstances are different from most women). Whether you like her actions or not, you understand them, and you find yourself sympathizing with her even when she is being greedy or selfish. The other characters are interesting, too. The other thing is the way that Lewis masterfully combines the elements of myth and the ancient, polytheistic religion, and brings them to very Christian revelations. But if whether you are a Christian or not, you will still be moved by Orual's discoveries at the strangely satisfying ending.

This is the most insightful work of fiction I have ever read. Lewis is not only a genius in his capacity as the author, but as an observer of humanity, the self, and the deep truths that lie beneath the convenient names we often use to simplify them.

As other reviewers noted, the full power of this work is only apparent upon multiple readings. Astoundingly, Lewis' symbolic framework can effortlessly support at least two different mappings:

Orual, the middle sister, bears a strong resemblance to that part of our being where our reason, will, and emotion reside. Redival could represent the body, concerned only with base interests, and Psyche is the radiant center of our being, which seeks union with the divine.

On another reading, Psyche represents the spiritual side of human nature, and Orual represents religion, who through subtle missteps often contrives to rob us of our enjoyment of God as a person, a friend, a lover. (If you don't buy this reading, check out the scene where Orual realizes "I am Ungit.")

Under either reading, the really remarkable part of the book is that the narrative keeps building momentum and delivers a chain of aftershocks after the supposed climax of Orual's crime of blackmailing Psyche -- aftershocks that represent the stages of Orual's becoming undeceived about herself, her nature, and the truth about her good intentions... and finally there's her repentance and her labors to undo the damage she has wrought!

And besides all of that, you get the annals of Orual's reign as a wise and industrious queen and her rise as a swordswoman, which are great fun.

And there's so much more I haven't even touched on! Just go on and read or re-read it!

Till We Have Faces is a magnificently textured work, a tale of self-discovery and epiphany. The central character, Orual, is the ugly and seemingly unlovable daughter of a cruel monarch (her father hits her for sport and calls her 'goblin daughter'). She is loved, however, by a spiritual-emotional triumvirate: Psyche's compassion, the Fox's conscience, Bardia's courage. It's interesting that Lewis retells the Psyche myth from the point of view of the stepsister. Orual's perspective allows the reader to experience and question the things she does on an intimate level. Her journey matches that of many people who feel a sense of inadequacy and spiritual longing. Fox is her tutor and voice of reason, a captured Greek fond of quoting philosophy and giving lip service to the gods. He's the agnostic of Orual's life. Bardia, the captain of the guard, provides Orual with the skills to defend herself, allowing her to go from shrinking violet to warrior queen. Psyche is the true believer. She has seen the gods, but finds that convincing Orual is futile. Orual longs to be with the beautiful, but fears what she will find. Her belief is a forced one, a faith through fear, and therefore she can't see clearly what Psyche sees. It is not until the end of her life that she sees clearly: "I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer. Till that word can be dug out of us, why should they hear the babble that we think we mean? How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?" This evokes the words of St. John, "we know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is."
Lewis uses language the way it was meant. He eschews flowery prose; rather he conveys the complexity of emotions in a simple yet not simplistic fashion. He provides profundity and clarity both, not merely one to the exclusion of the other. The mysteries of the spiritual are always seen more deeply and clearly in great works of literature. Till We Have Faces is one of those works.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. I think it stands in my top five, for sure. It, along with all of Lewis' fiction, blends what looks like a basic adventure with deeper principles. But not only is this story incredibly thought-provoking to the extent that it made me weep, it is also a very unique story with a wonderful plot. It keeps moving, despite that it's mostly Orual's thoughts. I love how Lewis took a myth and not only constructed a deeper story around it, but also took one character on a path of self-discovery that leads the reader to the very same conclusion about him or herself. Wow, is all I can say. Read it, but be aware that you need to be thinking about it while you read it, not just letting the story unfold.

This book. Mysterious and haunting, it brims with magic. One of my favorite novels. It's my favorite fictional work by Lewis, which, coming from someone who basically grew up in Narnia and has since read almost everything by the man, is saying a lot.

You are drawn into a story that challenges you, one that occasionally slaps you and your self righteousness upside the heads. A truly humbling read. It's one of the most satisfying books I know of. The ending never fails to give me chills.

I very much agree with the review of "snickerdoodle" posted in 2000. This is truly Lewis' masterpiece, in which he finally lived up to his claim that George MacDonald was "his master." The reviewer of 2000 was correct - you need to read this book more than once to truly appreciate what Lewis has done. The imaginative interweaving of myth, an approach to the Divine of the deepest and truest sort, great psychological acumen, and a really great story, well told, make this one of the great books of the 20th century.

I was over half way through this book before I started to get interested in the plot. I've heard a lot of good things about this story, but for some reason the early pages weren't capturing my imagination. As the book went on, though, it got much better.

Even during the parts that I didn't love, Lewis is very skilled at inserting insightful truths into his fiction. Inside are truths about life, truths about faith, truths about God, and truths about love.

I’ve struggled with this book. Since it was hailed as C.S. Lewis’ crowning achievement, I expected something lighthearted and whimsical and written in his distinctly colloquial fashion.

Instead, what I got was

- The endless equivocations and justifications of an ugly and dreary old crone
- The psychosis of a beautiful simpleton

You can imagine my surprise.

This is not a fairy tale where characters are portrayed as they should be. This is a myth where people are portrayed as they are.

The first time I read this novel, maybe twenty years ago, I was a bit disappointed. From Lewis, I expected Christian fantasy or philosophy. Who was this pagan god of the mountain who came to love Psyche? What was going on in the confusing dream-like sequences towards the end? Where is God in all of this?
Now I love it. I've pushed it on other people, and found most "got it" faster than I. Some of my best Japanese students have read it in my first-year English reading class, and those who have, liked it. (I recommmend it to them partly because of the brilliant way Lewis depicts ancient Greek and tribal cultures and thought.) Some appreciate the insight and sensitivity with which Lewis depicted his female leading character. (Thanks, maybe, to his love at the time of writing for a woman of a similarly realistic and strong temperament.) One noted that "This story will tell you how not just Orual but every mortal has an ugly soul." She told me that she'd been reading a bit about Greek philosophy, and the book was interesting for that reason, too. Another said she liked the single combat, admitting, "I know it isn't the most important scene, but I just like it." A relative, to whom I gave a copy of the book, told me she read the whole thing (it's not that short) in one sitting.
So I think there's a good chance you'll like the book, too. As for God, while He is hidden in this story, (as He often is in life) that hiddenness is another layer within the depth within depths that is this novel. I now tend to think Lewis deserved a Nobel Prize for writing it.
author, Jesus and the Religions of Man

I went into this book not knowing what to expect; I'd never even heard of it before. The first time I read it, it blew my mind. The second time, it struck me in different ways, all just as powerful and intriguing. I can safely say that this is one of my favorite books of all time.

The story follows the "ugly sister" of the Eros/Psyche myth -- the one who seeks to destroy Psyche's happiness in the original fairytale. Here, the myth gains new life as it is stripped of its fairytale trappings and set into a realistic world. In short, it explains why the myth is the way it is, and at the same time it is an engaging tale of the true nature of "love."

Just thinking about what Lewis manages here is amazing enough. I don't think I've ever read a book that so effortlessly entwines 1) an engaging story, 2) a strong allegory, 3) a philosophical treatise, 4) beautiful character development (beautiful characterization all 'round!), and best of all, 5) pure entertainment. Most incredibly, Till We Have Faces effortlessly "instructed" me -- one of those rare books that left me looking at my own character and my relationships with other people. Anyone 13 and up can enjoy it -- the writing style is sharp and concise, communicates much with very few words, delivers some wonderful turns of phrase, and in general is very earthy and strong and rich. In my mind, Lewis is easily a master of the genre.

This is not a "perfect" retelling of the Eros/Psyche myth and takes some liberties by focusing only on the ugly sister, but it only serves to emphasize the meaning behind the myth. In fact, I find the story far more engaging because of its altered focus. Don't be fooled... the Psyche myth is here, and it's absolutely integral; this book is all about the myth and how it reflects Orual's life. It's running inbetween the lines if one would care to look for it. In fact, I much preferred reading about the far more complex and interesting character of Orual (the ugly sister) than her sweet and perfect sister Psyche who, in my opinion, was annoying.

There are only two reasons I can think of that would turn off the potential reader. Firstly, it may be boring if you dislike reading about somebody's daily life. If such exposition is painful for you, you'll probably hate this book. That said, the way Lewis described the daily life of these ancient people brought the entire culture alive for me. The second way you might find it painful is if you dislike having thick philosophy stirred in -- and the allegory/philosophy comes to a head near the end of the book in such a way that will spin an unprepared reader's head. The first time I read this I had to read it about three times and I still didn't get it. The second time it was much clearer, but obviously Lewis was an excellent philosopher, which I am not.

One can enjoy this book on its superficial level and come away feeling oddly relaxed and good at the end, even without completely understanding why. And if you dare to dig deeply, you will get more than you know what to do with. Lewis found it important to really know what one was saying -- to say what one really meant, one should get at the foundation of a word. If you want to get some extra oomph out of your reading, if you want to expand your mind and your understanding about the integral concept of "love," this is the book for you. If you want an entertaining ride, the book is this, too.

I do not understand why it doesn't have any more critical acclaim; perhaps its Christian allegory is part of this, in which case it is a shame. This book manages what most "artsy" books can almost never claim: it is entertaining at the same time that it is thought-provoking.

When you pick up this book and begin reading, you might labor at first, trying to get through the beginning chapters, but then the story begins to grow on you and the more you read the more involved you become in what is unfolding. Lewis has a style that is patient, not premature as to move too quickly to the climax, but savoring all the details in order to develop, in the long run, a wonderfully elaborate and captivating tale.
This book is a retelling of an all too famous mythological tale of love (between Cupid and Psyche). While Lewis adds his own spices, the story essentially remains the same. It is a tale of love, sadness, fascination of beauty, betrayal, regret, shame, depravity, and finally triumph. The story centers around two sisters, the older very ugly, and the younger, half-sister, very beautiful. Their father, a king, demonstrates his impatience at not having an heir (a son) and he (the father) torments his daughters for being just what they are, daughters. However, the eldest daughter, Orual, is very ugly in appearance, while the youngest daughter, Psyche, is the most beautiful in the whole region, and the story mainly centers around these two characters and what evolves into a tragedy and at the same time a triumph of decisions, emotions, thoughts, and actions (I don't want to give too much of the story away).
Even though this is a story that has already been told, Lewis adds his own dimensions to it and gives it a refreshing type of life and vigor. If you are a fan of Lewis' writings then you will certainly enjoy this work. However, even if you have never read Lewis, you will still enjoy this masterful piece. Unfortunately, this piece from Lewis, has not received the attention and status as a great piece of literature that it deserves. This is an intense and very eloquent novel which is, I believe, one of the greatest of this century.

"Till We Have Faces" lacks some of the traits which make us love Lewis' other works - it's un-English, un-donnish, it lacks his quirky sense of humour, it is not edifiying; yet there are a kind of coherence, a unity of tone and majestic pathos which make the novel impressive in a unique way. Above all, Lewis handles myth - the subtitle is "A Myth retold" - with a respect of which he alone among 20th century writers seems to be capable. There is no demythologizing, and yet the reader understands the implications, the power, and the tragedy of the myth of Psyche and Cupid in a completely new way.
The story is told by Orual, Psyche's older sister; she is such an impressive and strong female character than one is surprised an utterly conservative man like Lewis could have created her. She rebels against the gods and the people who won't leave her beloved beautiful sister Psyche alone. - Telling more about what happens might spoil the reader's enjoyment of the book, so I won't do it. - Read this book and get to know a C.S. Lewis you have not met before; but above all you will enjoy a supremely crafted work of fiction.

This classic roman myth of Cupid and Psyche gets a twist. The story is told from the eldest half sister's eyes and, it is riveting and lovely. The imagery and emotion are so evocative that you will immediately want to read it again when you've reached the end

Lewis' tale is a reworking of the Psyche and Cupid mythology. I'm not familiar with that myth so reading this novel was a fresh experience. Psyche in NOT the main character in this tale. Instead Lewis has made Orual, the eldest of the three princesses of Glome, the heroine. I think this is a sensible choice because Orual certainly made a more sympathetic, accessible heroine than Psyche who seems too perfect. Psyche is extremely beautiful and graceful, a virtuous woman, and superior in almost every way than most women, including Orual. Orual is a rational, thinking woman who happens to be rather ugly. She is called a goblin by her brutish father, the King of Glome.

Orual is educated by a Greek slave named "the Fox." The Fox has immense influence on Orual and gives her fire to make her case or accusation against the gods. Orual's most joyous times were when her beloved Psyche, the Fox, and herself were together learning, studying, and observing nature. Those times were soon cut short.

Because of her undesirable face, Orual is fated to remain a virgin throughout her life. But she wouldn't complain all that much about that cruelty if it weren't for losing Psyche. The goddess Ungit (Venus), jealous of Psyche's beauty, demands that Psyche be sacrificed to the brute. Orual is in total despair over her beloved Psyche, whom she considers as a daughter. Orual is driven to do things that end up making life worse for Psyche. This drives her to writing this accusation against the gods.

Bardia, a captain of the guards, teaches Orual fighting and riding skills. Soon enough, Orual finds herself in love with the already-married Bardia. Orual decides to veil her face at all times after losing Psyche, and she finds that this veiling grants her more respect and a sort of power over people.

The fighting skills she has learned come in handy later when her father becomes incapacitated, and the throne is turned over to Orual. She quickly becomes the renowned, veiled Warrior Queen, deadly in combat and strategy. Her improvements to the kingdom are numerous, as she is wise and depends on loyal and faithful counselors, mainly the Fox and Bardia.

The ending is a bit bizarre, what with the visions Orual has and her accusation against the gods finally being heard by the assembly. However, the ending does tie up some loose-ends and gives the story the mythical quality of the original tale.

Lewis does an excellent job of portraying this story through the eyes of the sad but not pathetic Orual. She comes into her own in a big way, despite her aesthetic shortcomings, by becoming the "most wise, just, valiant, fortunate, and merciful" ruler of Glome.

This book is spectacular!
Till We Have Faces is in my top five favorite books of all time. This interpretation of the myth Cupid and Psyche is by far one of the most creative I have read. C.S. Lewis tackled a role that most people wouldn't even dream of. Seeing through the eyes of the sister of Psyche; Orual. Watching her grow and change throughout the book really touched me, and reading about a strong woman in power that far back in the day also made the story engrossing. He set the story in a world that his writing was creative and enticing. As soon as I started reading, I physically couldn't put this book down.
Definitely a must read.

In order to understand what a truly amazing book this is you have to realize three things: (1) The author was an INCREDIBLY BRILLIANT man, (2) he was an INCREDIBLY BRILLIANT scholar of medieval and ancient literature and (3) he is one of the most brilliant fiction writers of all time.
How Brilliant is Lewis? So Brilliant that I can't imagine him writing this story at all and let alone so beautifully. After all what does a staid, middle age typically British male have in common with a young girl from a far less repressed culture?
Lewis is known as a scholar and lecturer on Christian theology, but I can just about bet that future generations are not going to remember him for that. What they will remember is the powerful ability that Lewis had to tell a tale. Besides, if there is anything of Christian Dogma in this work it is the aspects of it that are universal to all societies and religions.
The story is described as the retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, but it is in actuallity a story about a young woman who grows up to discover that not only is beauty in the eye of the beholder, but the elements of ones personality are what make a person "beautiful". In the end, individuals are respected for their character and the actions that they display.
What kept me involved in this story (I too read it in one sitting)was Lewis' masterful prose. While Lewis wanted us to believe in the vibrancy and color of the sights and sounds of Narnia, here he wants us to believe in the workings of the main characters mind. Lewis' use of language also draws the reader in and keeps one riveted to each page. One other highlight here is all the research that Lewis did on Hellenic (Ancient Greek style) cultures to bring authentisity to the story.
My recommendation is to read this book more than once. There is so much there to experience.

Till We Have Faces is a myth retold. The myth of the love affair between Cupid and Psyche is the basis of the story, which is about a young princess that is so beautiful that no man would dare pursue her, because she was thought to be a goddess. This makes the goddess Aphrodite terribly jealous and demands that Psyche be offered as a sacrifice to the god's. Aphrodite instructs her son Cupid to put a spell on her to desire the worst of mankind; however, Cupid falls madly in love with Psyche because she is so beautiful. Because Cupid is a god and Psyche is a mortal, Cupid hides himself from her even though he is her husband. Psyche's two evil sisters come and deceive Psyche into uncovering her lover, and therefore, bring the punishment of exile on her. Aphrodite is happy again.

Lewis takes this sad legend and transforms it into a story of redemption. The novel is written with the literary theory called "the broken-hearted reader" motif. This means that the narrative is written in a self-justifying prose that, in the end, exposes the brokenness and weakness of the writer. Something like Nathan's prophecy to David about the coveted lamb would be a good Hebrew example.

The story is told by one of the supposedly "evil" sisters named Orual. Orual is leads a tragic life of one love and loss after another. Her father, the king, is an abusive tyrant who despises her, not only because she is a woman, but because she is ugly. Orual's greatest love, however, is reserved for her younger sister, Psyche, who is ripped away from her by a strange sacrificial demand for her life by the goddess Ungit. Orual is devastated, yet hopes that Psyche is alive, and finds her one day in an obscure forest. Psyche is blissful and full of life. She is passionate about the love of her "husband" and refuses to return with Orual to the kingdom. Orual's jealousy corrodes her mind, and out of "love" manipulates Psyche into betraying her husband. Psyche is lost, and Orual remains bitter.

The king finally dies and Orual comes to power. She wears a veil to cover her ugliness, and becomes a legend throughout the land. She is cunning and brave as she rules her kingdom with the sword and her good counselors beside her. One of her counselor's is a man named Bardia, who is a commander of the military whom Orual is in love with. Yet, she also resents him because he is married. She despises him and makes him work long hours away from his family which in the end takes his life. Orual grieves for him and goes to comfort his wife who accuses her of murdering her husband with hard toil. Orual is disheartened.

However, the biggest blow comes when Orual is told the legend of Psyche by a temple priest. The story is told in such a way that makes Psyche the victim of her "evil sister," and Orual is outraged. She labors mightly over a book accusing the gods of injustice and defies anyone to tell her she is wrong. Orual accuses the gods of stealing Psyche from her, and pours out her complaint to them in a divine courtroom. However, as Orual is reading she realizes that she made Psyche violate the god not because Orual cared not for Psyche's life, but because she so wanted the highest place in Psyche's love.

Orual is interrupted by the judge and realizes that the gods have no need to defend themselves. Orual's protest is its own indictment. Orual then knows she has condemned herself. Her essential jealousy has been the jealousy of the godsa desire for their power, the beauty the posses, and the love they receive. Hence, Orual becomes the broken-hearted reader.

However, there is redemption. Orual is allowed to see the journeys of Psyche through her exile. Orual is humbled to see that Psyche has been bearing her grief working to restore her broken sister. Orual's story ends with an encounter. Her heart has been finally prepared for the grace she is about to receive. In her last vision she is visited by the god who is "all that is dreadful and all that is beauty" and beholds herself reflected in a pool beside her sister, both of them made beautiful!

The book ends abruptly, but that is only to show how inadequate words are to describe the feelings of reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness. Lewis writes about the book, "I ended my first book with the words no answer. I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice? Only words, words; to be led out to battle against other words"

I love love love C. S. Lewis. And not just for the Narnia Chronicles, I love almost all his books, especially The Great Divorce and Mere Christianity. So when I first heard of this book on IntoTheBook, I knew that I had to read it. And when I saw this at the Christian Bookstore at Ochanomizu, the price tag wasn't even a consideration (but for the record, it's the most expensive book I've bought, and the only one I paid full price for, since coming to Japan).

Till We Have Faces is a retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth. In the original story, the two sisters of Psyche are evil and jealous. But like Wicked, C. S. Lewis shines a different light on one of the oldest sisters - Orual (or so he calls her).

Orual grew up ugly and unloved. But when Psyche is born (and her mother dies as a result), Orual transfers all her love to the beautiful Psyche. Eventually, this love is twisted into hate after Psyche's "sacrifice" to the Shadowbrute.

Bred on a mixture of Glom (the country where Till We Have Faces is set) superstition and Greek logic (courtesy of the Greek Slave The Fox/Grandfather), Orual is conflicted inside. Indeed, after she becomes Queen of Glom (a very capable queen I might add), she's still tormented by what she did to Psyche by convincing her to betray her husband. So what she does is to push Orual inside her and let the Queen take her place. In this way, she becomes numb.

It is only after she hears the twisted version of Cupid and Psyche (or to the reader, the conventional version), is she inspired to pen her version (or the 'true' version) of the story as a complaint to the gods. But when she is truly heard, she sees that her complaint was very different from the tale she told. Her complaint is one of bitterness, that she could not wholly possess the love of her sister.

The writing in this book is marvellous. I really do wonder why it's not more popular. C. S. Lewis has spun a marvellous story and got me to look at the original myth in a whole new light. It felt as though it was an ancient myth, but it also felt modern at the same time. The language is easy to understand and very absorbing.

In short, this is an excellent book (I love how I've been finding a lot of excellent books since coming to Japan). It's not only an entertaining tale, it's also a story about love, what it is, and what it is not.

