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Cover of Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis

Till We Have Faces

C. S. Lewis

  • 320 pages · about 5 hours
  • First published 1956
  • 25 editions
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1 About this book

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold is a 1956 novel by C. S. Lewis. It is a retelling of Cupid and Psyche, based on the version in The Golden Ass by Apuleius. The myth had haunted Lewis all his life, because he believed that some of the main characters' actions were illogical. As a consequence, he chose to retell the story from the perspective of Psyche's elder sister, a highly developed character, drawing the reader into her reasoning and emotions. This was his last novel, and he considered it his most mature, written in conjunction with his wife, Joy Davidman.

The story is set in the fictional kingdom of Glome, a primitive city-state whose people have occasional contact with civilized Hellenistic Greece. The first part of the book is written from the perspective of Psyche's older sister Orual, as an accusation against the gods.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

  • Fantasy, historical
  • Relationships
  • Religion
  • Princesses
  • Personal Beauty
  • Anger

2 About C. S. Lewis

1898–1963

Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British author, literary scholar and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and Magdalene College, Cambridge (1954–1963).

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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