Bare Face

Name: Bare Face
ISBN: 9787567511484

C. S. Lewis / 曾珍珍East China Normal University Press · ChinaJul 2024

4.8

Word count: 144K words
Chapters: 30
ISBN: 9787567511484

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Summary

This book is C. S. Lewis's retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. The story is set in a barbarous land. The plot unfolds gradually from a disaster, revealing the entanglement and struggle of various forces, as well as the profound shifts in relationships and inner conflicts of the main characters. Readers can observe how the master transplants and transforms the original Greek myth, enriching and deepening its meaning and turning it into a myth that is thought-provoking and must be grasped with the heart.

Editor's review

Till We Have Faces is a profound and distinctive work from C. S. Lewis's later years, markedly different in style from his widely known Chronicles of Narnia or his apologetic writings. Taking the ancient Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche as its source, the book undertakes a bold literary retelling and philosophical reflection. Lewis shifts the narrative perspective from the divine to the human—more precisely, to Psyche's sister, Orual, the figure who in the original myth is driven by jealousy and comes close to being the villain. Through her first-person memoir, Lewis leads the reader into a complex exploration of faith, reason, love, jealousy, and divine revelation. As an editor, I believe the book's value lies in its astonishing layering. On the surface it is an exotic, beautifully written classical tragedy; at the middle level it is a sharp dissection of the dark side of human nature (especially self-righteous love); at the deepest level it is a sustained inquiry into the tension between divine presence and the limits of human cognition. Lewis offers no simple answers; instead, through the narrative itself, he lets the reader accompany the protagonist Orual on a difficult journey from doubt and resistance toward possible understanding. This literary approach raises Till We Have Faces above mere religious allegory and makes it a universal metaphor for 'how to see what is real.' Reading this book requires a measure of patience and a willingness to think. It is not light, fast entertainment, but its slowly unfolding narrative rhythm and its layer-by-layer psychological depth ultimately deliver a spiritual impact and aftertaste that are lasting and profound. For readers who love literature, mythology, philosophy, or religious exploration, Till We Have Faces is a treasure worth pondering again and again.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in mythological retellings and literary adaptations of classical subjects
Fans seeking a deeper understanding of C. S. Lewis's thought and the diversity of his writing
Thinkers who enjoy exploring philosophical questions of faith, doubt, human nature, and the divine within a story
Literature lovers who appreciate elegant and reflective prose

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for fast-moving plots, action scenes, or light entertainment
Readers impatient with first-person interior monologue, psychological analysis, and religious-philosophical metaphor

Reading tips

It is advisable first to gain a basic familiarity with the original myth of Cupid and Psyche; this will greatly enhance the pleasure of comparison and reflection while reading.
While reading, pay attention to the 'reliability' of the narrator Orual and consider how her perspective shapes and may distort 'the truth.'
The density of theological reflection increases in the latter half of the book; slow down and read it against the background of other works by Lewis (such as The Problem of Pain).

About the publisher

East China Normal University Press China · Founded in 1957

Adhering to the publishing purpose of "broad education," East China Normal University Press extends beyond its three main areas of textbooks, academic works and general-interest books, and its catalogue clearly reflects a vision that bridges Chinese and foreign humanities and social sciences. In foreign literature it offers classics such as Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country and The Old Capital (translated by Chen Dewen), Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and Rilke's annotated edition of The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (translated by Chen Zao); in architecture, Chen Congzhou's two-volume Appreciation Dictionary of Chinese Gardens; in social psychology, The Social Animal: 12th Edition; and it also includes philosophy titles, traditional-culture works such as the six-volume Paintings for the Protection of Life, and education books. Its authors include renowned Chinese and foreign writers and skilled translators, showing a publishing profile that balances classic translation, scholarly accumulation and public reading. Public information is limited; the above is based only on the books in the catalogue.

版权信息
译者序托梦——梦觉边缘的启示
第一部
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
第五章
第六章
第七章
第八章
第九章
第十章
第十一章
第十二章
第十三章
第十四章
第十五章
第十六章
第十七章
第十八章
第十九章
第二十章
第二十一章
第二部
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
后记

FAQ

What is the connection between Till We Have Faces and The Chronicles of Narnia?

Both come from the hand of C. S. Lewis and share his profound theological and moral concerns, but their genre, style, and audience are entirely different. Narnia is a fantasy allegory for children with a brisk plot; Till We Have Faces is a literary retelling of myth for adults, focusing on inner drama and philosophical reflection, with a more somber and complex style.

Does this book take an explicit religious stance?

Lewis's background as a Christian apologist undoubtedly informs the book's central concerns, but Till We Have Faces is not direct doctrinal preaching. It is more like a literary experiment that, through a story set in a pagan context, explores universal themes: the human longing for the transcendent, the limits of cognition, the distortions of love, and the possibility of redemption. Readers of different faiths or of no faith can all draw inspiration from their own perspectives.

Why is the book titled Till We Have Faces?

'Till We Have Faces' means 'until we have faces.' This poetic title points to the core of the book: people often wear various masks (such as reason, duty, protectiveness) when facing the world and the divine, and only when these masks are stripped away and one confronts the other with a true 'face' (that is, the true self) is it possible to encounter truth. The title is a profound metaphor for the human condition and the predicament of knowledge.

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About the author

C. S. Lewis Author · British (Irish-born) · 1898–1963

C. S. Lewis (Clive Staples Lewis) was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1898 and died in Oxford in 1963. He was a British scholar, novelist and Christian apologetic writer. He served as a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, and from 1954 held the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge. His writing spans fantasy, science fiction, allegory, apologetics and literary criticism: The Chronicles of Narnia build a world of clear moral contrasts through fairy-tale fantasy, The Screwtape Letters examine human nature through an epistolary allegory, The Problem of Pain and The Four Loves explore faith and love, and Of Other Worlds collects his literary essays. His work combines lucid reasoning with fertile imagination and has influenced both general readers and scholars.

曾珍珍 Author

Zeng Zhenzhen is an author for whom only limited public information is available. The one work currently confirmed is Naked Face, a book usually classified under foreign literature. Because no clear records have been found regarding her nationality, dates of birth and death, educational background, or writing career, only a brief note on the work itself is possible here. Naked Face appears as a work of foreign literature, tending in subject matter toward the portrayal of characters' circumstances and emotional worlds; its narrative style emphasizes detail and atmosphere, and its language strives to stay close to the inner lives of its characters. Although only this single work has been seen so far, making it difficult to sketch a complete creative trajectory, the classification and the orientation suggested by the title indicate that the author is concerned with the more subtle aspects of human nature, and the work carries a certain spirit of literary exploration. For readers wishing to learn about Zeng Zhenzhen, Naked Face is currently the main text available for reference, while its actual influence and reader reception await the accumulation and verification of further material.