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This is a book that makes you grow. It changes you in ways that last a lifetime. I first read this years ago, and I'm still growing from the memories of the story and from the parallels to daily life. It can help resolve lingering anger issues, just by reading a simple story that seemingly has nothing to do with you. It removes you from your own life for the moment and at the same time gives you clarity over it. I once read an excerpt to a friend who was, at the time, in the process of watching her health deteriorate and she said it gave her "chills" it was so good. It's a book that helps you grieve, also. It helps you sort through the pain of a loss (of any kind) very well and brings about priceless peace of mind when you need it most. I know that CS Lewis is seen as a Christian writer, but I don't see this book as a Christian book, personally. I see it as a story about what it is to be human. You will inevitably see yourself in at least one character in this story. I feel this book helped me mature as a young adult and I still gain something from it with every read. I have the audio cd of the book as well. It's nice in many ways, but I feel the reader (Nadia May) over-dramatizes the prose at times which I feel detracts from it. Still, in listening to it, I picked up on things about the story that I didn't pick up on when reading the book. No matter the method in which you experience the story, however, it is a story you should be told.

I wanted to finish the book since so much more reading is piling up. As it is I stay up late doing my Bible reading by flashlight. So I just finished the book. I read the last half in about 2 days. I should know better than to do that. Reading deep stuff so quickly always makes me cry.

I found myself crying at the end, because it was my story, my prayer. The whole story, as I guess Lewis intended, and Orual's final prayer. "Long did I hate you, long did I fear you," she says at the very end. Oh God, that was so me! Now, 10+ years after reading this the first time, I understand. I understand so clearly. It moves me to tears. How could I have been so blind for so many years?

I had always thought of Ungit as somehow good. Gods have to be good, right? I never saw that she was a metaphor for all that was ugly and sinful in us - a profane love that was not really love.

It is odd to read this book through new eyes. We are Psyche. What that means I do not know. But reading this book a second time I see many of the layers I missed the first time. This is not like the Narnia series where the metaphors are often easy. This is a hard, deep book, meant for adults. I see many Christian metaphors I missed the first time because my head was with HER instead of Him. It's like how I used to read the Bible and it never made sense. Then, after I became a Christian, it became the most wonderful book and I began to study it with new eyes, and saw many things I'd overlooked before.

And still I feel I've missed so many nuances in the book. Many things, I think, have double meanings. Lewis was a master with words. Something will have a meaning in the book, and another, deeper, Christian meaning.

All of this went over my head the first time. I didn't understand a tenth of what Lewis was trying to convey. I guess I did not have a face then; I was not ready to listen to the truth, both the truth about me, and the truth about God (there's that double meaning again!).

I could go on forever. There's not time nor space enough to write everything Lewis wove into this story. All I know is I thank God for showing me my life in these pages. The girl who was first handed the book was Orual, not able to hear the truth, not yet ready for the answer that would unmake her, change her. I know I'm not perfect. I won't truly have a face until the day I die and stand before God. But every day I die a little and become more the woman God wants me to be. "Long did I hate you, long did I fear you." But no more. No more.

Every time I read "Till We Have Faces" I enjoy it and benefit from it more.I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story that dives so deeply into human nature that leaves you questioning yourself. I have read this book twice now and have read a good amount of Lewis' other fictional works and think that Lewis' statement that this is his greatest work of fiction holds true.

This book is a fantastic read on physical, mythological, metaphysical levels. The relationship between the two sisters, Orual and Psyche, the Fox, the King, and the God of the Mountain, and various other characters serve as great illustrations of the kinds of love that Lewis describes in "The Four Loves". Lewis knows that human tradition is told through myth and believes that some glimpse of truth can be found in all myth. Thus he found, much truth, not just Christian truth but human truth, in the classic myth of Cupid and Psyche and retells it in an interesting way. Lewis joins the mythological with the metaphysical, the spiritual, through showing the relationship between Psyche and the God of the Mountain (who resembles Cupid) that leads to the redemption of both sisters.

Wow. This is a retelling of "Cupid and Psyche" so unusual, it's best understood by forgetting the original myth entirely. Very unexpected, yet so much in the way of C.S. Lewis. It takes a lot of thought to untangle all of the Christian themes and ideas he weaves into his stories.

I have for several years said that TILL WE HAVE FACES is the best novel in the English language. While I am sure there are many books that might also make that claim, and I have read many of the books that have been considered great. However, after all these years of reading I still retain that opinion.

I was young when I first read it (between the age of 12 and 15) and it was really beyond my reading level. I pressed on and finished it, though it took me several weeks. What compelled me was a sense of beauty and wonder, of wonderful things hiding just out of sight behind ordinary things. Out of all C.S. Lewis's fantasies, this is the most wild and most romantic. It was only when I was older during many subsequent re-readings that I realized the philosophy C.S. Lewis was expressing in this novel.

Yes it is dark, there are human sacrifices, beheadings, wars and lonliness, but through it all a joy hanging within reach if one would just believe in it. The ideas are reminiscent of other Lewis books, one can imagine Oural, the protagonist of the story as grown-up Susan Pevensie cynical of Narnia as a child's fantasy or as one of the ghosts in THE GREAT DIVORCE refusing to see how she was responsible for the hurts she caused others in her life. Perhaps the Shadow Brute is how the Calormen thought of Aslan. We would all be welcome to the feast of the gods if we would just have faith to see the world that is shimmering through the cracks of our dim physical world.

I agree with the many other Lewis scholars who strongly believe that Till We Have Faces is Lewis' greatest work. His lifelong love of ancient mythology shines through as Lewis presents the classic myth of Cupid and Psyche through Psyche's older sister Orual, who is Crown Princess, and later Queen, of the kingdom of Glome. We suffer with Orual who has been cursed with acne scars all over her face, and a father who believes that her only virtue is that of the strong capability to run a government; and we admire her for her military prowess, her wisdom, her strength, and her courage as she fights, not only with the sword, but with her sharp intellect. The tale of this brave warrior woman belongs on the bookshelves of all those who love and respect great literature!

The first time I read Till We Have Faces, upon finishing the last page I immediately returned to the first page and began reading it again, something I have felt compelled to do only one other time in my life. It was Lewis's last work of fiction and, in spite of being written in first person from the viewpoint of ancient queen in a largely mythical past, his most personal. His deepest thoughts on God and faith are entwined throughout the story, though it is certainly not an allegory, even in the less formal modern sense which encompasses the Chronicles of Narnia. Certainly metaphors and symbols abound (readers familiar with Lewis's life will see a certain level of autobiography in the tension between the Old Fox and the priests of Ungit) but they often flow along complicated currents. Lewis once said that life is like a tree that branches out as it reaches towards perfection, not a pool that gathers towards unity. Till We Have Faces represents the highest branches, arrived at in the last chapter of the author's life.

Up until this point, my favourite C.S. Lewis books were "The Chronicles of Narnia". This book hasn't taken away from the appeal of those books, but this book is on a level all its own.

This is a "reworking" of the tale of Psyche and Cupid, though the book has less to do with "Psyche and Cupid" per se, as it has to do with focusing on one of the historically "evil" sisters of Psyche.

The tale is fascinating, and once I got into it, I couldn't put the book down. It's a tale of a woman with a grudge against the gods. It's a tale of disappointment and suffering. But it's also a tale about love, and what love really is as opposed to what we think it is and what we try to make it.

This book is a masterpiece, and a recommendation for anybody who wants to read something substantial without being overly "heavy". I wish there were more books out there like this.

To my mind, this is perhaps the finest piece Mr. Lewis ever produced: an allegorical re-telling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. It is neither bogged down by excessive detail and fatuous elements that go seemingly nowhere, nor does it seem too spare...in a word, this flows...and does it beautifully...almost mirroring Alan Paton in terms of sheer smoothness and comfort of read. While spare, the prose does not seem to lack for anything...Lewis constructs his story well, patiently, building us slowly to climax.
This is, as mentioned earlier, a re-telling of a myth. It is also an exploration of love, false love, attachment, jealousy, envy, pride, limitation of human understanding, and, above all, the power of grace to redeem even the least lovely and least desirable among us. This is a lovely piece, giving a marvelous message of both hope and comfort. I recommend it most highly.

Since having read CS lewis's "Until we have Faces" I find it difficult to image ever discovering another novel with quite the same power of imagination in its unfolding, with the same ability to move the reader deeply at a level beyond the conscious understanding. Lewis allows the reader to taste unconditionally the unfathomable riches of the grace and mercies of God. George MacDonald's "Phantastes" is the only other novel that I've read that has moved me as deeply. My wife has also read this book and it has been something of substance to discuss, to try and understand it's deeper meaning in our lives, as this unique work of clarity and wisdom inspires one to do. I recall reading somewhere that Joy Davidman, Lewis's wife considered this his best ever work. I can't recommend this book enough as a rejuvenating experience for the spiritually disillusioned.

I can't believe I never heard of this book before. I accidentally came across it while searching for the chronicles of Narnia on the store. I read the book in two days. I could barely put it down (had to because I needed to sleep in order to function at work the next day but picked it up as soon as I got home). C.S. Lewis is an extraordinary writer.

I first picked this book up as a child. My mom had read it in a course on C. S. Lewis in college, and remembered it as good, although she told me it was very confusing. Now, years later, after having read this fine novel a number of times, I would describe it not so much confusing as so multi-layered that the reader can get lost at first among them. This is not a failing, however, but a great strength that has made this novel very well received among critics and those who have read it. Unfortunately, relatively few people, including fans of Lewis' other works, have ever even heard of Till We Have Faces, much less read it.
Why is this? Maybe some think it looks boring; just one more retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, with perhaps a few twists, but essentially the tale we all learned in high school Greek mythology. This is far from the truth. C. S. Lewis uses the myth as a basis for exploring history, and issues ranging from God to family interactions to faith, and ultimately redemption. The story builds slowly throughout, and eventually gains so much emotional momentum that you feel simultaneously drained and uplifted when you finish the final page. If you want a novel that makes you think about more than superficial topics, and is in actuality highly original, then I cannot recommend this highly enough.

This is the second time I have read this book. The first time I was not immediately taken with it and that is because I was only half reading it. I am glad that I reread it. The second time I read it, (years later) I couldn't stop. It is a well written story, though based on a myth. There is a lot of religious under tone in my opinion. I can't praise C.S. Lewis enough for such a work.

Ok, well maybe not speechless enough to keep myself from writing a review. This book was one of the best I've ever read. I can hardly wait to read it a second time. C.S. Lewis does a fine job of illustrating his characters. He makes them totally believable, and his writing style sucks you into the plot line before you know what's happened to you. He explores the differences between sacred and profane love through Orual and her sister Psyche's relationship. The book is based off of the original Mythological tale of Cupid and Psyche. His rendition and interpretation of it is absolutely captivating. This book is a good one to read whether you are a Christian or not. If you are, C.S. Lewis will help you to become a stronger believer. I would encourage anyone to read this book. You will not regret it.

This book is best out of all C.S. Lewis' adult works. I am generally in love with how he has told and written this novel. "A Myth Retold" is the perfect subtitle for this book. Lewis is never cliche in this book, he has taken something and molded it into a psychological and profound masterpiece.
Orual is a daughter of a King and sister to Psyche. Cupid/Eros and Psyche's story is recongnizable. This only skims the surface of the book. Lewis makes a Orual into a character with jealous love for her sister Psyche. In Lewis' version, Orual is never jealous of Psyche. She is rather selfish and wants to have Psyche for herself. She is a deep and compex character plagued by many things. Her situations, her feelings, her jealous love are all told beautifully by Lewis.
It is rare that I read such brilliant character developpement. Orual seems real when you read the words Lewis has told, you feel her almost. Even through this descriptive and deepened world, Lewis' writings are easy to comprehend and this book is flowing. His storytelling is aesthetic and undoubtly talented.
The book makes you feel for Orual at times. I did give immense pathos and empathy to Orual at times. Lewis did a wonderful job wrapping you into this book. If you doubt the beginning of the book, at least give it more of a try and read through the WHOLE book because it gets more better as it goes on.
By the end of this book, you'll have appreciated Lewis' talents in writing, storytelling, and characterization. This is one of his best books. A must for his fans. If you like great literature, this is something you should read right away. Rarely have I felt so flung into the character's life and feelings. As many have said, C.S. Lewis will always be a great author. This is truly one of his best works ever.

C.S. Lewis's novel Till We Have Faces is based on the classical myth of Cupid and Psyche, however Lewis chooses to tel the story through Orual, Psyche's older sister. While Lewis does retell the well-known story of Psyche and Cupid, that is only a tiny piece of the story he creates. Till We Have Faces is actually the story of Orual's struggle to find love, and to discover her own identity. The actual setting of the story is unclear-it takes place in a country north of Greece, in a time long past, but Lewis does not choose to elaborate on that. In fact throughout the entire book, he focuses very little on sensory details; it is a story of emotion and psychology rather than action and physical description. Orual writes her own story, beginning at her childhood in her father's castle. There she leads an isolated life, surrounded only by her fathers servants, advisors, and her sisters, Redival and Psyche. Redival, with her golden curls and curvy figure, is superficially pretty, but Psyche is the embodiment of perfect and natural beauty. She is not only outwardly beautiful, she is also pure, unselfish, and loving. Orual, though, is neither pretty nor beautiful. She is, as she is constantly reminded by her father (the king), indescribably ugly. Orual never feels that she is loved by anyone, that is, until Psyche enters her life. Psyche's mother dies giving birth to her, and Orual takes it upon herself to become Psyche's guardian and to raise her. Orual loves Psyche more than anything else, but her love is selfishly and fiercely possessive. Orual is tormented by the thought of having to release Psyche from her suffocating grasp, and she does everything in her power to prevent it. After being separated from Psyche, Orual gradually comes to the realization that she (Psyche) is like the goddess Ungit-greedy, jealous, blood-gorged, and ugly of soul as well as body. She also compares herself to her father, the violent, selfish, cowardly, and dishonest king. Orual recoils from this realization, and as queen, she tries to be everything that her father, and Ungit, are not. While she is described by her subjects as "the most wise, just, valiant, fortunate and merciful" of all rulers, Orual feels that her actions are only a mask of her inner ugliness. She despairs of ever overcoming her hideousness inside. She says, "I would set out boldly each morning to be just and calm and wise in all my thoughts and acts, but before they had finished dressing me I would find that I was back in some old rage, resentment, gnawing fantasy, or sullen bitterness. I could not hold out half an hour . . . I could mend my soul no more than my face." Like the veil she wears to hide her ugly face, she feels that her good actions only conceal the hideousness of her true self. C.S. Lewis felt that we, as humans, are like rough blocks of marble. He said that suffering is the tool God uses to carve away our rough edges and to refine our souls. As Orual experiences suffering, she doesn't realize it, but she is actually coming closer and closer to becoming the perfected statue. Each trial chips away another piece of the marble that conceals the perfect form within. The title, Till We Have Faces, may refer to the process of refinement and self-realization. Till We Have Faces is a captivating book from beginning to end. As the reader, I could not only identify with Orual's struggles, I felt as though I was Orual, going through the same turmoil and inner-conflict. It is a book that I can read over and over again, each time experiencing new epiphanies and gaining deeper insight. It is impossible to adequately describe, even to a small degree, this fascinating and complex novel; it must be read and read again.

I've only read this book once. I devoured it, and now I am just waiting for some time in my crazy schedule to sit down, pick it up again, and let it seep into my soul.

Lewis subtly carves the most blunt, honest questions of the human soul into the woodwork of this masterfully-retold Greek myth. On the first read, the plot will keep your attention. On the second, the text will veritably explode with parallels galore to the Christian life...indeed, to life itself. Not meant to be an all-encompassing theological exposé--just a long, gritty, detailed look into the human psyche and its relation to God.

If you have ever questioned God; ever doubted his goodness; ever raged against him; ever endured Job-like terrors that he seems to do nothing about, this book is for you. If you wonder why he utters no answer, why he hints and hovers and never shows himself clearly--here is your commiseration. I hope you will not be disappointed.

This book was a fast read, and coupled with the fact that I really couldn't put it down, it was a really fast read.

CS Lewis is one of my favorite authors, I have many of his books, and currently have a few more on my "to be read" shelf. I love the way that he can be a cogent and articulate theologian in such works as Mere Christianity, but then he can switch hats and write wonderful works of fantasy, which have strong undertones of Christianity such as the Chronicles of Narnia (I really need to go back to those, because the more I read snippets of them, the more I realize just how Christian they are), or the Space Trilogy, or this book.

What CS Lewis has done here is to take the classical Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, and rework it. Now one might say, well that myth is a classic, why mess with a classic? Well, read the book and find out. In a way he reworked it, but in another way he wrote an entirely new story unto its own.

The main character, Queen Orual, in C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces has a bit of an image problem.  She was very ugly as a youth and the ghastly response her face evokes from others causes her to wear a veil in front of them.  Physical beauty is almost always an invaluable asset for a leader to possess.  It helps enhance their image and how others perceive them.  Lewis explores the effect of appearance as well as other different aspects of image in this remarkable book.

 

On the surface, this is a sophisticated retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth (my favorite one, actually) from the point of view of one of the jealous sisters.  We get to learn much, much more about Psyche, her family and the culture into which she was born.  We are presented with an in-depth exploration of a pagan, pre-Christian, barbarian tribe on the fringe of Western Civilization and how they come to be influenced by the blossoming and dominant Greek culture and philosophy.  Lewis uses iconic characters to display the great, cultural shift from a barbaric, pagan worldview into the civilized Greek philosophy.  So sophisticated is Lewis' narrative that you can also anticipate how the worldview will shift from Greek philosophy into Christian philosophy, which is itself a further refinement of Aristotle and Plato. 

 

The way the story is constructed, told in first person by a Queen reflecting on formative moments in her life, likely had an influence on one of our favorite authors, Gene Wolfe.  The character of Orual and the way she tells her story seem to be a precursor to Severian (c.f., The Book of the New Sun) and perhaps even Silk (c.f., The Book of the Long Sun).  Near the end of the book, a pagan priest finishes up the tale for her, just like Horn chronicled the Patera Caldé.  We also notice a broader picture of the events occurring around the characters, although they may not realize the importance of them at the time.  Names also are translated into their literal Greek meanings such as the character Lysias who is always referred to as The Fox.  We see this type of thing often in Wolfe.

 

All comparative analysis aside, the book's greatest achievement is demonstrating how image helps a leader motivate people and maintain order.  Perception, rather than reality, can make or break a leader.  Controlling how others perceive you is one of the main jobs of someone in a leadership role.   Like the works of Machiavelli or Robert Greene, this book highlights the reasons why it is important for a ruler to appear a certain way and to always maintain control over emotions while in front of others.   For example, a leader must never appear weak or foolish.  The rabble wants a strong leader, not a buddy.  When times get tough, and they always do, the rabble will turn to the leader.  If the leader is weak, they will turn ON him.  If he is strong, they will trust him, even if he is brutal as long as the brutality is does not push them into rebellion. 

 

We get to know two main political leaders, each displaying a different level of "image" control.  First, we meet a Warrior King, who--although valorous on the battlefield--is cowardly, blustering and tyrannical.  He is politically backward and does not tend to his image at all.  As a result, he spends a great deal of time and energy stamping out insurrections and fighting pointless, pyrrhic skirmishes with neighboring kingdoms.  After his much celebrated death, his daughter, Orual takes over.  She is very focused on image, even taking the drastic step of hiding her ugly appearance behind a veil.  Not only does this mask her foul looks, it actually creates an aura of mystique around her, enhancing her image.  Below the superficial, though, Orual is brave, diplomatic, wise and merciful.   Before you get too worried, dear reader, take heart.  This isn't feminist "women good, men bad" stuff.  It is highly unlikely that an Inkling would espouse such beliefs.  

 

Underlying the image control of each leader is their unique leadership style.  The King relies too heavily on his oppressive power and blustery personality to sustain his reign.   He neglects nearly all other aspects of his kingdom and does not build a very good infrastructure to counter the bad times.  The Queen, however, always tries to appear calm, majestic and wise.  She never loses her composure in front of her subjects.   She instinctively understands how this will undermine her credibility.   As a result, her people trust her and she motivates them to new levels of achievement.  She also has an eye on the future and invests time into her kingdom rewarding and recruiting talented artisans, craftsmen, builders and scholars.  It is initially an expensive venture, but ultimately her investment pays off.  Her backwater, barbaric kingdom flourishes and becomes a rich and mighty center of culture.   Her "command and control" father ruled with an iron hand and would have never invested money on builders when he could conquer and enslave a smaller, neighboring kingdom.

 

A very good example of the contrasts between these two managerial approaches is shown by the attitude each ruler takes towards their kingdom's only valuable commodity, silver.  The kingdom has several mines in operation during the king's reign.  The king does not see the potential in the mines and primarily uses them for capital punishment.  He sends his prisoners, enslaved enemies and political adversaries there to work hard labor until they die.  As one would expect, output, production and profits are not pouring out of these mines.  Orual, however, clearly sees the potential in the rich, silver deposits and completely overhauls the mining operation.  She frees the slaves and prisoners and replaces them with skilled laborers.  These laborers are allowed to keep any silver they mine over a certain quota.  Since skilled, motivated, profit-sharing laborers are always more productive than slaves, the mines are soon working to full capacity.   The wealth pouring forth begets technological and cultural innovations which then lead to even higher levels of wealth and satisfaction.  The kingdom is rich and the people are happy and fulfilled.  Orual has done well.   Her fair and democratic managerial style has reversed the nearly fatal autocratic style of her bumbling predecessor.   

