In appearance “Till We Have Faces” is a letter of accusation written by Orual, the unattractive eldest daughter of a selfish king in a barbaric land. This “letter” chronicles her life and the seeming injustices of it. She accuses “the gods” of being cruel and capricious; of taking profane glee in giving then destroying love and happiness. As she reaches the end of the letter, and her solitary life, she is brought face to face with the awareness that much of her bitterness stems from choices of her own making.

         This story is set in a pagan society, using pagan rituals and symbolism. In that sense it is not even remotely Christian. C. S. Lewis wrote “Til We Have Faces” as a rewrite of a Greek myth. As such, attributing Christian themes to it is probably not wise. It is, however, a compelling illustration of the twisted mess a life of angst and bitterness can become. Orual believes it is the gods who have betrayed her, when in actuality, her own selfishness and fear of abandonment have brought about the loneliness of her life.

         Although “Til We Have Faces” was not written until later in his life, he mentally rewrote this myth several times. It is worthy of note that, by his own admission, the ending changed after his conversion to Christianity. Before his conversion to Christianity, he was certain the gods would be condemned and Orual stand justified. In the end, though, Orual discovers truth and honesty. A truth and honesty that is consistent with Christianity, even though it is presented amongst the trappings of paganism.

         How can we really come before God until we are honest with ourselves, ie til we have faces? And once we see ourselves in true honesty, our “complaint against God” is silenced. The struggles Orual went through taught her honesty, but at a great price. The thing that made her bitter and compelled her to “protect” herself, was the very thing that should have wooed her to “the god.” Had she made different choices at numerous times throughout her history, her life would have been radically different.

         This is certainly not a story for children, like his Narnia tales, nor a treatise of the Christian faith, as in Mere Christianity, or even a Christian adult fiction, such as his space trilogy (“Out of the Silent Planet,” “Perelandra,” and “That Hideous Strength”). The fact that Lewis uses the pagan setting, with its references to gods and sacrifices and its disdainful, but twisted love for that way of life might turn away some Christians. After all, we know there is one true God, not multiple gods. We know He is merciful and righteous, not capricious and cruel. We know He will be found by any who seek Him, not hide from them and trick them, as Orual accuses. It is, however, this very use of what Christians would call profane that illustrates the irrefutable truths of the story. If you can look past the pagan trappings and see a greater truth, you might enjoy this book. If you just want an entertaining read, however, this is certainly not a book for you.