Friday, February 1, 2008

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold

Author: C. S. Lewis

First line: I am old now and have not much to fear from the anger of gods.

Why you should read this book: Lewis retells the ancient myth of Eros and Psyche, in novel form, from the point of view of Psyche's older, decidedly unbeautiful sister, Orual. As in the original, Psyche, a girl whose beauty rivals the gods, is sacrificed, but becomes the bride of Eros, until her sister's skepticism causes her to fall from grace. In Lewis's version, Orual adores her sister beyond measure, and frames her story as a complaint against the gods who stole her beloved, culminating in an understanding of the spiritual nature of mankind and the place earthly love has in keeping individuals from true knowledge of the divine.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You think you're the avatar of Aphrodite.

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