 

Orual's focus on image and how she is perceived by her subjects plays a large role in the success of her administration.   It allows her to inspire confidence in her people, challenge the status quo and turn around a failing enterprise.  These lessons are as true today in our modern business world as there were in the pagan, uncivilized and barbaric world of Till We Have Faces.

[Throughout the years, I have written a number of reviews that have never been published online on the store. These writings comprise two types of reviews: unfinished reviews, abandoned during various stages of composition, and completed reviews that for life reasons were never posted. Of the later type, back in September 2001 I wrote a cache of work, a full sixteen reviews of several different C. S. Lewis books which have never been released. I am publishing these reviews now for the first time, over a decade after they were initially written. The two bracketed opening paragraphs were written in Sept 2001 but never published. Mike London 10-3-2012]

["Till We Have Faces" is essentially Lewis's view of the four loves put into action, and how destructive they can be if you abuse them. The central character, Orual, is a very selfish sister who wants her sister totally for herself. Easily the most complex all Lewis's fiction, there are so many examples of evil love throughout that the entire book can be hard to figure out as many of these are obscure. While the third book in the Space Trilogy certainly has its complexities, only this comes anywhere close to topping it for thematic complicitions, and topping it this novel does. We get a very accurate picture of why the main character has been a consumer all her life, and why she eats people up to be her own. Individuality is a thing very hateful to her. This also shows up in Screwtape's multiple letters to Wormwood.

If published anonymously, it would be one of the few works that would be very difficult to tell it was by C. S. Lewis, as the style is so much different from his usual one. He very clearly enters into this mind of Orual and it becomes very much her own story. This is a retelling of the Cupid-Psyche myth; hence the subtitle A Myth Retold. For those readers who are most interested in reading the sheer depth of Lewis's skill as a writer, this is the best place to come.]

TILL WE HAVE FACES, is, simply put, one of the most beautiful books I have read. Its depths are enormous, its truth fantastically illustrated, and the author is completely given over to the character. If you are reading this for Lewis's style, don't. In an amazing feat of creation, Lewis used his God-given gift, and has completely come into Orual's mind. This is some of the best characterization I have ever read, with Lewis completely laying down his own style, and yielded to that or Orual. Although that may be disquieting to some, it reveals the true creative power God gave that fine Christian brother. He immerses us into her world, told from her eyes. The book is very, very deep, demanding several rereadings.

The plot of the book is a daughter is born to a king, named Psyche. He already has two other daughters, Orual and Redival. Her older sister, Orual, becomes very loving of her. Yet this love is exactly what it ought not to be: a selfish love. Psyche, seemingly a goddess in the eyes of the people, must be taken to sacrifice to the god of the grey mountains. Orual is very distraught. They take and leave her. Then Orual, along with another character named Bardia, go up to the mountain, and Orual finds Psyche, in love with the god of the mountain. Orual, being blind (although not physically), cannot see the palace. In the end, she has Psyche, who loves with selfless love, the truest and deepest and most real of all loves, look upon Eros, the god of the mountain, and Psyche is exiled because of her sin against the god. She was not to look or cast light upon him, but she did for Orual's sake.

The king is an impotent ruler, and only after Orual takes over the kingdom does Glome become something of a powerful place. All things considered, Orual really does help Glome politically and financially, and is a much better ruler than her father was. He is an abusive man, and is an evil father. He cares nothing of his daughters, and wishes for a son. He especially resents Orual for her ugliness.

The Fox is a Greek philosopher brought into educate the girls as well as help the King. Redival is least interested. He examines through the Fox the rational point of view. The Fox can never live up to his beliefs, and is constantly violating them. He is out of balance, placing to much on reason and logic and not enough on faith. He greatly influences Orual.

Redival is a selfish one, and wants what is best for her. This is exactly what not to be.

Orual: A much more complex character, and the narrator of the book. She loves with a jealous love, a love tainted by sin and ungodliness. She wishes Psyche for herself, and she cannot understand why she must go away. The book is about how she moves away from that selfish love and into the love of Jesus Christ. She is also marked by ugliness, and later starts wearing a veil to hide herself. After many years, people begin to think her wearing the veil for, ironically, great beauty, or something more mysterious, no face at all. This is representative of her spiritual life. She is ugly because of the taint of sin. Yet, because she is made in the likeness of God, the beauty that God gave her can be placed through. But as long as she remained uncured, as long as she remained [unstilled] hidden away, she could not come face to face with God. How could she when had no face. She refused to acknowledge her selfish love. For much of her life she worth both a physical and a spiritual veil. Only when old age approached, did she set down an account of the "evils" done to her by the gods in Part I. Then, in Part II, she lays down her veil, and begins to examine her life, and in the end comes to peace with God.

Psyche is the mostly Godly character, full of selfless love for others. It is she that is Orual's love. There is much to learn from Psyche.

In this book, we have what Lewis wrote in his nonfiction The Four Loves. These were written and published about the same time, and he had met Joy Davidman, who was to be his wife. Erotic love, that had so long passed him by, had suddenly and out of nowhere appeared on his doorstep. So love weight heavily on his mind during this period of his life. To have a deeper appreciation of this book, read both this and his The Four Loves, because basically he tackled the same subject in two separate genres: fiction and nonfiction. In that book, he says friends and lovers are essentially different, although bound by the same reality. Friends are friends because they have a bond, yet they are not whole concerned with the other. They are comrades, and do things side by side. Lovers are intensely interested in the others, looking at each other, not working side by side. This is illustrated in Orual's relationship with Bardia. Bardia, a prime solider, is a close friend of her, and the closest to a sexual relationship she ever obtained. Yet he is married, and so Orual cannot know erotic love as did Redival and Psyche. She is friends with him, and will not destroy his family. In this way, God is helping her to the point where she will drop the veil and let him put a face on her. Through the course of the years, she is showing more character in her relationship with Bardia than in her relationship with Psyche. She will not destroy the man she loves although she did destroy her sister's happiness. Already God was gently prodding her to a more real and honest place with him.
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[The above text is a revised version of a review written in 2000. The original review ran over 1000 words. I published this review (obviously minus the 2001 revisions) on the store.com when their word limit was 1000 words. the store took it upon themselves to drastically cut the text in half. I emailed the store back then and got the full text released. This is the first time the artificially shortened version of my "Till We Have Faces" review has appeared online in over a decade. Mike London 10-24-2012]

TILL WE HAVE FACES, is, simply put, one of the most beautifulbooks I have read. Its depths are enormous, its truth fantastically illustrated, and the author is completely given over to the character. If you are reading this for Lewis's style, don't. In an amazing feat of creation, Lewis used his God-given gift, and has completely come into Orual's mind. This is some of the best characterization I have ever read. It was like Lewis completely laid down his own style, and yielded to that or Orual. Although that may be disquieting to some, it reveals the true creative power God gave that fine Christian brother. He immerses us into her world, told from her eyes. The book is very, very deep, demanding several rereadings.

The plot of the book is a daughter is born to a king, named Psyche. He already has two other daughters, Orual and Redival. Her older sister, Orual, becomes very loving of her. Yet this love is exactly what it ought not to be: a selfish love. Psyche, seemingly a goddess in the eyes of the people, must be taken to sacrifice to the god of the grey mountains....The book is about how she [Psyche] moves away from that selfish love and into the love of Jesus Christ...Psyche is the mostly Godly character, full of selfless love for others. It is she that is Orual's love. There is much to learn from Psyche.

In this book, we have what Lewis wrote in his nonfiction The Four Loves. These were written and published about the same time, and he had met Joy Davidman, who was to be his wife. Erotic love, that had so long passed him by, had suddenly and out of nowhere appeared on his doorstep. So love weight heavily on his mind during this period of his life. To have a deeper appreciation of this book, read both this and his The Four Loves, because basically he tackled the same subject in two separate genres: fiction and nonfiction. In that book, he says friends and lovers are essentially different, although bound by the same reality. Friends are friends because they have a bond, yet they are not whole concerned with the other. They are comrades, and do things side by side. Lovers are intensely interested in the others, looking at each other, not working side by side. This is illustrated in Orual's relationship with Bardia. Bardia, a prime solider, is a close friend of her, and the closest to a sexual relationship she ever obtained...

[This is a very truncated version of the original review. I asked to have them take it down, and they are complying. Unfortunately, the review I took and posted was (or had to have been) over the 1000 limit. I never knew what would happen if you posted an overly long review; now I do, and the knowledge is profitable. I will post the real review as soon as this review is taken down. May 14, 2000]

*(These reviews covered all seven books of "The Chronicles of Narnia", the three novels of "The Space Trilogy", "The Abolition of Man", "The Four Loves", "A Preface to Paradise Lost", a revised version of my 2000 review of "Till We Have Faces", "Surprised By Joy", and "The Screwtape Letters".)

I first picked this book up as a child. My mom had read it in a course on C. S. Lewis in college, and remembered it as good, although she told me it was very confusing. Now, years later, after having read this fine novel a number of times, I would describe it not so much confusing as so multi-layered that the reader can get lost at first among them. This is not a failing, however, but a great strength that has made this novel very well received among critics and those who have read it. Unfortunately, relatively few people, including fans of Lewis' other works, have ever even heard of Till We Have Faces, much less read it.
Why is this? Maybe some think it looks boring; just one more retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, with perhaps a few twists, but essentially the tale we all learned in high school Greek mythology. This is far from the truth. C. S. Lewis uses the myth as a basis for exploring history, and issues ranging from God to family interactions to faith, and ultimately redemption. The story builds slowly throughout, and eventually gains so much emotional momentum that you feel simultaneously drained and uplifted when you finish the final page. If you want a novel that makes you think about more than superficial topics, and is in actuality highly original, then I cannot recommend this highly enough.

This is the second time I have read this book. The first time I was not immediately taken with it and that is because I was only half reading it. I am glad that I reread it. The second time I read it, (years later) I couldn't stop. It is a well written story, though based on a myth. There is a lot of religious under tone in my opinion. I can't praise C.S. Lewis enough for such a work.

Ok, well maybe not speechless enough to keep myself from writing a review. This book was one of the best I've ever read. I can hardly wait to read it a second time. C.S. Lewis does a fine job of illustrating his characters. He makes them totally believable, and his writing style sucks you into the plot line before you know what's happened to you. He explores the differences between sacred and profane love through Orual and her sister Psyche's relationship. The book is based off of the original Mythological tale of Cupid and Psyche. His rendition and interpretation of it is absolutely captivating. This book is a good one to read whether you are a Christian or not. If you are, C.S. Lewis will help you to become a stronger believer. I would encourage anyone to read this book. You will not regret it.

This book is best out of all C.S. Lewis' adult works. I am generally in love with how he has told and written this novel. "A Myth Retold" is the perfect subtitle for this book. Lewis is never cliche in this book, he has taken something and molded it into a psychological and profound masterpiece.
Orual is a daughter of a King and sister to Psyche. Cupid/Eros and Psyche's story is recongnizable. This only skims the surface of the book. Lewis makes a Orual into a character with jealous love for her sister Psyche. In Lewis' version, Orual is never jealous of Psyche. She is rather selfish and wants to have Psyche for herself. She is a deep and compex character plagued by many things. Her situations, her feelings, her jealous love are all told beautifully by Lewis.
It is rare that I read such brilliant character developpement. Orual seems real when you read the words Lewis has told, you feel her almost. Even through this descriptive and deepened world, Lewis' writings are easy to comprehend and this book is flowing. His storytelling is aesthetic and undoubtly talented.
The book makes you feel for Orual at times. I did give immense pathos and empathy to Orual at times. Lewis did a wonderful job wrapping you into this book. If you doubt the beginning of the book, at least give it more of a try and read through the WHOLE book because it gets more better as it goes on.
By the end of this book, you'll have appreciated Lewis' talents in writing, storytelling, and characterization. This is one of his best books. A must for his fans. If you like great literature, this is something you should read right away. Rarely have I felt so flung into the character's life and feelings. As many have said, C.S. Lewis will always be a great author. This is truly one of his best works ever.

C.S. Lewis's novel Till We Have Faces is based on the classical myth of Cupid and Psyche, however Lewis chooses to tel the story through Orual, Psyche's older sister. While Lewis does retell the well-known story of Psyche and Cupid, that is only a tiny piece of the story he creates. Till We Have Faces is actually the story of Orual's struggle to find love, and to discover her own identity. The actual setting of the story is unclear-it takes place in a country north of Greece, in a time long past, but Lewis does not choose to elaborate on that. In fact throughout the entire book, he focuses very little on sensory details; it is a story of emotion and psychology rather than action and physical description. Orual writes her own story, beginning at her childhood in her father's castle. There she leads an isolated life, surrounded only by her fathers servants, advisors, and her sisters, Redival and Psyche. Redival, with her golden curls and curvy figure, is superficially pretty, but Psyche is the embodiment of perfect and natural beauty. She is not only outwardly beautiful, she is also pure, unselfish, and loving. Orual, though, is neither pretty nor beautiful. She is, as she is constantly reminded by her father (the king), indescribably ugly. Orual never feels that she is loved by anyone, that is, until Psyche enters her life. Psyche's mother dies giving birth to her, and Orual takes it upon herself to become Psyche's guardian and to raise her. Orual loves Psyche more than anything else, but her love is selfishly and fiercely possessive. Orual is tormented by the thought of having to release Psyche from her suffocating grasp, and she does everything in her power to prevent it. After being separated from Psyche, Orual gradually comes to the realization that she (Psyche) is like the goddess Ungit-greedy, jealous, blood-gorged, and ugly of soul as well as body. She also compares herself to her father, the violent, selfish, cowardly, and dishonest king. Orual recoils from this realization, and as queen, she tries to be everything that her father, and Ungit, are not. While she is described by her subjects as "the most wise, just, valiant, fortunate and merciful" of all rulers, Orual feels that her actions are only a mask of her inner ugliness. She despairs of ever overcoming her hideousness inside. She says, "I would set out boldly each morning to be just and calm and wise in all my thoughts and acts, but before they had finished dressing me I would find that I was back in some old rage, resentment, gnawing fantasy, or sullen bitterness. I could not hold out half an hour . . . I could mend my soul no more than my face." Like the veil she wears to hide her ugly face, she feels that her good actions only conceal the hideousness of her true self. C.S. Lewis felt that we, as humans, are like rough blocks of marble. He said that suffering is the tool God uses to carve away our rough edges and to refine our souls. As Orual experiences suffering, she doesn't realize it, but she is actually coming closer and closer to becoming the perfected statue. Each trial chips away another piece of the marble that conceals the perfect form within. The title, Till We Have Faces, may refer to the process of refinement and self-realization. Till We Have Faces is a captivating book from beginning to end. As the reader, I could not only identify with Orual's struggles, I felt as though I was Orual, going through the same turmoil and inner-conflict. It is a book that I can read over and over again, each time experiencing new epiphanies and gaining deeper insight. It is impossible to adequately describe, even to a small degree, this fascinating and complex novel; it must be read and read again.

I've only read this book once. I devoured it, and now I am just waiting for some time in my crazy schedule to sit down, pick it up again, and let it seep into my soul.

Lewis subtly carves the most blunt, honest questions of the human soul into the woodwork of this masterfully-retold Greek myth. On the first read, the plot will keep your attention. On the second, the text will veritably explode with parallels galore to the Christian life...indeed, to life itself. Not meant to be an all-encompassing theological exposé--just a long, gritty, detailed look into the human psyche and its relation to God.

If you have ever questioned God; ever doubted his goodness; ever raged against him; ever endured Job-like terrors that he seems to do nothing about, this book is for you. If you wonder why he utters no answer, why he hints and hovers and never shows himself clearly--here is your commiseration. I hope you will not be disappointed.

This book was a fast read, and coupled with the fact that I really couldn't put it down, it was a really fast read.

CS Lewis is one of my favorite authors, I have many of his books, and currently have a few more on my "to be read" shelf. I love the way that he can be a cogent and articulate theologian in such works as Mere Christianity, but then he can switch hats and write wonderful works of fantasy, which have strong undertones of Christianity such as the Chronicles of Narnia (I really need to go back to those, because the more I read snippets of them, the more I realize just how Christian they are), or the Space Trilogy, or this book.

What CS Lewis has done here is to take the classical Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, and rework it. Now one might say, well that myth is a classic, why mess with a classic? Well, read the book and find out. In a way he reworked it, but in another way he wrote an entirely new story unto its own.

The main character, Queen Orual, in C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces has a bit of an image problem.  She was very ugly as a youth and the ghastly response her face evokes from others causes her to wear a veil in front of them.  Physical beauty is almost always an invaluable asset for a leader to possess.  It helps enhance their image and how others perceive them.  Lewis explores the effect of appearance as well as other different aspects of image in this remarkable book.

 

On the surface, this is a sophisticated retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth (my favorite one, actually) from the point of view of one of the jealous sisters.  We get to learn much, much more about Psyche, her family and the culture into which she was born.  We are presented with an in-depth exploration of a pagan, pre-Christian, barbarian tribe on the fringe of Western Civilization and how they come to be influenced by the blossoming and dominant Greek culture and philosophy.  Lewis uses iconic characters to display the great, cultural shift from a barbaric, pagan worldview into the civilized Greek philosophy.  So sophisticated is Lewis' narrative that you can also anticipate how the worldview will shift from Greek philosophy into Christian philosophy, which is itself a further refinement of Aristotle and Plato. 

 

The way the story is constructed, told in first person by a Queen reflecting on formative moments in her life, likely had an influence on one of our favorite authors, Gene Wolfe.  The character of Orual and the way she tells her story seem to be a precursor to Severian (c.f., The Book of the New Sun) and perhaps even Silk (c.f., The Book of the Long Sun).  Near the end of the book, a pagan priest finishes up the tale for her, just like Horn chronicled the Patera Caldé.  We also notice a broader picture of the events occurring around the characters, although they may not realize the importance of them at the time.  Names also are translated into their literal Greek meanings such as the character Lysias who is always referred to as The Fox.  We see this type of thing often in Wolfe.

 

All comparative analysis aside, the book's greatest achievement is demonstrating how image helps a leader motivate people and maintain order.  Perception, rather than reality, can make or break a leader.  Controlling how others perceive you is one of the main jobs of someone in a leadership role.   Like the works of Machiavelli or Robert Greene, this book highlights the reasons why it is important for a ruler to appear a certain way and to always maintain control over emotions while in front of others.   For example, a leader must never appear weak or foolish.  The rabble wants a strong leader, not a buddy.  When times get tough, and they always do, the rabble will turn to the leader.  If the leader is weak, they will turn ON him.  If he is strong, they will trust him, even if he is brutal as long as the brutality is does not push them into rebellion. 

 

We get to know two main political leaders, each displaying a different level of "image" control.  First, we meet a Warrior King, who--although valorous on the battlefield--is cowardly, blustering and tyrannical.  He is politically backward and does not tend to his image at all.  As a result, he spends a great deal of time and energy stamping out insurrections and fighting pointless, pyrrhic skirmishes with neighboring kingdoms.  After his much celebrated death, his daughter, Orual takes over.  She is very focused on image, even taking the drastic step of hiding her ugly appearance behind a veil.  Not only does this mask her foul looks, it actually creates an aura of mystique around her, enhancing her image.  Below the superficial, though, Orual is brave, diplomatic, wise and merciful.   Before you get too worried, dear reader, take heart.  This isn't feminist "women good, men bad" stuff.  It is highly unlikely that an Inkling would espouse such beliefs.  

 

Underlying the image control of each leader is their unique leadership style.  The King relies too heavily on his oppressive power and blustery personality to sustain his reign.   He neglects nearly all other aspects of his kingdom and does not build a very good infrastructure to counter the bad times.  The Queen, however, always tries to appear calm, majestic and wise.  She never loses her composure in front of her subjects.   She instinctively understands how this will undermine her credibility.   As a result, her people trust her and she motivates them to new levels of achievement.  She also has an eye on the future and invests time into her kingdom rewarding and recruiting talented artisans, craftsmen, builders and scholars.  It is initially an expensive venture, but ultimately her investment pays off.  Her backwater, barbaric kingdom flourishes and becomes a rich and mighty center of culture.   Her "command and control" father ruled with an iron hand and would have never invested money on builders when he could conquer and enslave a smaller, neighboring kingdom.

 

A very good example of the contrasts between these two managerial approaches is shown by the attitude each ruler takes towards their kingdom's only valuable commodity, silver.  The kingdom has several mines in operation during the king's reign.  The king does not see the potential in the mines and primarily uses them for capital punishment.  He sends his prisoners, enslaved enemies and political adversaries there to work hard labor until they die.  As one would expect, output, production and profits are not pouring out of these mines.  Orual, however, clearly sees the potential in the rich, silver deposits and completely overhauls the mining operation.  She frees the slaves and prisoners and replaces them with skilled laborers.  These laborers are allowed to keep any silver they mine over a certain quota.  Since skilled, motivated, profit-sharing laborers are always more productive than slaves, the mines are soon working to full capacity.   The wealth pouring forth begets technological and cultural innovations which then lead to even higher levels of wealth and satisfaction.  The kingdom is rich and the people are happy and fulfilled.  Orual has done well.   Her fair and democratic managerial style has reversed the nearly fatal autocratic style of her bumbling predecessor.   

 

Orual's focus on image and how she is perceived by her subjects plays a large role in the success of her administration.   It allows her to inspire confidence in her people, challenge the status quo and turn around a failing enterprise.  These lessons are as true today in our modern business world as there were in the pagan, uncivilized and barbaric world of Till We Have Faces.

