Till We Have Faces

A Myth Retold

De: C. S. Lewis

Narrado por: Wanda McCaddon

C. S. Lewis reworks the timeless myth of Cupid and Psyche into an enduring piece of contemporary fiction in this novel about the struggle between sacred and profane love.

Set in the pre-Christian world of Glome on the outskirts of Greek civilization, it is a tale of two princesses: the beautiful Psyche, who is loved by the god of love himself, and Orual, Psyche's unattractive and embittered older sister, who loves Psyche with a destructive possessiveness. Her frustration and jealousy over Psyche's fate sets Orual on the troubled path of self-discovery.

Lewis's last work of fiction, this is often considered his best by critics.

©1956 C. S. Lewis PTE, Ltd. (P)2000 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"In Mr. Lewis's sensitive hands the ancient myth retains its fascination while being endowed with new meanings, new depths, new terrors." (Saturday Review)

"Whenever Nadia May reads, a sensation of comfort creeps into the atmosphere. Her vocal clarity and understanding of the author's meaning bring pleasure and even security to the listening of each work." (AudioFile)

"The most significant and triumphant work that Lewis has...produced." (New York Herald Tribune)

I would not usually listen to A Book Like This...

I'm more of a science fiction nerd but since this had to do with CS Lewis and also since one of my favorite narrators was involved I took a chance. it was not as riveting as my typical book but it was worth the listen.

Excellent story. Excellent performance.

The voice, in terms of the main character and the performer, was perfectly crafted to make the foreigness of a land filled with kings and gods relatable. I continue to be amazed by CS Lewis.

A book worth reading to the end.

To a person who enjoys books that resemble a motion picture script, this book may seem to be a bit on the boring side. It is full of the mundane nuances of life that carry with it the familiar and perhaps not so exciting. But, it is these intricacies that end up making this book a masterpiece worth reading or listening to. The story takes time to unravel these intricacies and bring to light the darkest motives of our heart that we so often grasp so tightly, as if they were a virtue.

Read it to the end, you won't regret it.

Masterful

I loved every part of this book from beginning to end. The story is engaging. The storyteller was perfect. She captured the tone an pacing exactly. Very few classics are understood with such ease. This book is a giant.

A Brilliant Retelling

He writes beautifully in the first person, capturing the main character’s thoughts succinctly and with such skill that the listener is transported; all the more so for the skill with which the narrator delivers the text. Masterful in its simplicity, yet it leaves one in a reflective state that is the true goal of every great work. The relationship to ones own motives and life story to this parable, and the skill with which it makes that connection, are what make this a classic. C.S. Lewis is regarded as a great for a reason.

#myth #British #ancientGreece

One of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors

Long ago in my early 20s, I had read that CS Lewis considered this to be his favorite book. I read it then and thought, “Oh, jeez. Really?”

Then after another 10 or 15 years had gone by, I tried reading it again and thought, “This is one of the best books I’ve ever read.”

Now even more time has gone by and I discovered it as an Audible selection. It is still as good as I thought the second time I read it. It has that essential element of the fairy tales by George Macdonald. None of the stories is allegory or even exactly metaphor, but they still communicate within the context of the story’s world something essential about our own in a deeply satisfying way.

I’m reminded of CS Lewis saying that it was Macdonald’s Lilith and Phantastes that had baptized his imagination long before he became the world’s most reluctant convert, being dragged, kicking and screaming into the kingdom, eyes darting in every direction looking for a way to escape. I believe, based on everything else I read by him since, he meant he had seen and experienced the truth with his heart and imagination long before his mind was capable of assenting to it.

This reminds me of the line spoken to the main character who had long complained about the gods remaining hidden, not showing themselves, and refusing to give clear and direct answers. She was told, “How can the gods reveal their faces until we have faces?”

Then she asked “Are you saying the gods are not just?” and her old teacher said, “Of course, they’re not just or what would become of us?”

The narrator did a very good job. The production was faulty in that there were four times when one or two sentences were repeated twice.

Till we have faces

Thank you C.S.Lewis for telling us the derp secrets, again. Aw(e)ful and wonderful.

Indispensable

Such depths of meaning Lewis probes here, one should read this every year of one's life. With such brilliant control, he weaves tightly the Christian themes that are touched on in many of his works. I find him an indispensable counsellor, a dear older brother helping me along my own journey through these dark lands.

Weird pauses

This C.S. Lewis masterpiece is beautifully narrated EXCEPT for the odd, kind pauses between sentences, as if it were recorded one line at a time and pieced together later.

interesting and mind sharpening

I kept wondering how the tale would weave itself together. It was interesting enough to keep me from getting frustrated at that. At the end, it would take much for anyone to not acknowledge the self introspection that goes into the writing AND the reading as the tale comes together.