On “Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold”: A Book Review

Title: Till We Have Faces:A Myth Retold
Author: C. S. Lewis
Genre: Fiction

About the book…
Written in the 1950’s, Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold is C. S. Lewis’ re-telling of the classic myth of Cupid and Psyche, told from the perspective of Psyche’s older sister, Orual, and recounts how she faces the consequences of her decisions.

What I think…
For those who are fans of The Chronicles of Narnia, this is different in that it is written for adults, but it doesn’t fail to fascinate in its own way.

I love that it’s a re-telling of a myth from a different perspective. To me, it seems like this is something you see more often with fairy tales, but not to as great an extent with mythology (children’s books excluded). Lewis maintains the story of the original myth adding depth to it through the back story he creates with the family history and the culture they live in. By using the voice of Psyche’s sister, he expands on the motives she has for convincing Psyche to light the lamp and look upon Cupid, which provides for a rich, well-rounded character and further adds to this with Orual’s struggle after she realizes what he demands on Psyche has done. I really enjoy this aspect because she instantly becomes a character that you both want to dislike and sympathize with.

Another thing I like about this novel are the many detailed images that bring certain scenes to life. I know this is a bit silly to bring up, since use of details isn’t exactly rare, but for the setting and the time he is establishing, certain scenes in this book will linger with you long after you’ve read it.

To sum it all up…
A beautiful book by a wonderful author, perfect for the mythology lover, and one I will recommend time and time again. ♥