[Throughout the years, I have written a number of reviews that have never been published online on the store. These writings comprise two types of reviews: unfinished reviews, abandoned during various stages of composition, and completed reviews that for life reasons were never posted. Of the later type, back in September 2001 I wrote a cache of work, a full sixteen reviews of several different C. S. Lewis books which have never been released. I am publishing these reviews now for the first time, over a decade after they were initially written. The two bracketed opening paragraphs were written in Sept 2001 but never published. Mike London 10-3-2012]

["Till We Have Faces" is essentially Lewis's view of the four loves put into action, and how destructive they can be if you abuse them. The central character, Orual, is a very selfish sister who wants her sister totally for herself. Easily the most complex all Lewis's fiction, there are so many examples of evil love throughout that the entire book can be hard to figure out as many of these are obscure. While the third book in the Space Trilogy certainly has its complexities, only this comes anywhere close to topping it for thematic complicitions, and topping it this novel does. We get a very accurate picture of why the main character has been a consumer all her life, and why she eats people up to be her own. Individuality is a thing very hateful to her. This also shows up in Screwtape's multiple letters to Wormwood.

If published anonymously, it would be one of the few works that would be very difficult to tell it was by C. S. Lewis, as the style is so much different from his usual one. He very clearly enters into this mind of Orual and it becomes very much her own story. This is a retelling of the Cupid-Psyche myth; hence the subtitle A Myth Retold. For those readers who are most interested in reading the sheer depth of Lewis's skill as a writer, this is the best place to come.]

TILL WE HAVE FACES, is, simply put, one of the most beautiful books I have read. Its depths are enormous, its truth fantastically illustrated, and the author is completely given over to the character. If you are reading this for Lewis's style, don't. In an amazing feat of creation, Lewis used his God-given gift, and has completely come into Orual's mind. This is some of the best characterization I have ever read, with Lewis completely laying down his own style, and yielded to that or Orual. Although that may be disquieting to some, it reveals the true creative power God gave that fine Christian brother. He immerses us into her world, told from her eyes. The book is very, very deep, demanding several rereadings.

The plot of the book is a daughter is born to a king, named Psyche. He already has two other daughters, Orual and Redival. Her older sister, Orual, becomes very loving of her. Yet this love is exactly what it ought not to be: a selfish love. Psyche, seemingly a goddess in the eyes of the people, must be taken to sacrifice to the god of the grey mountains. Orual is very distraught. They take and leave her. Then Orual, along with another character named Bardia, go up to the mountain, and Orual finds Psyche, in love with the god of the mountain. Orual, being blind (although not physically), cannot see the palace. In the end, she has Psyche, who loves with selfless love, the truest and deepest and most real of all loves, look upon Eros, the god of the mountain, and Psyche is exiled because of her sin against the god. She was not to look or cast light upon him, but she did for Orual's sake.

The king is an impotent ruler, and only after Orual takes over the kingdom does Glome become something of a powerful place. All things considered, Orual really does help Glome politically and financially, and is a much better ruler than her father was. He is an abusive man, and is an evil father. He cares nothing of his daughters, and wishes for a son. He especially resents Orual for her ugliness.

The Fox is a Greek philosopher brought into educate the girls as well as help the King. Redival is least interested. He examines through the Fox the rational point of view. The Fox can never live up to his beliefs, and is constantly violating them. He is out of balance, placing to much on reason and logic and not enough on faith. He greatly influences Orual.

Redival is a selfish one, and wants what is best for her. This is exactly what not to be.

Orual: A much more complex character, and the narrator of the book. She loves with a jealous love, a love tainted by sin and ungodliness. She wishes Psyche for herself, and she cannot understand why she must go away. The book is about how she moves away from that selfish love and into the love of Jesus Christ. She is also marked by ugliness, and later starts wearing a veil to hide herself. After many years, people begin to think her wearing the veil for, ironically, great beauty, or something more mysterious, no face at all. This is representative of her spiritual life. She is ugly because of the taint of sin. Yet, because she is made in the likeness of God, the beauty that God gave her can be placed through. But as long as she remained uncured, as long as she remained [unstilled] hidden away, she could not come face to face with God. How could she when had no face. She refused to acknowledge her selfish love. For much of her life she worth both a physical and a spiritual veil. Only when old age approached, did she set down an account of the "evils" done to her by the gods in Part I. Then, in Part II, she lays down her veil, and begins to examine her life, and in the end comes to peace with God.

Psyche is the mostly Godly character, full of selfless love for others. It is she that is Orual's love. There is much to learn from Psyche.

In this book, we have what Lewis wrote in his nonfiction The Four Loves. These were written and published about the same time, and he had met Joy Davidman, who was to be his wife. Erotic love, that had so long passed him by, had suddenly and out of nowhere appeared on his doorstep. So love weight heavily on his mind during this period of his life. To have a deeper appreciation of this book, read both this and his The Four Loves, because basically he tackled the same subject in two separate genres: fiction and nonfiction. In that book, he says friends and lovers are essentially different, although bound by the same reality. Friends are friends because they have a bond, yet they are not whole concerned with the other. They are comrades, and do things side by side. Lovers are intensely interested in the others, looking at each other, not working side by side. This is illustrated in Orual's relationship with Bardia. Bardia, a prime solider, is a close friend of her, and the closest to a sexual relationship she ever obtained. Yet he is married, and so Orual cannot know erotic love as did Redival and Psyche. She is friends with him, and will not destroy his family. In this way, God is helping her to the point where she will drop the veil and let him put a face on her. Through the course of the years, she is showing more character in her relationship with Bardia than in her relationship with Psyche. She will not destroy the man she loves although she did destroy her sister's happiness. Already God was gently prodding her to a more real and honest place with him.
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[The above text is a revised version of a review written in 2000. The original review ran over 1000 words. I published this review (obviously minus the 2001 revisions) on the store.com when their word limit was 1000 words. the store took it upon themselves to drastically cut the text in half. I emailed the store back then and got the full text released. This is the first time the artificially shortened version of my "Till We Have Faces" review has appeared online in over a decade. Mike London 10-24-2012]

TILL WE HAVE FACES, is, simply put, one of the most beautifulbooks I have read. Its depths are enormous, its truth fantastically illustrated, and the author is completely given over to the character. If you are reading this for Lewis's style, don't. In an amazing feat of creation, Lewis used his God-given gift, and has completely come into Orual's mind. This is some of the best characterization I have ever read. It was like Lewis completely laid down his own style, and yielded to that or Orual. Although that may be disquieting to some, it reveals the true creative power God gave that fine Christian brother. He immerses us into her world, told from her eyes. The book is very, very deep, demanding several rereadings.

The plot of the book is a daughter is born to a king, named Psyche. He already has two other daughters, Orual and Redival. Her older sister, Orual, becomes very loving of her. Yet this love is exactly what it ought not to be: a selfish love. Psyche, seemingly a goddess in the eyes of the people, must be taken to sacrifice to the god of the grey mountains....The book is about how she [Psyche] moves away from that selfish love and into the love of Jesus Christ...Psyche is the mostly Godly character, full of selfless love for others. It is she that is Orual's love. There is much to learn from Psyche.

In this book, we have what Lewis wrote in his nonfiction The Four Loves. These were written and published about the same time, and he had met Joy Davidman, who was to be his wife. Erotic love, that had so long passed him by, had suddenly and out of nowhere appeared on his doorstep. So love weight heavily on his mind during this period of his life. To have a deeper appreciation of this book, read both this and his The Four Loves, because basically he tackled the same subject in two separate genres: fiction and nonfiction. In that book, he says friends and lovers are essentially different, although bound by the same reality. Friends are friends because they have a bond, yet they are not whole concerned with the other. They are comrades, and do things side by side. Lovers are intensely interested in the others, looking at each other, not working side by side. This is illustrated in Orual's relationship with Bardia. Bardia, a prime solider, is a close friend of her, and the closest to a sexual relationship she ever obtained...

[This is a very truncated version of the original review. I asked to have them take it down, and they are complying. Unfortunately, the review I took and posted was (or had to have been) over the 1000 limit. I never knew what would happen if you posted an overly long review; now I do, and the knowledge is profitable. I will post the real review as soon as this review is taken down. May 14, 2000]

*(These reviews covered all seven books of "The Chronicles of Narnia", the three novels of "The Space Trilogy", "The Abolition of Man", "The Four Loves", "A Preface to Paradise Lost", a revised version of my 2000 review of "Till We Have Faces", "Surprised By Joy", and "The Screwtape Letters".)

i have never read a book that so drew me into the so called "bad character" i knew the original myth of pysche and cupid but this truly does not focus on pyshce but instead on her "ugly" sister. the trials she goes through as she changes from a scared child to a queen is fascinating. the beautiful phrases lewis uses are aw inspiring as his eloquence is put forth for all to view. i would recommend this book for anyone who needs something other than mindless mush. it's beautiful and heartbreaking all in the same stroke and you sob with and for each character, definetly a great book and a complete classic. ( one finally not exclusively for english teachers, instead it's for their tortured students looking for something past the scarlet letter) :)

C.S. Lewis is a genius; I cannot say this emphatically enough.

Till We Have Faces retells the traditional story of Cupid and Psyche. It does not mess with the storyline, but builds on it and makes it real and true, with live characters and so much detail. I would suggest being familiar with the original myth before reading it (it is written in the very back of the book) because I didn't understand just what was happening the first time I read the book through.

The story is...beautiful. Amazing. It draws you heavily into the atmosphere of the time, into Orural's obsessive love of her sister, Istra (Psyche), hatred of her father the king, learning of philosophy through Fox, the Greek prisoner, and the fear of Ungit (Venus).

Till We Have Faces offers so much insight - into holiness and love, among other subjects. It is interesting to see Lewis's work not directly relating to Christianity but through pagan mythology instead. I do not think I could compare the book to C.S. Lewis's other fiction; they are so entirely different in spirit. I will say that it is worth the read - worth many, many reads, for I notice new truths in Lewis's writing every time.

C.S. Lewis knows how to tell an excellent story and make a few important points at the same time. He brought the story to life; Lewis's version is much more believable and interesting than the original myth. The book is mainly about the main character's development, so as a reader I felt like I was even maturing along with the main character. I connected to many of the hard lessons learned in this book because they point to inherently human issues.

The main difference between the original myth and Lewis's version is that sisters were not able to see castle that the god created for the princess. This was a great twist, because it caused the characters to doubt instead of believe in the gods.

'Till We Have Faces' is not the retelling of Cupid and Psyche, it is the story of the troubled sister watching from a distance. Reading this story was like looking from the outside in; the view of a non-Christian of the beautiful, but mysterious joy of the Christian. It is a breathtaking story told in a style completely unlike Lewis, bringing together the light and dark of a legend of ancient Greece, with a deeper understanding of human nature.

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." ~1 Corinthians 13:12

If you've read the reviews, wondered why everyone raves about TILL WE HAVE FACES, stick with the book till Chapter Ten. It's a little sluggish till you reach Chapter Ten, but make no plans once you turn that page. You won't put it down after that point.
I am amused, I think, by the rigid assertions of some reviewers, as to what Lewis was trying to say with this tale. If you are put off by any of those assertions, ignore them. Plain and simple, don't listen to what a single person on here says the book means.
Because the first time you read it, you'll understand it one way. The next time, after you yourself have grown, changed, aged, oh sigh, yes even matured, you will understand it another way. You will identify with one character more than another depending on who you are and are becoming, you will read the philosophy/theology differently depending on what you believe at that moment.
But -- once read, it's likely you will read it again.

I had not been familiar with the myth of Psyche nor with the writing of C.S. Lewis prior to picking this book up, so I walked into this story with no preconceived notions at all. I really enjoyed the plot and characters, especially for the first half or so. Then, the book became quite bizarre and abstract, and I personally became less engaged. It wasn't until the last 20 pages or so that I once again was pulled back in. Lewis helps the reader gain perspective and insight into what we have read, and this is what helped make the story worthwhile. I am not sure I would read other Lewis novels -- not being a fan of fantasy or a particularly religious person -- but I am glad that I read this one.

I love this book. The story is enjoyable in itself, but it also asks the questions of what it means to really love someone (friends or family members), and what criteria we use to value ourselves and judge our own actions. Very thought provoking.

In so many ways, this is CSL's literary masterpiece and, indeed, one of the greatest books that I have ever read--and, no doubt, will ever read. In the categories of plot, style, characterization and theme, TWHF reaches heights that few contemporary authors can even see, let alone achieve. And the ontological-theological-metaphysical message at the heart of CSL's allegorical retelling of the Psyche myth is . . . sublime, profound--so heartfelt and beautiful that even as I write this, I have chills.
Read this book as fantasy. Read this book as literature. Read this book as the serious, crystalline thought of the finest Christian writer of the twentieth century. Read it time and again as I have, trying to fathom its magic and mysteries. But above all, my friends, _read_ this book. It is one of the most wonderful examples of why the Lord gave us eyes to read.

As I initially agreed wholeheartedly with the eldest daughter's viewpoint of the occurrences, the writing was extremely frustrating to me. The end, finalizes things as will the "gods" with a happy ever after for those who truly deserve it, despite the confusing process. as usual, C.S. Lewis has taken our minds and twisted them with a work so hard to put down until the end!

that I have read Till We Have Faces. What an amazing book. Lewis had an uncanny knack for reaching in and grabbing hold. I must admit I started reading this book and couldn't stop. It made me feel a little bit like I was drowning, but I think it was wonderful excercise for my mind. I have so long been reading what is passing for Christian fiction that my brain had become numb. What a wonderful way to brush away the cobwebs and really dig in to something substantial. It made me uncomfortable to a degree, like something that hits just a little to close to home. Greedy, all-consuming, self-centered love at the expense of others, or worse at the expense of those you are supposed to love best. Ouch. I am a Lewis fan now and ever more.

This is for me C.S.Lewis's greatest work. But I've known others who have read it and found little to appreciate in it. If you can relate to the psychology of the characters in this book, and to the religious context in which the tale is set, it will be a book read many times. If you can not, it will be at best no more than a charming but rather obscure tale set in a distant land.

It is a book that tells a tale completely divorced from the self, while being (if it captures one) intimately about the self. It sets rhyme against reason; love against hate; beauty against ugliness; the Gods against humanity; doubt against conviction; the priesthood against the state; the profound against the profain; dark superstition and blood sacrifice against the devine and sacred; what is real against what is illusionary; and culminates with exploring the issue of how life itself can through all of these conflicts be discovered to be not what it always seemed while lived.

It is ultimately a character study in how we may each live a lifetime oblivious to who we really were; how we can blame anything but ourselves for all our own perceived misfortunes; and only discover at our end that nothing was quite what it till then seemed. It is in that moment when we find our faces (see ourselves as we really were) that we know both the damnation of all that we have till then been and the salvation of finding all our accusations against the Gods finally answered.

The book sugar coats these (and many other) deep philosophical and spiritual issues in a story that is fast paced, gripping, absorbing, and once read ever remembered as a haunting tale about a quaint land and time not ones own brought to life through C.S.Lewis's wonderful skill at painting memorable pictures with words. This is a tale that stretches from the cradle to the grave, and then if one believes such things beyond.

Personally I take huge exception to the number of Christians here who claim that this is somehow a "Christian" tale, in some sort of attempt to claim this book as their own. It is nothing of the sort. Indeed my personal experience has been that Christians tend not to like this book, because it is set in a religious context more druid than christian, and deliberately so for I think that C.S.Lewis wanted to throw away the trappings of his own religion the better to explore the nature of religion itself.

The tale is of a greek myth retold in an even more pagan setting, set in an ancient time, perhaps 200 or 300 BC. It is a philosophical and intellectual exploration of that pagan myth, and as such this book would be as accessible to a muslim, an atheist, a buddist and/or and a jew. This story is not one intended to teach the reader what to believe but rather one designed to speak to the whole issue of belief itself, and to challenge ones own beliefs in subtle and not so subtle ways no matter what they are.

C.S. Lewis' "Till We Have Faces" gives a contemporary twist to the original myth of Cupid and Psyche while remaining true to the original. Lewis takes the story to another level with marvelous depth and revelation. Although the setting and society are very different from that of our present day, Lewis uses his knowledge of symbolism and tone to adapt the story into any culture. The theme of conditional love and knowing oneself are consistent throughout the piece.

Set in Glome, a "barbaric pre-Christian" society, Lewis tells the story of Orual, Psyche's ugly older sister. Orual first struggles with secrecy not only in her family but in the world around her. Orual's father was the king of Glome and Orual was to stay inside the castle at all times. Psyche, who was the most beautiful girl in the land, was thought of as something different, something dangerous. Orual looked after Psyche during her whole childhood and felt a deep and eventually harmful love for Psyche. After a horrible crop season and famine spreading it was decided that Psyche would be offered to the God of the mountain. After the sacrifice Orual goes to give Psyche a proper burial. Orual eventually finds Psyche alive but thinks that she has gone crazy. Psyche tells her of a palace in which she eats, sleeps, bathes, and is visited by a God during the darkness of the night. Orual leaves mad at Psyche for having believed such things were true and ends up going back for Psyche. Orual tells Psyche to turn on a lantern one night while the God is there to see him for the first time. Psyche knows that she will break the God's trust, but Orual threatens to commit suicide if Psyche does not comply. Psyche does what Orual tells her and is sentenced to a life of wandering and exile. The God tells Orual that she will have to live with the guilt of having led Psyche to such a fate. This is the point in which Orual's love for Psyche becomes less love and more of a demon inside Orual. When Orual returns from the mountain she is a changed woman and eventually becomes the Queen of Glome. Once she is older, Orual begins to understand that there is no such thing as unconditional love and that beauty is as important to the God's as it is to humans. She constantly wears a veil over her face and loses herself in the role of Queen. Once a person has created an image for themselves they begin to create a soul and the sense of self. This is what becomes important and until one can realize this they cannot be acknowledged and understand the truths of life. Orual loses herself in the constant demands asked of her and she eventually realizes that there is more she has to do in order to truly survive.

C.S. Lewis' style is that of tone, dimension, and underlying meanings. He doesn't give anything away, but presents the situations to the reader in a way that gives support. His style supports his scholarly reputation and the targeted audience. This piece just adds to Lewis' long list of scholarly significant works. Other works by Lewis include "Out of the Silent Planet", "The Screw tape Letters", and "The Chronicles of Narnia". Lewis wrote this contemporary fiction after the death of his wife almost as a testimonial of Christianity and the human struggle between love and hate. The society that Lewis portrayed in this piece was reminiscent of Greek society in which the belief in Gods and oral myth was the absolute religion. Fox, Orual's mentor and teacher, taught her to think beyond what she was taught. In the end all of Fox's teachings and wisdom turned out to be wrong and he admitted his misconception.

This piece of literature provides a fascinating modern look at the struggle between humans vs. Gods, good vs. evil, and ugly vs. beautiful. C. S. Lewis was able to take the Greek myth to another level of meaning and also provide a brilliant story of love.

In his masterpiece address, "The Weight of Glory," Lewis says, "if our religion is something objective, then we must never avert our eyes from those elements in it which seem puzzling or repellent; for it will be precisely the puzzling or the repellent which conceals what we do not yet know and need to know."

Through the retelling of an ancient myth, Lewis deals with the uncomfortable issue of God's justice in light of what seems a very unjust world. Why have the gods always seemed indifferent to the afflictions of man? Why must holy places be dark places? Why can't the gods just answer us without all the guesswork and riddle?

If these questions bother you, you will be able to relate to the book's protagonist, a woman named Orual. That is the great thing about this work, if we are honest, we shall see ourselves in Orual. And while admittedly not answering all the questions that arise along these lines, the book, I feel does succeed in giving us a glimpse of at least that part of the problem that we can control and at some level understand.

The main issue that is dealt with in this book is perhaps the most puzzling aspect of faith. There are clearly those things that go far beyond our ability to control, and each of us shall leave this world in ignorance and most assuredly in wonder, why this, why that? But to his credit, Lewis does an amazing job of taking these tough questions and once again through myth, helping his readers to understand a bit more clearly perhaps, the most mysterious of all things, the human heart.

Once we understand (in some measure) our own hearts, perhaps we too will agree with another of the book's characters, The Fox, when asked by Orual, "are the gods not just?" He answers, "Oh no, child. What would become of us if they were?"

The Blackstone Audio of this book is excellent by the way. I read the book once and found (as I do with most of Lewis's works) that I enjoyed it even more upon the second reading. I hope you will enjoy it as well.

I recently read Till We Have Faces again, having read it with disappointment over a decade ago when I was still in high school. After my first reading I sold or gave away my copy of the book, thinking I would never desire to read it again. I'm glad I changed my mind and gave it a second shot. It is a gripping tale which probes deep into the soul as it explores the destructive fruits of self-centered love and the need for reality in facing the deformities in our own souls. I couldn't put it down and plan to read it again in the future. Needless to say, I will hang on to this copy . . .

In the past I have had a difficult time reading CS Lewis writings. I have never been a huge reader. It has to pull me in early on or I lose interest. When I purchased this book I started to read and got distracted pretty quickly.

We came to the beach and I needed something to read so I pulled it out again. Once I began to read I was totally pulled in. Could not put it down. There were so many things that spoke to me about my own spiritual journey. There a few typos in the kindle version but I got past those pretty easily.
Everyone should read this book!

CS Lewis has created a wonderful unique view of the Eros and Psyche myth and transported his ideas into an awesome creative story just for all of us! The original plot of the myth has always appeared very didactic to me, especially for women who need to find the strength inside themselves to conquer the seemingly undaunting tasks which are necessary for a joyous reunion with their heart's truest desires. I believe this story takes this one step further and makes the focus of the myth about the unveiling of one's soul into a new light. The story's three main women (Ungit included) all hold some piece of the vieled soul (i.e. the ugly and shameful elements) inside and the unconscious quest that Lewis puts them on in this story is to have these women uncover these shadows within themselves and bring them to light. That's what I got out of this book anyway. It's all there on the higher plane. I was very impressed with this intricate, subtle, beautifully crafted "double myth". That's what I'm calling it. You get the Eros and Psyche amazing story plus this wonderful new myth about wanting to find your true face. It's under there hidden with the dark and musty viel of fear-based thinking and belief systems. This book knocked my socks off...It's one of my favorites! Like the Fox says "How can they (the gods) meet us face to face till we have faces?" This means we need to uncover all our dusty negative agreements that sit in our soul and bring them out in the open. We need a cleansed face (soul) one that embraces clarity and balance, calmness and beauty. No zits, hopefully! CS Lewis has said this is his favorite piece he ever wrote...I totally agree. This book will give the reader a lot to think about if you really want it to, one needs to be patient and let it speak to the parts of you that are hidden. Open your dusty souls and READ IT!!

On the most superficial level, C.S. Lewis' novel, Till We Have Faces, is somewhat of a fairy tale. It involves three sisters-Orual, Redival, and Istra (or Psyche)-who are daughters of a king. The eldest, Orual, is the plainest and most abused, while the youngest, Istra, is revered as a goddess. It is a story full of double meanings, sacrifices, valor, and hidden identities. However, many of these hidden `identities' can be found in the underlying themes of the story. I believe this story to be primarily a commentary on the meaning of true worth. Throughout the story, Orual is completely disregarded because she does not meet society's standards. Her father rails at her and beats her every time something in life displeases him. Even she understands that the world will despise her and make her their scapegoat because she is different or "ugly." From an early age, she knows that the would "would be cureller to [her] than to Redival because of [her] ugliness" (Lewis, 12). Her only value to this jaded society is in her knowledge. When her father hires a tutor for his family, he tells the Greek slave who fills the position to educate Orual well: "See if you can make her wiser; it's about all she'll ever be good for" (Lewis, 7). In contrast, the youngest princess, called both Istra and Psyche, is the most extravagantly revered person in the story, save Ungit, their equivalent of the Greek Aphrodite or the Roman Venus. Solely on the basis of her beauty, she is equivocated with a goddess. Her subjects even go so far as to make offerings of sorts to her. As if appeasing her would bring prosperity, they lay "down a branch of myrtle at [her] feet and bowed and put dust on [their heads]." In the time of a plague, they nearly tear down the castle walls, insisting that the only one who can save them is Istra: "Send out the Princess with her healing hands...She has beauty enough, that's one thing. And spirit" (Lewis, 31). And when things do not improve, they typically call her the Accursed one. The society does not have faith in her intellectual skills or her practical knowledge. If this were so, they would have turned to Orual in the first place. Instead, they first and foremost look to the tangibly worthy. This draws a strong parallel to our own society, a point that must have been intentionally made by Lewis in his construction of the story. I was amazed by the society's superficial devotion to such a weak force as beauty, then was struck by the poignancy of Lewis' message on the false gods we worship. The most powerful blow came near the end of the book. Orual discovers that she, herself, is Ungit. Throughout the book, Ungit has been the most highly respected force of the society. She is the goddess of love, lust, and prosperity and is unrivaled in her beauty. The point of revelation of Orual as the true force behind this power, though she is despised as the antithesis of everything society worships in this goddess, is the most powerful moment in the entire story. It reveals that it is not material beauty that mankind should worship, but the true beauty that comes from within the human spirit. In the end, C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces is a testament to the noble beauty that can be found within every person and a condemnation of the materialistic hovel we exist in.

Obviously eloquently written, but a little slow I thought, once you get about 75% through, it definitely picks up. I was unaware of the original myth so I was a little list thinking why does any of this matter. But I really loved the end. Maybe read the original myth first

Lewis seems to be giving the same message of Christian love in all of his literature, but he does it far more powerfully in 'Till We Have Faces' than in any of his other novels, essays, or poetry. 'Faces' is particularly effective because of its wide accessibility.

The story is essentially a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, although no familiarity with the original story is required to enjoy the novel. Orual is the oldest--and by far the ugliest--of three princesses. Istra, or Psyche, is the youngest and most fair and pure. When Istra is married to the invisible and enigmatic God of the Mountain, son of Ungit, a powerful and jealous goddess, Orual finds herself unable to accept Istra's complacency with a life filled with comforts that are invisible and undetectable to anyone but Istra and her husband. She plots to destroy Istra's happiness, masking her true intentions behind a veil of sisterly concern much like she later veils her ugly face from the world.

Orual is at once a remarkably unique character and an "everywoman." She personifies the universal weaknesses of pride and possessiveness while tempering her negative qualities with a strong sense of justice, a confidence born of her veiled ugliness, and all the other attributes one would expect to find in a great queen. Orual's narrative is full of excuses, and all but the most hardened readers will be sorely tempted to listen to them. After all, this warrior queen is torn between the world of reason presented to her by her beloved Greek tutor and the dark, bloodthirsty religion of her pagan upbringing. It's hard to blame her for her uncertainty and manipulation of the innocent Istra. She rails against the gluttonous, possessive goddess Ungit while, at the same time, becoming Ungit herself as her jealousy and confusion over her sister's good fortune and happiness combines with her growing power to turn her into a minor goddess in her own right.

The story is essentially about a convert to Christianity (Istra) who has found joy in something that simply doesn't seem to real to non-believers. Orual, who lacks her sister's faith, can not understand Istra's dedication to her invisible god. Eventually, Orual comes to see herself unveiled and naked at last. It is only then, as Istra sacrifices all to bring Orual the greatest possible gift, that the old queen understands the futility of her possessive love.

This book is a beautiful and sometimes painful examination of what it means to truly love another person. Many readers will find themselves feeling ashamed after reading the book, yet longing to read in again at the same time. Lewis' oft repeated message rings so true (ironically in a story that takes place in a pre-Christian setting) in the pages of this, his greatest novel, that everyone, Christian or not, can appreciate its power.

I was given this book as a gift several years ago for Christmas from my sister and brother-in-law, and promptly wrinkled my nose and put it on my bookshelf without really bothering to see what it was about after I saw C.S. Lewis as the author. However, while taking my collegiate Latin class, my instructor mentioned it while we were reading the story of Psyche and Cupid in our text. With his recommendation and now knowing its subject, I decided it would be something I'd like to read.

The book doesn't take long--it's 300 pages, but they go by quickly and it's interesting, so it keeps you turning the pages. Some of the ends of the chapters have that device of young adult literature, the cliffhanger, so even when you vow you're going to stop and go to bed you end up reading further than you intended.

This book is in the grand tradition of "Grendel" or "Wicked"--that is, telling the myth or story from the point of view of the "evil" person in the story (although, as this book was published in the late fifties, it seems it started the tradition rather than continuing it). This makes it incredibly interesting. It is written from the viewpoint of Princess and then Queen Orual, older half sister of Istra, known as Psyche to Orual and their beloved slave, the Fox, a Greek who teaches Orual his native language and looks after her. Psyche's mother dies in childbirth, and Orual and the Fox become her caregivers. However, Psyche is sacrificed to the local goddess, Ungit, and Orual receives an enormous shock when she goes up to the mountain on which Psyche was sacrificed to bury her remains.

I won't say more, as I don't want to give away anything in the book. Every now and then, it seems like something is included and really does not have much to do with the larger story, but this does not take away from the book's entertainment value. While I would not number it in my top ten favorite books or anything like that, I am not regretful of having read it. It raises interesting questions for all of us as we witness Orual's struggle over whether her intentions were as pure as she originally believed, as well as the ever-enduring issuing of questioning God or, in this book, the gods.

This is prime beach reading or rainy day reading. Not only that, but it tricks you into thinking about certain issues by embedding them into a heartbreaking, beautiful story.

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold is truly an inspired work. C.S. Lewis admits this himself, taking little credit for the masterpiece it is. It all began as he read Eros and Psyche, the original myth. While reading, he felt the inspiration that led to this work, the idea "forced itself upon" him. This idea worked its way into his mind allowing him to capture the beauty and power of the original myth, while intertwining the deeper theme of love.
Till We Have Faces illustrates the contrast between a divine, unconditional love, and the frail thing we too often consider to be love. Three princesses live in the kingdom of Glome: Orual, Redival, and Pysche. C.S. Lewis stylistically portrays each daughter with varying degrees of love. Redival has a self-centered attitude that gives her the need to feel loved by others. Orual, is slightly less self-centered, needing others to feel her love and to be loved by them in return. Pysche has a true, divine love for others with little thought for herself. Throughout the piece, C.S. Lewis shows us the strengths and trials that each face, and their relative outcomes.
Redival changes drastically through the work. As it begins, she is young and beautiful, but also self-centered. She seeks the attention and love of others, but doesn't receive it from her father or sisters, finding it only from young men. Throughout the play, there is a progression, until the end where she has lost her beautiful figure and become a respectable woman. She learns not to focus as much on herself; allow her love to develop towards others.
Orual's love is a jealous love. She shows love to others for the purpose of feeling it in return. What she believes is love, in many instances is jealousy. The contrast between the jealous love of Orual and Pysche's pure love is obvious to the reader throughout the work, yet hidden to Orual. She even goes to the extreme of threatening to kill Pysche, all in the name of her supposed love. She doesn't realize that what she supposes to be love is mere jealousy. It isn't until she is able to see things from another point of view, as an observer of what she has done, that she begins to realize the frailty and weakness of her love.
Pysche begins in the work as a beautiful young girl that takes little thought of herself. She struggles to be of service to others, desiring to help them out. But in return for her devotion and pure love for everyone, they turn against her. Their jealousy of her beauty and kindness, lead them to sacrifice her, rejoicing in her imminent death. This contrast and inconsistency in what we call love is beautifully displayed. It's difficult for us to recognize our weaknesses, especially when it comes to love. C.S. Lewis allows us to do just what Orual did, to look at life from an objective point of view, to take a step away from our narrow vision and see life from a new perspective. As we do so, it helps us understand how we can improve and develop a pure, true love the type of love that Psyche demonstrates.
Few books have left me pondering so deeply; Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold is one of them. Just like Orual, I found how superficial my love for others truly is. Through his inspired piece, C.S. Lewis has given us objective means to measure our love, giving us an understanding of how we can improve the lives of others and our own through this pure love.

Masterfully written, by a man who knew how to write and keep the attention of his readers. This myth retold, created by C.S. Lewis, has both the sensitivity and power to give the reader a true sense of all that's taking place in the story, pulling them into the plot and giving them both an internal, and external view of all that goes on. In the beginning, a woman begins her story of growth, renewal, worship, confusion, and eventual success in finding whom she, and those around her truly are. The setting is a barbarous land, where the people worship various gods, and offer sacrifices to them, devoting their lives and themselves to images and ideas they truly don't understand. But, Lewis is able to put a twist into the tale, helping it to come around in such a way that many of the more endearing qualities and characteristics favored by the Christian world are brought into play by the various characters. Orual, a princess, and the teller of the tale stands at center stage, guiding us through the thickening plot as we journey into a different land and time. With a masterful hand Lewis uses his descriptive language, and the very actions of the people around Orual to help give the reader and understanding of who she is and at what age she is, so they can then gain an understanding of what it is that is truly going in the tale. Small details, used in unison with general understandings help bring vivid images to the mind of the reader, showing them all that is taking place. One of my favorite things about the tale is the very manner Lewis uses his words to bring out emotion in his characters. All of us have experienced the same ranges of emotion he depicts in Orual, her beautiful sister Psyche, her tyrannous father, and all the rest. Precision of word and use of language help to paint a clear picture of Orual as she grows, gaining experience in all the aspects of life she will need as she later becomes the Queen and ruler of her kingdom. We are told of beggars and peasants coming to the gates of the castle, begging for the princess Psyche to come out and touch them, believing she is a goddess and can heal them of their sicknesses because of her unimaginable beauty; the human offering that must be made to the god of the grey mountain to end the drought that has plagued the land; and the powerful god who falls in love with the beautiful Psyche, building for her a heavenly mansion that her loving sister cannot see. Of the greatest qualities of the tale is its ability to help the reader see how confusing the thoughts and feelings of man can be, and how easy it is for anyone to avoid the truths in their lives as they pad the pain they have felt with excuses and scapegoats. We are shown the very deepest of thoughts and feelings come into play through the decisions and actions of those in the tale, and we are also shown the truth that compels those thoughts and feelings. Till We Have Faces is a literary accomplishment, written by a man who has had many. The power of the tale he tells, and the deep perspectives he shares about the very essence of who we are is very much worth the time invested to read it.

I found Til We Have Faces to be extremely thought-provoking and it made me drown in a pool of emotions. When I began this book, I wasn't sure where it was going. I wasn't even sure I liked it. Eventually, the story got deeper and deeper. Characters intertwined and morphed in and out of eachother. That is the key element of the story; the psychological feel that it has. You suspect certain things may happen, but at least in my case, most did not. I enjoy books that are not readily predictable. What I enjoyed most, however, was all the emotion the book made me feel. C.S. Lewis brings the characters to life in your mind, it made me actually feel pain, happiness, and confusion for/towards them. Everything related to eachother, and even when the book ended, I still felt like the story was continuing without me. It was very real, and made you think. True, I lost interest in some chapters, but on the whole, the book had a very unique overall point, that if discovered, is one of the most amazing and fascinating points to discover. All the emotion the characters felt, the things they saw.. the work was beautiful. I suggest this reading, but only if one is willing to read closely and grasp underlying ideas. The book is one that should be closely read, I don't really think it is a pleasure book, though it was extremely enjoyable. Everyone should give the book a try, the message of the book is too unique not to.

This is the first book I have read by CS Lewis. His style is a bit different then I am used to... scattered at times but very realistic.

This story is the re-telling of the myth of Psyche and Cupid, only the author adds his own twist to it.

The reading was a bit slow at first but by about page 80 I could not put this book down. It is hard to describe just what this story is about, there are many elements. Essentially it is written as one woman's account against the gods, claiming they have wronged her and ruined her life. Just read it and see.

I look forward to reading more of CS Lewis.

'Til We Have Faces' is the sleeper novel of the century. Better than any self-help book for those who are more sinned against than sinful, better than any pop-psychology text, Til We Have Faces addresses the difficult questions of God, justice and life's meaning with underlying compassion and incisive perception. C. S. Lewis re-works the ancient Cupid and Psyche myth. He retains the mythological setting, but this time tells the tale from the point of view of a sister of Psyche; Orual. This 'ugly' sister resents the gods for the injustices of her physical unattractiveness and her consequentially loveless life... and after a lifetime of angst and loss, finally learns a liberating and joyous truth. Lewis' deft handling of the story allows him to grapple with the anguish of lovelessness and the value of the soul; timely themes for our era, obsessed as it is with physical beauty and superficial materialism. The novel satisfies at many levels: a good story; an anticipation of 'the beauty myth'; a Jungian treatise; a neo-Platonic manifesto... an articulation of the very human yearning for love, justice and meaning. An important book, a beautiful book; something for those who are between their first and second enjoyments of fairytale and fantasy.

I had read many C. S. Lewis books before this one, so I was expecting it to be a pretty good book. I was surprised, though, with how much his writing style had changed from his other books. I felt like I wasn't reading a book at all, but rather was being told the story. It was more of a tale, than a novel.
The difference for me between a good book and a nice story is what happens after you put the book down. After reading a nice story, we immediately go about other business. A good book will make you think all the way through it, and even after you've put it down. A good book will help you discover things about yourself that you didn't know, or hadn't realized. That is what Till We Have Faces did for me. I found as I was reading, that I had acted in the past more like Orual than I wanted to. I struggled with her character because it was such an accurate reflection of the way that I had seen things. I have changed since then, but it was amazing how C. S. Lewis was able to portray a character that was so well-thought out and so accurate.
The book is neither easy reading, nor hard reading. It is somewhere in between. At first glance, the book seems like it would be as easy to read as a child's book, but with all of the description, imagery, thoughts, feelings, and emotion that Lewis put into it, you can't help but slow down. There is so much more going on than the story alone would denote. There is the conflict with Orual and others, the conflict between Orual and herself, and finally- and you only get this in good books-the conflict between Orual and the reader. I don't often find myself making vocal comments to fictional characters, but I did several times during the course of the book. With every little nuance of character that Lewis puts in this novel, you'll want to do yourself a favor and allow time for reflection.
Maybe the greatest part about this book-and this can be said of all great literary works-is that every time you are going to get something different out of it. It addresses so many topics that you could probably spend a whole college course just identifying and talking about what each one says. You might barely scratch the surface even then. This time I was focused on Orual's jealousy at losing what she felt was her rightful possession, the next time it may not be.
The approach that Lewis decided to take with the story was an interesting one. In the original myth of Psyche and Cupid, Psyche's sisters (Orual and Redival) see their sister's happiness and the life that she lives, and they want to destroy it all because they don't want her to be better than them. It is simply a matter of pride. Lewis takes a different route, though. In Till We Have Faces, Redival isn't even really part of the story and Orual's jealousy of Psyche's happiness is not motivated by hate, but by love. Orual raised Psyche almost as her own daughter and loved her with all her heart. But, she can't stand the idea of Psyche being loving anyone but herself. Throughout almost the entire book, Orual justifies her selfishness by placing herself as the victim. This was an interesting choice by Lewis because we, as humans, often do the same. Orual is so convinced that anything good for her is good for Psyche, that she practically destroys all happiness that Psyche has. Selfish motivations blind her into believing that she is doing Psyche a favor by destroying her marriage to the god on the Grey mountain. Orual uses every kind of manipulative technique throughout the book to get what she wants. She not only destroys Psyche's life, but everyone who surrounds her, including herself. Orual commits the biggest sin when she lies to herself, telling herself that she's doing all of this for her sister, that her sister could be making the biggest mistake of her life, and that Psyche's happiness is foolish. Orual is dripping with the "if only she could see things the way I do, the right way" attitude. It makes me sick, but mostly because as I stated above, it hits so close to home. Any book that can bring emotions out of you as strongly as it did to me is either a literary masterpiece or a piece of trash. I promise you that this book is the former, and not the latter.
I can't say I was pleased with the whole book, though. It is broken up into two parts. The first takes up about 9/10 of the book, and the second only 1/10. In the second part, Orual pretty much redeems herself for all the evil and sinful deeds she's done throughout the previous 250 pages. To me, this ending was completely unsatisfactory. It turns Orual into a hero, sets everything right. I didn't buy it for too reasons. One, it was way too easy. Orual's penance in no way made up for the horrible things she'd done. And two, it was a little to abstract for me. It didn't match the first section of the book, but was all dreams and visions. The second part let me down. I would have liked an ending based a little more in reality. I just couldn't relate to the second part.
The second part notwithstanding, it was a great book. A good investment of time for anyone I would say. It's not perfect, but it doesn't pretend to be. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a very thought-provoking good book. But don't take my word for it, read it yourself.

'Till We Have Faces' is a retelling of the Cupid / Psyche story from Greek mythology. Wikipedia gives a nice run-down on the myth, but it's a bit long...Super short version: A king sacrifices his youngest and most beautiful daughter, Psyche, to the gods by leaving her chained to a tree high on a mountain. She is rescued by the gods and becomes the wife of Cupid, Venus' son, although Psyche doesn't know at the beginning who her new husband is. She only sees him at night and is forbidden to look at him. Her sisters come to see her in her new home and convince Psyche that because she is forbidden to see him, there must be something wrong with her husband. They give Psyche a lamp, and tell her to light it one night while he is sleeping. She does this and sees that she is indeed married to a god, but because she has broken her pact with him, he abandons her. Psyche then is forced to undergo all kinds of trials before she is allowed to become a goddess herself and be reunited with Cupid.

I just finished listening to this in audio-book form. The C.S. Lewis version of the myth is told from the point of view of Psyche's older sister, the one who gave Psyche the lamp. I almost gave this a 4 star rating, because as a story it has a lot of strengths -- Lewis always has been able to paint other places and people vividly, which is what I love about his writing. He creates some really interesting characters in this story, and there is a wonderful vagueness at times over whether the things Psyche has experienced are supernatural or not (yes, they are). It was interesting to look at the events through the somewhat skeptical eyes of Psyche's possessively protective older sister, Orual. The whole book is centered around Orual's growth as a person, and her realization that her urge to protect Psyche did not come from love, but from jealousy and selfishness. When Psyche is abandoned by Cupid, the god appears to Orual and tells her, "You are both Psyche." At the end of the book we see that while Psyche has been set with many difficult challenges, she has been able to face these challenges with a light heart, because Orual has held the weight of sorrow for the two of them. I thought that was a really creative twist. What disappoints me is that we really don't get to see Psyche's side of the story, except briefly in Orual's dreams. While Orual is a character with a lot of depth, the sadness of her personal life makes the story drag at times. If indeed she and her sister are the same, it would be nice to experience some of Psyche's challenges as well -- If only to experience a little less melancholy and a little more action.

Till We Have Faces is definitely a book I would recommend reading. One of the reasons it captured me was because C.S. Lewis, who is a man, was able to portray the life of a woman so perfectly. In this novel, we are pulled through the thoughts and events of a woman who is raised to believe that she is ugly--ugly enough to hide her face behind a veil for nearly all of her life. Through everything she endures; her father being a deadbeat king, her youngest sister adored and worshipped as a godess by many, and her own ugliness, she finds strength through her love for the people around her. She is a heroine. She is smart, she is powerful, and she can fight with a sword. She takes over her father's kingdom and makes it ten times better than he could have made it. If she had been gorgeous, we would find ourselves drowning in yet another boring novel where the beautiful maiden is swept into la-la land by a handsome god. Of course she is not perfect. It is her love that drives her to make a decision that will send her sister, who she has raised like her own child, on a painful journey. But she is sent on a journey of her own. She must find what truly lies beneath her veil and overcome the painful belief that she is the horrible person she makes herself out to be.
I think this novel is making a comment on faith, as well as showing how beauty is found within, not without. If you look into the story carefully, you can find subtle hints of C.S. Lewis's view on faith and Christianity through the characters of the Fox who is always questioning the gods, and the the house of Ungit, which is wrapped up in mystery and "holiness" to the people around it.
Another thing that is remarkable about this story is that it has unexpected turns. C.S. Lewis has taken an ordinary myth and transformed it into a fascinating story. You will be absorbed by the emotions that it brings out in you.

Till We Have Faces puts a new twist on the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. C. S. Lewis spices it up with making Psyche's castle invisible to the sister, changing the setting and the characters and adding characters. Lewis places the story in a fantastical land that believes in their own goddess named Ungit (the Greek Aphrodite). As in the original the king has three daughters, of which the youngest is the most beautiful. Her name is Istra, but her older sister Orual calls her Psyche because of the stories she has heard of the Greek myth. I really enjoyed how Lewis unfolds the whole story and how he tells it from Orual's perspective. It really seems to come more realistic from her viewpoint. Orual reacts to things in much the same way as the rest of us, whereas Psyche seems almost god-like from the beginning. I really delighted in the religious allusions that Lewis always manages to include in his writings. The similarities between Jesus Christ and Psyche are amazing. Everything that she did and went through could compared to His life in some way or another. Orual's growth of understanding and knowledge progressed throughout the story, which helped me relate to her a lot more. As I go through life I learn from the experiences and come to understand that although I don't understand everything that is going on, there is a purpose for it. Other of Lewis' new ideas such as making the castle invisible helped me to understand how hard it would have been to believe that Psyche was married to a god. If I saw it, I don't think it would be as hard to fathom as if I didn't. That kind of alludes the basis of faith. Seeing is not always believing. Lewis has an amazing ability to write and is able to get his message across very well. His twist on the old Greek myth brings in the more modern thoughts of Christianity.

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold is truly an inspired work. C.S. Lewis admits this himself, taking little credit for the masterpiece it is. It all began as he read Eros and Psyche, the original myth. While reading, he felt the inspiration that led to this work, the idea "forced itself upon" him. This idea worked its way into his mind allowing him to capture the beauty and power of the original myth, while intertwining the deeper theme of love.
Till We Have Faces illustrates the contrast between a divine, unconditional love, and the frail thing we too often consider to be love. Three princesses live in the kingdom of Glome: Orual, Redival, and Pysche. C.S. Lewis stylistically portrays each daughter with varying degrees of love. Redival has a self-centered attitude that gives her the need to feel loved by others. Orual, is slightly less self-centered, needing others to feel her love and to be loved by them in return. Pysche has a true, divine love for others with little thought for herself. Throughout the piece, C.S. Lewis shows us the strengths and trials that each face, and their relative outcomes.
Redival changes drastically through the work. As it begins, she is young and beautiful, but also self-centered. She seeks the attention and love of others, but doesn't receive it from her father or sisters, finding it only from young men. Throughout the play, there is a progression, until the end where she has lost her beautiful figure and become a respectable woman. She learns not to focus as much on herself; allow her love to develop towards others.
Orual's love is a jealous love. She shows love to others for the purpose of feeling it in return. What she believes is love, in many instances is jealousy. The contrast between the jealous love of Orual and Pysche's pure love is obvious to the reader throughout the work, yet hidden to Orual. She even goes to the extreme of threatening to kill Pysche, all in the name of her supposed love. She doesn't realize that what she supposes to be love is mere jealousy. It isn't until she is able to see things from another point of view, as an observer of what she has done, that she begins to realize the frailty and weakness of her love.
Pysche begins in the work as a beautiful young girl that takes little thought of herself. She struggles to be of service to others, desiring to help them out. But in return for her devotion and pure love for everyone, they turn against her. Their jealousy of her beauty and kindness, lead them to sacrifice her, rejoicing in her imminent death. This contrast and inconsistency in what we call love is beautifully displayed. It's difficult for us to recognize our weaknesses, especially when it comes to love. C.S. Lewis allows us to do just what Orual did, to look at life from an objective point of view, to take a step away from our narrow vision and see life from a new perspective. As we do so, it helps us understand how we can improve and develop a pure, true love the type of love that Psyche demonstrates.
Few books have left me pondering so deeply; Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold is one of them. Just like Orual, I found how superficial my love for others truly is. Through his inspired piece, C.S. Lewis has given us objective means to measure our love, giving us an understanding of how we can improve the lives of others and our own through this pure love.

Masterfully written, by a man who knew how to write and keep the attention of his readers. This myth retold, created by C.S. Lewis, has both the sensitivity and power to give the reader a true sense of all that's taking place in the story, pulling them into the plot and giving them both an internal, and external view of all that goes on. In the beginning, a woman begins her story of growth, renewal, worship, confusion, and eventual success in finding whom she, and those around her truly are. The setting is a barbarous land, where the people worship various gods, and offer sacrifices to them, devoting their lives and themselves to images and ideas they truly don't understand. But, Lewis is able to put a twist into the tale, helping it to come around in such a way that many of the more endearing qualities and characteristics favored by the Christian world are brought into play by the various characters. Orual, a princess, and the teller of the tale stands at center stage, guiding us through the thickening plot as we journey into a different land and time. With a masterful hand Lewis uses his descriptive language, and the very actions of the people around Orual to help give the reader and understanding of who she is and at what age she is, so they can then gain an understanding of what it is that is truly going in the tale. Small details, used in unison with general understandings help bring vivid images to the mind of the reader, showing them all that is taking place. One of my favorite things about the tale is the very manner Lewis uses his words to bring out emotion in his characters. All of us have experienced the same ranges of emotion he depicts in Orual, her beautiful sister Psyche, her tyrannous father, and all the rest. Precision of word and use of language help to paint a clear picture of Orual as she grows, gaining experience in all the aspects of life she will need as she later becomes the Queen and ruler of her kingdom. We are told of beggars and peasants coming to the gates of the castle, begging for the princess Psyche to come out and touch them, believing she is a goddess and can heal them of their sicknesses because of her unimaginable beauty; the human offering that must be made to the god of the grey mountain to end the drought that has plagued the land; and the powerful god who falls in love with the beautiful Psyche, building for her a heavenly mansion that her loving sister cannot see. Of the greatest qualities of the tale is its ability to help the reader see how confusing the thoughts and feelings of man can be, and how easy it is for anyone to avoid the truths in their lives as they pad the pain they have felt with excuses and scapegoats. We are shown the very deepest of thoughts and feelings come into play through the decisions and actions of those in the tale, and we are also shown the truth that compels those thoughts and feelings. Till We Have Faces is a literary accomplishment, written by a man who has had many. The power of the tale he tells, and the deep perspectives he shares about the very essence of who we are is very much worth the time invested to read it.

I found Til We Have Faces to be extremely thought-provoking and it made me drown in a pool of emotions. When I began this book, I wasn't sure where it was going. I wasn't even sure I liked it. Eventually, the story got deeper and deeper. Characters intertwined and morphed in and out of eachother. That is the key element of the story; the psychological feel that it has. You suspect certain things may happen, but at least in my case, most did not. I enjoy books that are not readily predictable. What I enjoyed most, however, was all the emotion the book made me feel. C.S. Lewis brings the characters to life in your mind, it made me actually feel pain, happiness, and confusion for/towards them. Everything related to eachother, and even when the book ended, I still felt like the story was continuing without me. It was very real, and made you think. True, I lost interest in some chapters, but on the whole, the book had a very unique overall point, that if discovered, is one of the most amazing and fascinating points to discover. All the emotion the characters felt, the things they saw.. the work was beautiful. I suggest this reading, but only if one is willing to read closely and grasp underlying ideas. The book is one that should be closely read, I don't really think it is a pleasure book, though it was extremely enjoyable. Everyone should give the book a try, the message of the book is too unique not to.

This is the first book I have read by CS Lewis. His style is a bit different then I am used to... scattered at times but very realistic.

This story is the re-telling of the myth of Psyche and Cupid, only the author adds his own twist to it.

The reading was a bit slow at first but by about page 80 I could not put this book down. It is hard to describe just what this story is about, there are many elements. Essentially it is written as one woman's account against the gods, claiming they have wronged her and ruined her life. Just read it and see.

I look forward to reading more of CS Lewis.

'Til We Have Faces' is the sleeper novel of the century. Better than any self-help book for those who are more sinned against than sinful, better than any pop-psychology text, Til We Have Faces addresses the difficult questions of God, justice and life's meaning with underlying compassion and incisive perception. C. S. Lewis re-works the ancient Cupid and Psyche myth. He retains the mythological setting, but this time tells the tale from the point of view of a sister of Psyche; Orual. This 'ugly' sister resents the gods for the injustices of her physical unattractiveness and her consequentially loveless life... and after a lifetime of angst and loss, finally learns a liberating and joyous truth. Lewis' deft handling of the story allows him to grapple with the anguish of lovelessness and the value of the soul; timely themes for our era, obsessed as it is with physical beauty and superficial materialism. The novel satisfies at many levels: a good story; an anticipation of 'the beauty myth'; a Jungian treatise; a neo-Platonic manifesto... an articulation of the very human yearning for love, justice and meaning. An important book, a beautiful book; something for those who are between their first and second enjoyments of fairytale and fantasy.

I had read many C. S. Lewis books before this one, so I was expecting it to be a pretty good book. I was surprised, though, with how much his writing style had changed from his other books. I felt like I wasn't reading a book at all, but rather was being told the story. It was more of a tale, than a novel.
The difference for me between a good book and a nice story is what happens after you put the book down. After reading a nice story, we immediately go about other business. A good book will make you think all the way through it, and even after you've put it down. A good book will help you discover things about yourself that you didn't know, or hadn't realized. That is what Till We Have Faces did for me. I found as I was reading, that I had acted in the past more like Orual than I wanted to. I struggled with her character because it was such an accurate reflection of the way that I had seen things. I have changed since then, but it was amazing how C. S. Lewis was able to portray a character that was so well-thought out and so accurate.
The book is neither easy reading, nor hard reading. It is somewhere in between. At first glance, the book seems like it would be as easy to read as a child's book, but with all of the description, imagery, thoughts, feelings, and emotion that Lewis put into it, you can't help but slow down. There is so much more going on than the story alone would denote. There is the conflict with Orual and others, the conflict between Orual and herself, and finally- and you only get this in good books-the conflict between Orual and the reader. I don't often find myself making vocal comments to fictional characters, but I did several times during the course of the book. With every little nuance of character that Lewis puts in this novel, you'll want to do yourself a favor and allow time for reflection.
Maybe the greatest part about this book-and this can be said of all great literary works-is that every time you are going to get something different out of it. It addresses so many topics that you could probably spend a whole college course just identifying and talking about what each one says. You might barely scratch the surface even then. This time I was focused on Orual's jealousy at losing what she felt was her rightful possession, the next time it may not be.
The approach that Lewis decided to take with the story was an interesting one. In the original myth of Psyche and Cupid, Psyche's sisters (Orual and Redival) see their sister's happiness and the life that she lives, and they want to destroy it all because they don't want her to be better than them. It is simply a matter of pride. Lewis takes a different route, though. In Till We Have Faces, Redival isn't even really part of the story and Orual's jealousy of Psyche's happiness is not motivated by hate, but by love. Orual raised Psyche almost as her own daughter and loved her with all her heart. But, she can't stand the idea of Psyche being loving anyone but herself. Throughout almost the entire book, Orual justifies her selfishness by placing herself as the victim. This was an interesting choice by Lewis because we, as humans, often do the same. Orual is so convinced that anything good for her is good for Psyche, that she practically destroys all happiness that Psyche has. Selfish motivations blind her into believing that she is doing Psyche a favor by destroying her marriage to the god on the Grey mountain. Orual uses every kind of manipulative technique throughout the book to get what she wants. She not only destroys Psyche's life, but everyone who surrounds her, including herself. Orual commits the biggest sin when she lies to herself, telling herself that she's doing all of this for her sister, that her sister could be making the biggest mistake of her life, and that Psyche's happiness is foolish. Orual is dripping with the "if only she could see things the way I do, the right way" attitude. It makes me sick, but mostly because as I stated above, it hits so close to home. Any book that can bring emotions out of you as strongly as it did to me is either a literary masterpiece or a piece of trash. I promise you that this book is the former, and not the latter.
I can't say I was pleased with the whole book, though. It is broken up into two parts. The first takes up about 9/10 of the book, and the second only 1/10. In the second part, Orual pretty much redeems herself for all the evil and sinful deeds she's done throughout the previous 250 pages. To me, this ending was completely unsatisfactory. It turns Orual into a hero, sets everything right. I didn't buy it for too reasons. One, it was way too easy. Orual's penance in no way made up for the horrible things she'd done. And two, it was a little to abstract for me. It didn't match the first section of the book, but was all dreams and visions. The second part let me down. I would have liked an ending based a little more in reality. I just couldn't relate to the second part.
The second part notwithstanding, it was a great book. A good investment of time for anyone I would say. It's not perfect, but it doesn't pretend to be. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a very thought-provoking good book. But don't take my word for it, read it yourself.

'Till We Have Faces' is a retelling of the Cupid / Psyche story from Greek mythology. Wikipedia gives a nice run-down on the myth, but it's a bit long...Super short version: A king sacrifices his youngest and most beautiful daughter, Psyche, to the gods by leaving her chained to a tree high on a mountain. She is rescued by the gods and becomes the wife of Cupid, Venus' son, although Psyche doesn't know at the beginning who her new husband is. She only sees him at night and is forbidden to look at him. Her sisters come to see her in her new home and convince Psyche that because she is forbidden to see him, there must be something wrong with her husband. They give Psyche a lamp, and tell her to light it one night while he is sleeping. She does this and sees that she is indeed married to a god, but because she has broken her pact with him, he abandons her. Psyche then is forced to undergo all kinds of trials before she is allowed to become a goddess herself and be reunited with Cupid.

I just finished listening to this in audio-book form. The C.S. Lewis version of the myth is told from the point of view of Psyche's older sister, the one who gave Psyche the lamp. I almost gave this a 4 star rating, because as a story it has a lot of strengths -- Lewis always has been able to paint other places and people vividly, which is what I love about his writing. He creates some really interesting characters in this story, and there is a wonderful vagueness at times over whether the things Psyche has experienced are supernatural or not (yes, they are). It was interesting to look at the events through the somewhat skeptical eyes of Psyche's possessively protective older sister, Orual. The whole book is centered around Orual's growth as a person, and her realization that her urge to protect Psyche did not come from love, but from jealousy and selfishness. When Psyche is abandoned by Cupid, the god appears to Orual and tells her, "You are both Psyche." At the end of the book we see that while Psyche has been set with many difficult challenges, she has been able to face these challenges with a light heart, because Orual has held the weight of sorrow for the two of them. I thought that was a really creative twist. What disappoints me is that we really don't get to see Psyche's side of the story, except briefly in Orual's dreams. While Orual is a character with a lot of depth, the sadness of her personal life makes the story drag at times. If indeed she and her sister are the same, it would be nice to experience some of Psyche's challenges as well -- If only to experience a little less melancholy and a little more action.

Till We Have Faces is definitely a book I would recommend reading. One of the reasons it captured me was because C.S. Lewis, who is a man, was able to portray the life of a woman so perfectly. In this novel, we are pulled through the thoughts and events of a woman who is raised to believe that she is ugly--ugly enough to hide her face behind a veil for nearly all of her life. Through everything she endures; her father being a deadbeat king, her youngest sister adored and worshipped as a godess by many, and her own ugliness, she finds strength through her love for the people around her. She is a heroine. She is smart, she is powerful, and she can fight with a sword. She takes over her father's kingdom and makes it ten times better than he could have made it. If she had been gorgeous, we would find ourselves drowning in yet another boring novel where the beautiful maiden is swept into la-la land by a handsome god. Of course she is not perfect. It is her love that drives her to make a decision that will send her sister, who she has raised like her own child, on a painful journey. But she is sent on a journey of her own. She must find what truly lies beneath her veil and overcome the painful belief that she is the horrible person she makes herself out to be.
I think this novel is making a comment on faith, as well as showing how beauty is found within, not without. If you look into the story carefully, you can find subtle hints of C.S. Lewis's view on faith and Christianity through the characters of the Fox who is always questioning the gods, and the the house of Ungit, which is wrapped up in mystery and "holiness" to the people around it.
Another thing that is remarkable about this story is that it has unexpected turns. C.S. Lewis has taken an ordinary myth and transformed it into a fascinating story. You will be absorbed by the emotions that it brings out in you.

Till We Have Faces puts a new twist on the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. C. S. Lewis spices it up with making Psyche's castle invisible to the sister, changing the setting and the characters and adding characters. Lewis places the story in a fantastical land that believes in their own goddess named Ungit (the Greek Aphrodite). As in the original the king has three daughters, of which the youngest is the most beautiful. Her name is Istra, but her older sister Orual calls her Psyche because of the stories she has heard of the Greek myth. I really enjoyed how Lewis unfolds the whole story and how he tells it from Orual's perspective. It really seems to come more realistic from her viewpoint. Orual reacts to things in much the same way as the rest of us, whereas Psyche seems almost god-like from the beginning. I really delighted in the religious allusions that Lewis always manages to include in his writings. The similarities between Jesus Christ and Psyche are amazing. Everything that she did and went through could compared to His life in some way or another. Orual's growth of understanding and knowledge progressed throughout the story, which helped me relate to her a lot more. As I go through life I learn from the experiences and come to understand that although I don't understand everything that is going on, there is a purpose for it. Other of Lewis' new ideas such as making the castle invisible helped me to understand how hard it would have been to believe that Psyche was married to a god. If I saw it, I don't think it would be as hard to fathom as if I didn't. That kind of alludes the basis of faith. Seeing is not always believing. Lewis has an amazing ability to write and is able to get his message across very well. His twist on the old Greek myth brings in the more modern thoughts of Christianity.

The widely beloved author C. S. Lewis has a devoted following of readers, especially in regard to his works The Chronicles of Narnia, The Screwtape Letters, etc. but many have never even approached his fourth and final novel, Till We Have Faces. This is unfortunate because Till We Have Faces simply has more substance as a novel than the Space Trilogy (excepting Perelandra) in the ways of the human soul in conflict. The novel is modeled after epic, in the true meaning of the term, mythology that retells Apuleius'erotic version of the marriage of Cupid and Psyche as included in his The Metamorphoses. Lewis structures his novel as a narrative presented from the point of view of the elder of the wicked sisters of Psyche. Lewis has this sister, Orual is her name, deliver her story as an accusation to the gods for having stolen Psyche from her. In this work Lewis quite often, sometimes subtly, sometimes not, gives tribute to the many classical influences that shaped his life and writings. Knowledge of Dante's Purgatorio may not be critical to understanding the major conflict of the story, but it certainly helps.
Anyway, without revealing too much as well as for the sake of brevity, Lewis has created one of the most powerful and heart wrenching sagas yet written that attempts to tackle the questions concerning perverted love, inadequate love, and sacred love and the difference between the sacred and profane. Lewis presents arguments between the thesis of paganism(blood, sacrifice, mystery), the antithesis of intellectual paganism(rationalism), and finally the synthesis, Christianity. It begins rather confusing to most but if you stick with it, the novel has a very rewarding conclusion and an interesting "twist" ending that Lewis himself attributed to his conversion to Christianity.
As high-brow as this may sound, this book is targeted to a wide audience and is very accessible ,yet can be read repeatedly with new insight, new depth, discovered by even the most discerning of readers. Fans of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings as well as of Lewis should definitely try this mythology and find out why the gods refuse to answer until we have faces.

If you're looking for a book to keep you company and entertain you on a stormy night, C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces will do quite nicely. If on the other you're looking for a book that will teach and inspire you, Till We Have Faces will do just that. If you're in search of a book that will do both, that's right, you need look no further, Till We have Faces will keep you turning the pages and open your eyes to greater things. C.S. Lewis is a master story teller. This book will send your mind on a journey, taking you to a unknown land, and there spin a story that will make your mouth water with anticipation. Though the story is an adaptation of a Greek myth, and maintains some fantasy, the characters are so real and emotionally intricate that it evokes perfect pathos. The lives of the characters that Lewis portrays causes the reader to evaluate their own life, their own loves, and helps them see a better, purer way to love. It has the power to reach most everyone. There really is nothing static about this book. It can suffice for pure entertainment purposes. The story is compelling, and demands the readers interest as to how the conflict will be resolved. The story telling is vivid and brings the tale to life. And throughout the story Lewis communicates issues of faith and love, that no one can escape, issues that effect everyone. It's practically perfect in every way. I have no qualms whatsoever about suggesting this book to my closest friends and family. To say that it is good reading and thought provoking only scratches the surface of what this book can do. I believe that everyone can enjoy and benefit from reading Lewis' Till We Have Faces, it will bring you into a new and brighter world.

This is one of my favorite novels. It is everything a novel should be: compelling characters, beautiful writing, well plotted. Lewis has written his novel from the point of view of a minor character (the jealous step-sister) in the well known myth of Cupid and Psyche. In this, Lewis prefigured an approach to novel writing that later writers have adopted (e.g., Wicked, Wide Sargasso Sea, etc.)

"Till We Have Faces" is not, as some reviewers have suggested, "just a fairy tale," although it is hard to imagine that Lewis would have rejected that appellation, given that other great writer of fairy tales, George MacDonald. Also, it is very much a work with a Christian viewpoint and themes. The fact that so many reviewers have said otherwise should indicate that it not didactic or entirely unsubtle. The characters are pagans, but the theme is undeniably Christian. It is almost an allegory, but that would imply that the meaning is buried beneath a layer of representation, which it is not. In any event, the Christian theme is easy to understand if one recrognizes that Cupid is the God of love, and there is only one true God.

Reading Lewis' Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold made me think of how much of our lives can be spent "being" what we were not intended to be. The more alarming thought was we can also not realize it...

Not my cup of tea!

Orual has to be the singularly most unsympathetic character in literature. Bossy, manipulative, she uses blackmail – threatening to kill both herself and her sister, Psyche – to get her way which then destroys the paradise Psyche is enjoying.

The story reminds me of the book of Job. The first part is full of Orual’s complaints of how cruel the gods are, etc. And then in the second part, God appears like the whirlwind in Job, silencing Orual’s complaints, but not really answering them.

The original Greek myth is much more enjoyable without the theological baggage Lewis adds to the text.

A neat twist looking at it from the older sister's point of view. She truly believes she loves her sister. Her love like many of our loves is conditional and fear based. It isn't until she is compelled to write her story that the process of self-awareness takes hold and she goes through the myth herself. As she does this her true love for Psyche and all the others including herself grow as well.

There are few books in the world that make you pause, which leave you breathless and strangely still. This retelling of the famous Greek myth explores the deeper layers beneath our daily masks to the darker underbellies of ourselves that we dare not share even with ourselves. I have read hundreds of books over my lifetime and this book by far is the greatest book I have ever read not only for its simple eloquence and poetic prose but also the quiet journey of the human soul it gently leads the reader on.

I read this book in one sitting. It was less important that it was well written, and what was written about, than the character behind it. Orual's character is explained in great detail through her actions and how she analyzes herself for the first part of the book. She tells a fascinating story of a woman who has lost everything and blames the gods. She is ugly and will never be loved; her sister she adores she destroys out of love; the kindest treatment she receives is from those who look at her as a man. The results are a hardened and bitter woman. She has reigned as a great queen but lost her humanity. She has no life or love to look back upon, and all is a cruel joke. She has been wronged horribly. She finishes with a denunciation of the gods. But as Orual starts in with the second part of the book, her entire manner has changed. Other people have become more open to her, offered her new perspectives. Her younger sister she thought despised her was lonely. The man she loved she worked to death because she was blind to his own needs. Although it is not pleasant, she begins to see how selfish and blind she has been. As she sees things differently, her feelings soften. It's amazing to see, mostly because we have all had similar experiences. We see what happens, assume we understand it, and paint for ourselves a story. It is only later that someone or something else opens our eyes (almost literally, when Orual is on top of the mountain) and we feel remorse, shame, or compassion. We are seldom honest with ourselves. She admits at the start of the second book that to leave the story as she first saw it would be to lie. As she re-examines the evidence, she is forced to admit her conclusions were wrong. Fortunately, there is redemption for her, even after all of her shortcomings. The wrongs she has committed against loved ones are righted by the very gods she denounced. We, too, so often discover how narrow and clouded and short our own vision is. C. S. Lewis has managed to explore some of the emotions we all feel and assumptions we all make. In Till We Have Faces, he has revealed clearly part of what makes us human.

I have never read a book with such power to haunt, to inspire. Till We Have Faces held me spellbound the first time I read it, and it's power has done nothing but increase with each re-reading. There are thoughts expressed here, thoughts that perhaps each of us have known on the flickering edge of our consciousness, but have never known to put into words. This book is incredible in the way that it matches gritty realism with a soaring myth, and make the myth so much more powerful because it becomes real. Reading this powerful book will change you.

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold is the most novelistic of the many books by C. S. Lewis. But don't expect it to satisfy on that level. All of Lewis' fiction is an allegorical exploration of man's relationship to God. Till We Have Faces deals particularly with the question of why God seems so distant.

The story is a carefully crafted version of the Greek myth of Psyche, a mortal woman who has a difficult romance with the god Eros. The point of view is that of a homely sister, Orual, who is consumed by unrecognized jealously at being ignored (as she supposes) by the gods. Over time, experience develops in her an independent spirit - a "face" of her own - that qualifies her to converse with God.

I enjoyed this book much more 30 years ago, when the pleasant narrative and the dream-fantasy sequences were enough to carry the allegory. But in my latest reading, the relatively weak characterization and the lack of real challenge in the protagonist's life detracts from the effect.

I respect C. S. Lewis highly as a clear-minded Christian theologian. But like princess Orual, his life experience was hardly rich enough to support the weight of his message.

Most fortunate was the day I stumbled across this book while rummaging through my mother's library. Of all the books I have read thus far, I believe "Till We Have Faces" the most poignant and the most profound. C.S. Lewis uses the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche as a basis for his tale of two sisters, one guiltless and beautiful, the other good but ugly of face. He employs their lives as an allegory of the incarnation and sacrifice of Christ to answer the timeless question of why God allows bad things to happen to good people.
Superficially, "Till We Have Faces" is a grave and at times grim fairytale of the sister princesses Orual and Istra in the dark primeval kingdom of Glome. The book is constructed as the complaint of the homely Orual (who comes to represent a virtuous, but flawed mankind) against the gods for the sorrows of her life.
Through the embittered Orual coming to see her own selfishness of heart and how futile it is to try to fathom the designs of the divine with mere mortal reasoning, Lewis does not belittle human sorrow or suffering in comparison to the greatness of God, but rather attempts to represent salvation as a power to heal the deepest wounds and the greatest sorrows.

This book by C.S. Lewis is perhaps one of the finest books of the twentieth century. Without even going into its ability to sum up one of the toughest questions of Chistianity, I would say Lewis wrote an imaginitive book that parrallells nothing I've read yet. His main character Orual, who is neither the protagonist nor antagonist, searches for the answer to why her god can allow evil into her world of ancient Rome. Lewis created such a realistic character in Orual that in the first section you sympathize with her adversities, but when you get to the second part you realize along with Orual that she and perhaps yourself have have been looking out an opaque glass at both yourself and the world around you. This in affect makes you question yourself and asks the supreme question of whether or not you truly have a face. Not only does this book so magically entertwine the subjects I have only touched the tip of the iceberg for, but C.S. Lewis also reaches out with all of his imaginative powers to grasp his readers in a lock they can't resist until they've finished his book. I strongly reccomend taking the time to read this book it will change your view of both Christianity, philosophy, and it will also raise your standards for literature.

probably one of the most incredible books that I've ever read. Read most of his works, but this one is incisive and piercing every time I revisit the agony of reality it presents. "Lekhem panim" in hebrew refers to the bread of G-d's presence, but literally translated is "bread of faces" and resides in the Holy Place. Something that we need for the nourishment of our souls, and CS Lewis is definitely the consumate baker.

I was assigned to read this book for an intensive wrinting course at brigham young university. Needless to say i wasn't very excited about the assignment. It seemed like high school all over again, and besides, i was still trying to finish "King Lear" by shakespeare. and i'm still struggling to finish it. But anyways, "Till we have faces" was a great book. I'm sure you don't want me to ruin the book for you, but i'll tell you that it was a great story, taken from the greek myth about psyche and cupid (if you haven't read the greek myth, you're still okay, and you won't get lost in the story). But the novel is about two sisters (they have a third, but she isn't important). One of the sisters is really ugly, and the other is beautiful. the town has a plague, and the beautiful daughter is to be the sacrifice for the plague to go away. so they decided to sacrifice her. Lots of things happen after that regarding the beautiful sister (psyche) and the ugly sister (orual). Orual eventually becomes the queen of the land and she's a good queen, does lots of wonderful things, but eventually she decides to write down her life story when she's very old. so she does. but eventually Lewis has to end the book (maybe he was tired) so orual dies, and the story's over. If you want to know the details of the book, you're just gonna have to read it yourself, because i don't want to ruin it by telling to much, because i'm afraid i already have, although i hope i haven't really. So that's the book, buy it, read it, and ENJOY IT. Have fun, it's not as long as it seems, the time goes by really fast when you read it, so don't lose track of the world around you, or you'll end up late for work or something.

"Are the gods not just, then?" "Oh, no. What would become of us if they were?"
Orual lashes out at the gods for the things that have come to pass in her life. She demands proof of their existence, and then later, a meeting; a hearing of sorts, face to face, where she can present her case and accuse them. Why did they take all she cherished away from her? Are they really there, or is it all just a cruel trick? Why are they silent? In this story that so deftly reveals our prides and passions, Lewis shows that when we encounter Diety, we've come across something so far beyond us that our thoughts and imaginings are undone. Some of us will surrender into Diety's keeping with joy, others reel back in hatred. It's not allegorical. It's sweeter, more subtle, and more powerful than that. The telling of the tale through the lens of Greek myth shows the stoke of the master artist at work. Holding on; letting go; pride; surrender. I've seen no other work that so aptly plays out the fabric of our lives torn between Heaven and earth, between love and pride, between the sacred and the profane.

To be sure Till We Have Faces is written poignantly, eloquently and descriptively in the style our parent's and grandparent's generation came to expect from C.S. Lewis. Lewis is at his core a master story teller. Like his popular work (Chronicles of Narnia) this one flows along, captivating the reader and often delivering the unexpected. However, a good exists reason why Till We Have Faces never reached the popularity and acclaim of C.S. Lewis' other works.

In his retelling of the Latin novel Metamorphoses (the story of Cupid and Psyche) Lewis rewrites the story with a more ambivalent motive and a different character for the heroine. The story remains mostly faithful to the original but many odd and unbelievable passages exist in the book; contradictions that cannot be overlooked. First, we are led to believe that young Orual (central character) is magnificently endowed with the powers of persuasion, natural authority, god-like bravery and ruthless discipline when she is suddenly made Queen. For the first portion of the novel Lewis paints Orual as a kind if homely, playful if brave, emotional and sentimental character. We are given no indication that such a fantastic transformation of her character would seem possible so quickly (even after her grueling pilgrimage up a mountain). Furthermore Lewis would have us believe that the King, who had a palace soldier castrated for secretly courting his other daughter, would run a household whereby Orual could merely slip away for two days without being noticed by the King's servants and confidants. The Queenly, warrior-like personality shift that Orual undergoes as her father dies is sudden, awkward and the reader is unlikely to believe the transformation. Once Lewis commits this transgression the rest of the novel takes on an unbelievable tone. Meek Orual, now Queen, slaughters men in battle, wages war and rules with an iron fist.

Many other passages exist in the novel that are puzzling. For example, the King is consistently portrayed as a brute that beats and insults his daughter, and executes, punishes and humiliates men arbitrarily. And yet one of the novel's most noble and trusted characters, Bardia, states "....he's no bad master to soldiers, shepherds, huntsmen and the like." Likewise, the castrated soldier reappears towards the end of the novel. The eunuch has somehow survived his disgrace and sentence of hard labor, miraculously reintroducing himself as an ambassador to a powerful King from a far away land. Unbelievable? Till We Have faces is peppered and ultimately drained by these sorts of small but ultimately damaging contradictions and flaws.

For all of his beautiful writing and occasionally triumphant literary sequences, C.S. Lewis delivered an inconsistent, disjointed work with Till We Have Faces. His more notable works show a thoughtfulness and a maturity that Till We Have Faces simply never achieved.

C.S. Lewis retells the myth of Cupid and Psyche, making Psyche's sister the narrator. He changes the myth slightly, and the story starts considerably earlier in the order of things than does the myth that we all know.

Lewis brings his theological and philosophical skills to bear on such questions as whether gods perform evil acts, whether humans are capable of understanding their actions, and how events appear to different observers. A tour de force.

To call this merely a book, is like calling Niagra Falls, merely a water fountain. CS Lewis takes you on a tour of your soul, showing how the dragons and demons within, are ten times more frightening than the demons without. I tremble at how clearly Lewis can hold up a mirror and force us to look in it, and yet have us walk away with MORE compassion on ourselves and others. CS Lewis' lifetime of work, suffering and joy, is boiled down into this one book. Reading it is a life-changing event. But it will mean more to you if you read certain CS Lewis books first, especially Mere Christianity, Surprised by Joy, The Weight of Glory, Miracles and The Great Divorce. This is truly CS Lewis "dessert". Don't miss it, but save it for last.

Upon my first reading of this book as a rather fundamentalist Christian teenager, I was disappointed with its seeming lack of an "overt" Christian message. During my second reading (and following a conversion to Roman Catholicism) approximately 15 years later, I was moved tremendously by protagonist Orual's tendency to clothe herself in defensive strength rather than yielding to faith. The book suddenly seemed very "modern" to me. I smiled as I wondered what Lewis would think if he were able to see (and indeed, hopefully he is) how accurately the book he wrote some 30 years ago reflects the struggle of women in the '90s. There is something deep lurking in this spare and somber prose for female AND male readers. If you have ever longed to plunge into mystery, to learn to balance your ultra-rational side with the faith-filled portion of your soul, then I strongly recommend this book to you. (By Lori Pike, on a friend's E-Mail)

The first time I read this book, it entranced me. To put it tritely, "I could not put it down." This book is amazingly enchanting, though can seem a bit obtuse. I confess, I had to re-read it before I began to understand the point. You will find yourself discovering new facets of the story each time you read it, which I have done several times. It is a piercingly beautiful story, written with Lewis' clear, sharp talent.

I give this book 5 stars only because there is no 6 star option. From the very beginning, the book grabbed me and pulled me into a deep, but extremely followable plot. C.S. Lewis uses his skillful word choice and masterful story telling to put the reader directly in every situation, action, and thought. The situations presented to you all throughout the book are explored in full detail until it almost feels as if the decisions made were your own and not the character's. Besides being a joy to read, this book also makes you think. Lewis does a good job of putting just enough spin on the old fable until it seems as if the fable really should have been written his way to start off with. You'll find yourself second-guessing old assumptions you have, and re-addressing your thoughts, fears, feelings, and judgments. If you're looking for a book to put you to sleep at night, this is not the book for you. But if you're looking for a book that's fun to read, interesting, and deeply engaging--a book you can treasure forever--Till We Have Faces is what you're looking for.

Lewis had been thinking about the story of Cupid and Psyche for decades, going so far as to try writing a new version of Lucius Apuleius Platonicus' METAMORPHOSES (circa 125 A.D.) in poetry. He abandoned the poetry in favor of a prose story, and I think TILL WE HAVE FACES the best of his novels. It is one of those works that fits the cliche "I couldn't put the book down." Highly recommended.

C. S. Lewis again weaves personal philosophy into a magical story. Much more than a children's fable, Till We Have Faces is a retold myth about three princesses: one beautiful, one ugly, one perfect. Spell-binding and thought-provoking, this novel delves into Orual's intense struggle to discover herself. What she ultimately finds is a pure inner love that equals all beauty. Orual's teacher and mentor, The Fox, exemplifies wisdom and rational thinking. Schooled in logic, he teaches Orual to shun the blind following of common thought and to test truth for herself. Because of the young princess's admiration of The Fox, she comes to question many of the traditional customs and beliefs of her people. Orual's acquisition of knowledge is of itself unusual in her kingdom as she is a woman. On the other hand, Psyche represents the metaphysical realm of imagination. Her ability to heal her diseased subjects by her touch is one evidence of her divinity. Unparalleled beauty and goodness are qualities she alone possesses. Too perfect for her mortality, she is wedded to a god and taken to live in a golden palace. Caught between her love for The Fox and Psyche, Orual is an embodiment of the struggle between the rational and supernatural. When she stabs herself in the arm, Orual convinces Psyche of her seriousness and concern. But more importantly, this action symbolizes Orual's grasping for reality; in a physical sense, she attempts to convince herself that her world is not one of mystical gods and imaginary palaces. As she persuades Psyche to steal a glance at her husband's face, her realism speaks out and is the source of torment to Psyche as well as to herself. Yet when she herself views the palace of the gods, her reason submits itself to wonder and belief. Even the supernatural must be subject to reason and be proven with Orual's own eyes. As time distances her from Psyche and she takes over the affairs of her kingdom, the Orual of fantasy is lost to a Queen of reason. The veil that Orual dons to disguise her frightful appearance is symbolic of her disillusionment; no one, not even Orual herself, truly knows who she is. Some villagers eventually come to believe that she hides her face because it is unbearably beautiful. They do not even consider the fact that her face might be hideous because of her valiant and majestic actions as Queen. Her engagement in a fencing match and her courageous defense of her country and allies forever solidifies Orual's noble reputation. Her nobility of character paints a face, at least in her subjects' eyes, that is exquisite. The veil hides her face, but symbolically it hides the past. Orual thinks less and less of Psyche as the years go by. But just as her face is still present behind the veil, so is her memory and love of Psyche. Orual begins to experience unusual dreams that are so real she feels like she's living them. They prove to be manifestations of her commitment to Psyche and the devotion she never stopped giving her. The new priest of Ungit is a representation of Orual's realization of truth. The old priest had frightened her because of his supposedly awesome powers, but Arnom's powers are not at all mysterious to her. Orual finally understands that the bird-like masks, holy rituals, and bloody sacrifices were created by her ancestors and became traditions of her people; she relates these traditions with The Fox's Greek beliefs in the gods and goddesses whose actions explain the natural phenomena of nature, such as rain and harvest. Just as Orual is finally able to define her beliefs, she ultimately is capable of defining herself. However, she first sees herself in the wrong light when she compares herself to Ungit. Like Ungit, she is ugly, and no one can fully comprehend her character. Like Ungit, she is revered. Like Ungit, she is not perfect. Orual's love for Bardia is tainted with selfishness. She fails to see his ever-weakening state as he faithfully serves her. Orual's confrontation with Bardia's wife opens her eyes to her own cruelty. But for a brief moment when she admits her deep love, she literally and symbolically takes off her veil and catches a glimpse of the person she is. That person is Psyche, not Ungit. When the veil is forever stripped from her face and her understanding is complete, Orual sees herself in true light. She is Psyche; her love for her allowed Orual to live for Psyche. Her beauty is perfect. C. S. Lewis forces his reader to ask himself, "What veil do I wear, and what do I hide in wearing it? Do I know who I really am under such a facade?" As we contemplate these questions, we are forced to see ourselves in a new, untainted light. The final question we must ask ourselves is this: "Can we, like Orual, discover a balance between our fantasies and realities that ultimately reveals our inner beauty?"

The book "Till we have faces" is a retold myth by C. S. Lewis. The original myth was found in one of the few still known Latin novels, the Metamorphoses of Lucius Apuleius Platonicus, who lived around 125 A.D. The story talks about two princesses, one unattractive and the other one beautiful. The older one, who is also the unattractive one, was named Orual. She wrote the story in her older age, because then she did not have any fear anymore. It is written from her point of view. In the beginning of her story she explains, in her own words, the reason of writing the story down: "I will accuse the gods, especially the god who lives on the Grey Mountain. I will tell all he has done to me from the very beginning, as if I were making my complaint of him before a judge." (page 3; Chapter 1) The story begins with Orual getting a new sister named Istra or Psyche who was the beautiful princess. Her mom, Orual's stepmother, died while giving birth. The king, and father of the sisters, was very angry of having another girl instead of finally having a son. Because of that Orual raised and loved Psyche like her own child. They both had a wonderful and loving relationship. One day a fever came to their city. It was Psyche who nursed the Fox, their teacher. After his recovery, Batta -- their nanny-- spread the story of "how the beautiful princess could cure the fever by her touch; soon, that her touch was the only thing that could cure it." (page 30; Chapter 3) Psyche went out and tried to touch sick people to make them believe she could save them. Unfortunately, many people were not healed and suddenly a brute was also seen coming down from the Mountain. Because of these events the people said that Psyche was the source, "the accursed one". The belief was that things like that could only be cured with a human sacrifice. That sacrifice had to be special. Ungit, the God, did not only want just any human, but rather the most perfect human. The people's choice fell on Psyche. She was sacrificed and so Orual lost her beloved sister. When Orual went to the place of the sacrifice, thinking that she would find at least a few body parts of Psyche she found her near alive and well. She could not see what Psyche saw. She was shocked about the rule Psyche had to live by; every night after dark her husband came and spend the night with her, but she was not allowed to see him. Orual, who thought that was strange, convinced her sister to light the oil lamp and to look at him while he was sleeping. As she did what she was told a drop of hot oil woke him up. He got very angry with her and punished her and made her suffer. Since then Orual had to live with her knowledge of being guilty for her sister's sufferings. She would always hear Psyche's wining voice wherever she went. Whatever she tried her life changed dramatically. For me from this point of the book on it got more interesting. The rest of the book helps us to understand why the book is called "Till we have faces" . . . even the most unattractive person could look really beautiful. Reading the book one has many opportunities to think about certain points and views in one's life.

Why, oh, WHY write ANOTHER review of this book! Because it captures the soul. Like multitudes of others before me, I've read it numerous times. It IS a masterpiece. The themes, emotions, depth and sheer beauty of this work are unmatched by any fictional literature I've ever read. Don't bother to borrow it from a friend or the library. You'll want it on your bookshelf.

UPON THE CHORE OF MOVING ALL OF OUR STUFF TO ANOTHER CITY....
I had the job of selecting the ones I will keep. When I came down to Till We Have Faces, I looked thru it till I realized that it was only one I had failed to read! So it will be my next read after unpacking!

I have enjoyed the first few reviews here printed! I believe I have More C.S. Lewis than any other Author! It seems that my favorite ones have been The Four Loves, The Seven Storey Mountain, The Asian Journal, New Seeds of Contemplation, CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER, DIALOGUES WITH SILENCE! AS I RECALL BEING IN LOUISVILLE, I DROVE TO THE MONASTERY OF GETHSEMENE and I saw the little house in which he spent time in Solitude writing.

When I sat in the Choir for Morning Prayers, plus later in the day for other times of prayer, I realized the Power of Silence & Prayer connected to the litergy of Chants & Hymns! I surely returned to my Prison Chaplain's office with renewed Vigor!
Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

I think I got confused while reading this book I hope that I am not the only one. When you are done reading it you think you see what Lewis is trying to say and then it disappears like last nights dream. But all in all Lewis put words together and spins the tale better than a spider spins a web you get caught up in it and cant put it down.
Great Awsome and as I said I need to read it again.

I have been told "Till We Have Faces" was one of C.S. Lewis's most challenging works, so I hadn't read it up until now. I have to say I missed something. This is a beautiful book, not like Lewis's standard fare at all. If he usually writes "red beef and strong beer", this is dessert.

But the Kindle version, I'm sorry to say, was only readable for me for about a third of the way through. After that typos and strange constructions distracted me so much I returned it. I'll look for another copy - probably somewhere other than the store. I am disappointed how inconsistent their Kindle library is - you shouldn't have to feel like you're taking chances when you buy a book!

This novel is a wonderful cross-over that will be enjoyed by fans of C.S. Lewis, Greek mythology, Adventure, and Philosophy. Those who are familiar with the story of Cupid and Psyche will not be bored by redundancy due to the deep character of the narrator and her personal plot.

If the purpose of the author's pen is to immerse you into the experiences of the characters in a book, C.S. Lewis exceedingly succeeds. I for one love the way that Lewis uses the English language to twist, stretch, and connect unused and unthought of analogies. I quite often found myself repeating phrases that deserved more than a cursory scan. This is Lewis' most mature foray into allegorical literature and is an attestation to his humility and brilliance.

Save for the science fiction trilogy, this was Lewis's only venture into adult fiction, and he considered it his best work. Unfortunately, reviews at the time were tepid, and, daunted, he did not try again. This is a shame, as the novel is a brilliant read, and should acquire classic status. The story is told by Orual, Psyche's ugly sister, and it is her voice, at once erudite and lucid, that lends the novel its charm and power. Lewis made one mistake: he added a section at the end tying the novel closer to the myth. The first section forms a perfect whole. My advice: read the second section once, but discard it on subsequent readings.

I typically read a book and then pass it on. Rarely will I keep a book and re-read it. The novels that I have read multiple times are Adam Bede and Middlemarch by George Elliot, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis. The strong female character with her distinct voice holds me captive every time. While the ending always feels a bit messy, getting there is such a pleasure, I have gone back to enjoy it over and over again.

Dear reader, I agree with you wholeheartedly that Till We Have Faces is an interesting book, but I do not think that the dear departed would appreciate being reffered to in the feminine. I know many great writers have suffered persecution both during and after their lives, and I realize you may not have known any better (which makes me wonder how you could have really enjoyed TWHF) but so as not to confuse any other readers or potential readers, CS Lewis was a man. Clive Staples may not have been the best name and he may have gotten beat up once or twice for it in elementary school, but please don't confuse him with a girl.

This is one of my favorite novels. It is everything a novel should be: compelling characters, beautiful writing, well plotted. Lewis has written his novel from the point of view of a minor character (the jealous step-sister) in the well known myth of Cupid and Psyche. In this, Lewis prefigured an approach to novel writing that later writers have adopted (e.g., Wicked, Wide Sargasso Sea, etc.)

"Till We Have Faces" is not, as some reviewers have suggested, "just a fairy tale," although it is hard to imagine that Lewis would have rejected that appellation, given that other great writer of fairy tales, George MacDonald. Also, it is very much a work with a Christian viewpoint and themes. The fact that so many reviewers have said otherwise should indicate that it not didactic or entirely unsubtle. The characters are pagans, but the theme is undeniably Christian. It is almost an allegory, but that would imply that the meaning is buried beneath a layer of representation, which it is not. In any event, the Christian theme is easy to understand if one recrognizes that Cupid is the God of love, and there is only one true God.

If Mr. Lewis had turned his mind toward science instead of literature, we'd have those flying cars they promised us by the year 2000. I thought I'd read everything C.S.L. had ever written until I came across this book in a used book store. I loved it. If I really like a book I will read it more than once, but this is the first time I've ever finished a book, flipped it over, and started back through it imeadiately. I've read it four times in the last few years and just started through it again. I've also purchased copies of it for my friends - another sign that I really like a book.

I can't say enough good about Till We Have Faces. This deep, strange, profoundly Christian book changed my life when, as a young agnostic attorney, I read it in 1985 and realized I was reading an allegory about, of all things, a religion (Christianity) which until then I'd dismissed as shallow myth. Till We Have Faces woke me up. Since then I've learned it's I who am shallow. I can't see His depth because I lack eyes. I can't see His face because I don't have a face. Christ's purpose is to help us shape our divine face if only we're willing. As Hamlet realized: "The readiness is all."

I have read 'Till We Have Faces' many times and it has something new and important to say to me each time we encounter one another. This retelling of the Eros and Psyche Myth from the point of view of Psyche's sisters is still fresh and powerful even after so many years. Because it is a myth in itself its power to move and change the reader will never die. Like a many faceted crystal Lewis' work sheds light into some very dark places and there discovers beauty.

C.S. Lewis is so good at mixing faith with stories. Maybe that's why his stories are the most gripping. This retelling of Psyche and Eros is unpredictable and very moving. If Narnia is for children then "Faces" is a teaching fable for all adults.

For all C.S.Lewis fans this book is a 'must-read'. The story really draws you in and you feel you are really living in the harsh olden-times in which this book is set. The book finishes in typical C.S.Lewis fashion with a 'happy-ever-after' Christian theme. There is a strong Christian thread in the 2nd-half of the book, but it is more like an historical myth in the first half. There is a magic and a wonder about the story which shows Lewis at his best. The heroine of the book is made to see her motives for what they really were and herself as she really is, but everything works out well at the very end!

Oh, wow. C.S.Lewis, How do you DO it? He took a simple myth, gave it life and history and plausibility... and beyond that, made it a passionate description of our innermost struggle with pride and acceptance. Simple enough for anyone to read, the story hooks you in, the truth hits you deep.

I bought this book for a literature class, only knowing that I liked the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis, and hoping I'd like this one as well.

I was very pleased. I could hardly put this book down, and that's not something I say often in regards to assigned reading material. The style is fluid, easy to read, although it was a surprise -- at first -- to realize it was a 1st person tale.

I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to read a mythological fiction work with a unique take to it.

For anyone who enjoys reading tales of the classic greek gods, goddeses and heroes of ancient Greece and Rome then this book is a must. An excellent adaptation of the classic story of Cupid and Psyche, C.S. Lewis retells the story beautifully. His rendition of the story is extraordinary and the book tells the story in such a vivid and fascinating way. For anyone at all who enjoys Greek Mythology this book is a must. Not only is it a great read but it is a book worthy of being called a classic. :)

Often Lewis' darker characters make me I cringe at the reflection I see in his mirror. This story was no exception. Orual's journey from innocence to confrontation with the gods has a familiar ring. A beautiful myth remade, the story is told with depth and compassion, yet with no sacrifice to the harsh realities of living and loving under the gaze of what feels like the capriciousness of the gods. Reading it again...

Till We Have Faces is an amazing, wonderful book. I love Lewis's style; at once thought-provoking, half-humourous, and deep. The characters are so clear and precise, there is no mistaking who they are. In fact, I have ceased to view them as 'characters', but now I think of them as people.
The story itself is so intricate and deep that you feel as though you can never quite comprehend it entirely. I have read the book three times, and I still stumble across new things that I have never seen before. Just like the Chronicles of Narnia, this book bears the marks of a true classic.
I highly recommend this book. However, don't read it if you don't want to have to think too hard. At times, the reality of the story can be disturbing.

Retold in Lewis' own words, the myth renewed itself and kept me infatuated with it for days until I was done reading.
After the first few pages, I was convinced I would not like the book, as its not my usual style of reading. However, after the first chapter I could not put it down. To anyone who enjoys Lewis' works or this fantasy type of story, I highly recommend this book.

Lewis skillfully retells the Greek mythological story of Psyche in a way that explores the way a modern seeker views God. A great read for anyone who believes they have a complaint against God in his dealing with them.

I bought this book on recommendation from a friend and I could not agree with her positive opinions more. The story was engaging and exciting. I found myself identifying with the characters while at the same time wondering at their actions and words. Also, I found that while most books have unsatisfactory endings, this book has one of the best last paragraphs I've ever read.

This book is probably the most touching book I have ever read. And I have read a lot of books. There are so many moments where Lewis reveals his heart, and the whole book is a revealing of the Love of God. This is a book i have read through multiple times and have found something new each time. God gifted Lewis beautifully, and this book is one of the best showings of this gift. In short, this is a must read. This is a great book to help you look deeper into the Love of Christ, and reflect on how you accept that love. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Of all the fictional work by C. S. Lewis, this is the most mature in that he took time to craft the novel more than in previous works. It is a beautiful picture of Christianity. Just as Christians have a "husband" (God) that cannot be seen, He still is taking care of them and loving them. Although young readers can enjoy the novel on a story level, it will take a mature reader to see the symbolism and appreciate the various emotional levels of the book. It should be read and re-read.

Vivid, rich, and earthy, Till We Have Faces is Lewis's fictional writing at its best. The characters stand out, and will stick in your mind, with Lewis's keen description of their passion and pain. If only more myths were retold and remade this well.

However, for all of its strengths Till We Have Faces suffers from the common weakness of Lewis . . . his tendency to be preachy, and to damage his story by being heavy handed with the point he wants to make. The story would have been more startling, thought provoking, and well written if Lewis had ended the tale after the first part. Nonetheless, the central strengths of this story bears it up and in the end it remains a well worthwhile read.

Another in a long line of great works by one of my favorite authors. C.S. Lewis takes a well known story & turns it into something magical. I was drawn into Orual's world, felt what she felt, saw what she saw, & was left feeling satisfied with the ending.

This is truly one of the most moving and epic stories I have ever read. Orual and Psyche can come to represent any one of us in our everyday lives. A journey of moral development, coping with jealousy, and sibling love and rivalry. This is possibly the greatest of Lewis's works. Anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia is sure to love Till We Have Faces

I read the Narnia series when I was young, and loved it, but I remembered not being too impressed with how the books were written... after reading Till We Have Faces I think I can safely say that I abhor Lewis' writing style. The story itself is interesting, but the exorbitant word count and choppy sentence structure so deflected this reader's attention that I found myself either falling asleep or daydreaming of other things constantly while attempting to read it. The countless parenthetical asides are so irrelevant to the story that after the first couple of chapters, I just skipped over all of the parentheses throughout the rest of the book. I hate to leave a book unfinished, so I eventually got through it, but it was painfully slow-going, as it never held my attention for very long in a sitting.

This book is an uncanny display of how Lewis writes from a female perspective--and succeeds most excellently (see all the ecstatic reviews?). Lewis was a master thinker, observer, writer, and story-teller. Till We Have Faces awes me, for Lewis artfully writes from a very Other perspective. He does this so very well in That Hideous Strength, as well (third in his sci-fi trilogy). Enjoyable! Wah-hoo!

This was one of those all nighter's for me.
It's an incredible myth woven beautifully. Lewis nevers ceases to amaze me. Using the old tale of Cupid and Psyche he has written a haunting novel. Written as a testament against the gods, it's the story of Queen Orual, she gives a careful account of her life and of her greivances with the gods.
It's a little slow going at first, but trust me, it's well worth the wait.

I've just finished reading this and must say I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't expect the story to be such a clear picture of a woman's psychological maturation. The story's protagonist moves from self-pity through a life of concealed pain, and ends with her final triumph. It holds up a mirror to the way we live our lives, firmly stuck in ourselves - and when all of those prejudices and ego-tricks fall away, we get to see reality from a wider perspective. We are changed forever.

The book is classic Lewis - moving, funny and entirely compelling.

I bought this book on recommendation from a friend and I could not agree with her positive opinions more. The story was engaging and exciting. I found myself identifying with the characters while at the same time wondering at their actions and words. Also, I found that while most books have unsatisfactory endings, this book has one of the best last paragraphs I've ever read.

This book is probably the most touching book I have ever read. And I have read a lot of books. There are so many moments where Lewis reveals his heart, and the whole book is a revealing of the Love of God. This is a book i have read through multiple times and have found something new each time. God gifted Lewis beautifully, and this book is one of the best showings of this gift. In short, this is a must read. This is a great book to help you look deeper into the Love of Christ, and reflect on how you accept that love. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Of all the fictional work by C. S. Lewis, this is the most mature in that he took time to craft the novel more than in previous works. It is a beautiful picture of Christianity. Just as Christians have a "husband" (God) that cannot be seen, He still is taking care of them and loving them. Although young readers can enjoy the novel on a story level, it will take a mature reader to see the symbolism and appreciate the various emotional levels of the book. It should be read and re-read.

Vivid, rich, and earthy, Till We Have Faces is Lewis's fictional writing at its best. The characters stand out, and will stick in your mind, with Lewis's keen description of their passion and pain. If only more myths were retold and remade this well.

However, for all of its strengths Till We Have Faces suffers from the common weakness of Lewis . . . his tendency to be preachy, and to damage his story by being heavy handed with the point he wants to make. The story would have been more startling, thought provoking, and well written if Lewis had ended the tale after the first part. Nonetheless, the central strengths of this story bears it up and in the end it remains a well worthwhile read.

Another in a long line of great works by one of my favorite authors. C.S. Lewis takes a well known story & turns it into something magical. I was drawn into Orual's world, felt what she felt, saw what she saw, & was left feeling satisfied with the ending.

This is truly one of the most moving and epic stories I have ever read. Orual and Psyche can come to represent any one of us in our everyday lives. A journey of moral development, coping with jealousy, and sibling love and rivalry. This is possibly the greatest of Lewis's works. Anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia is sure to love Till We Have Faces

I read the Narnia series when I was young, and loved it, but I remembered not being too impressed with how the books were written... after reading Till We Have Faces I think I can safely say that I abhor Lewis' writing style. The story itself is interesting, but the exorbitant word count and choppy sentence structure so deflected this reader's attention that I found myself either falling asleep or daydreaming of other things constantly while attempting to read it. The countless parenthetical asides are so irrelevant to the story that after the first couple of chapters, I just skipped over all of the parentheses throughout the rest of the book. I hate to leave a book unfinished, so I eventually got through it, but it was painfully slow-going, as it never held my attention for very long in a sitting.

This book is an uncanny display of how Lewis writes from a female perspective--and succeeds most excellently (see all the ecstatic reviews?). Lewis was a master thinker, observer, writer, and story-teller. Till We Have Faces awes me, for Lewis artfully writes from a very Other perspective. He does this so very well in That Hideous Strength, as well (third in his sci-fi trilogy). Enjoyable! Wah-hoo!

This was one of those all nighter's for me.
It's an incredible myth woven beautifully. Lewis nevers ceases to amaze me. Using the old tale of Cupid and Psyche he has written a haunting novel. Written as a testament against the gods, it's the story of Queen Orual, she gives a careful account of her life and of her greivances with the gods.
It's a little slow going at first, but trust me, it's well worth the wait.

I've just finished reading this and must say I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't expect the story to be such a clear picture of a woman's psychological maturation. The story's protagonist moves from self-pity through a life of concealed pain, and ends with her final triumph. It holds up a mirror to the way we live our lives, firmly stuck in ourselves - and when all of those prejudices and ego-tricks fall away, we get to see reality from a wider perspective. We are changed forever.

The book is classic Lewis - moving, funny and entirely compelling.

I'm not a big C.S. Lewis fan. He writes well, but I dont really care for his overall stories. However, TWHF is a book that even readers who dont like Lewis' normal over-the-top christian themes can enjoy. I know I did.

I struggled with this book from the very beginning. I look at all the 5 star reviews and wonder what is wrong with me but the book was boring and never went anywhere. I found myself wading through a lot of unnecessary verbiage that only made it all go that much slower. And the story itself didn't grab me as being worth the read. Maybe I'm too impatient and want the writer to get to the point and have a little excitement, but I didn't find it as one of Lewis' better books even though it is touted as that. I'm not a great fan of Greek mythology and often struggle with Lewis' writing so the combination of these two did me in from the beginning. His writing didn't help me "see" what was happening, nor why. I guess I don't appreciate what the world calls "great" writing.

TWHF is by far, one of the richest, most insightful works of fiction which traces the spiritual autobiography of a character. The truths and depths reflected in this work are marvelous. It is not always an easily accessible work. It must be read several times (at the very least twice) to fully enjoy it and even to grasp some of the basic truths. However, the reader will be greatly rewarded for his or her efforts.

Read this with my 12y-o-daughter. We loved it!! We used the study guide/commentary offered by Veritas Press in their Omnibus curriculum which greatly facilitated our discussion and deepened our understanding of this excellent work by C.S. Lewis.

I'm really very sorry that I cannot agree with most of the reviewers.
I've tried very hard to enjoy this book, but unfortunately it didn't appeal me so much as I hoped.
I was sadly disappointed.
Sometimes during the reading I was tempted to put it off, because I found it slightly *boring*, but I kept on hoping to find something *more*, I had faith in Lewis and hoped I could at last discover and feel the same emotions the other readers were inspired (and I am in such a need for them!).
The book isn't bad at all, it's maybe my fault that it was too much different and diverging from my expectations.
I expected something wonderful, explosive and utterly original, something that could "change my life" with a sort of "epiphany": I wanted to be given strong emotions and shocking existential revelations. I had instead soft hintings and delicate characterization.
It was not what I was looking for.
At least, thanks to C. S. Lewis, I will never forget the myth about Eros and Psyche, and my culture has a bit increased.

My Review is short, this is the best book, I read it as a teenager twice, and I still pick it up and read it for motivation, it really is a book you will not be able to put down, maybe the beginning will sway you the other way, but it is so worth it to stick to the end.

How does C.S. Lewis, with all his charm and insight keep hitting me between the eyes with something written just for me?? As thought provoking as only C.S. can be ... excellent!! Another one to have when on a desert island...

I was immediately drawn in to this story, set in the vaguely mythical kingdom of Glome. It has it all: an angry King, a beautiful princess, and ugly princess, a wise philosopher, brave warriors, and mysterious gods and goddesses. C.S. Lewis's writing is beautiful as always. My only complaint would be the numerous typos in the Kindle version.

You will really enjoy this book. Lewis is one of those rare individuals that is able to express the truth with clarity and power, and you can feel it in your heart. I found this book to be beautiful and exciting and believe that one day we will all have faces.

This book by C.S. Lewis is perhaps one of the finest books of the twentieth century. Without even going into its ability to sum up one of the toughest questions of Chistianity, I would say Lewis wrote an imaginitive book that parrallells nothing I've read yet. His main character Orual, who is neither the protagonist nor antagonist, searches for the answer to why her god can allow evil into her world of ancient Rome. Lewis created such a realistic character in Orual that in the first section you sympathize with her adversities, but when you get to the second part you realize along with Orual that she and perhaps yourself have have been looking out an opaque glass at both yourself and the world around you. This in affect makes you question yourself and asks the supreme question of whether or not you truly have a face. Not only does this book so magically entertwine the subjects I have only touched the tip of the iceberg for, but C.S. Lewis also reaches out with all of his imaginative powers to grasp his readers in a lock they can't resist until they've finished his book. I strongly reccomend taking the time to read this book it will change your view of both Christianity, philosophy, and it will also raise your standards for literature.

Lewis knew well that myths are about meanings--meaning that is to be and must be lived. This retelling, this myth, at each of my readings enlarges my soul, my meaning--if only I can begin to live it. I feel her despair at the tasks before me--I despair of myself (a goodly step!). Lewis has crafted the story to draw one (me) in, to see first the self delusion, then the horror of self feeding on others, the determination and despair to change, and the moves of such a gracious God to transform my ugliness from the core outward, to even redeem it for good, his good and joy. On my first reading over 30 years ago I sobbed with joy when I finished it AND did not know why. Each of the subsequent readings have enlarged my capacity for joy and to bear meaning. How many more of "these visions" can this old body endure and how much more joy can any of us endure?

It is one of my favorite books. I just finished it and I don't have words to describe the power Lewis' symbolism has. His language, word choice and the message are amazing. Read it...you'll love it.

Not what I expected but still a good read. Unlike some of Lewis's other works, this book does not have such obvious links to Christian theology since it is based on Greek polytheism. However, the book does deal with the theme of how our limited knowledge of God and ourselves means we cannot often understand why difficult events in our lives happen from a theological perspective. If Lewis's Narnia books are a fable version of "Mere Christianity" then "Till we Have Faces" is loosely a fable version of "The Problem of Pain".

Orual,the least beautiful of the princesses in the kingdom seems as if she uses the Golden Rule throughout the book. The Golden Rule states to treat people the way you want them to treat you. Orual treats everyone with love because she wants to be loved in return.