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mbenzz's review against another edition
5.0
Wow...that was pretty intense. I usually avoid religious content like the plague, but this book appealed to me and it was amazing.
I love the overall message and the difference between Heaven and Hell. It's not the cut-and-dry Good = Heaven, Bad = Hell...it's so much more complicated than that. Good people end up in hell and bad people end up in Heaven. It's all about the ability to let go and give up unnecessary feelings and emotions. Hell is not fire and brimstone, but a place of isolation and self-imposed unhappiness. Those in Hell CHOOSE to be in Hell, as they don't see it for what it is and they are unable to let go of their earthly emotional constraints.
I'm so glad I read this. Has it changed my opinion on religion? No. I still stand firm in my beliefs, but I absolutely appreciate it for the work of art that it is. The writing is just beautiful.
I love the overall message and the difference between Heaven and Hell. It's not the cut-and-dry Good = Heaven, Bad = Hell...it's so much more complicated than that. Good people end up in hell and bad people end up in Heaven. It's all about the ability to let go and give up unnecessary feelings and emotions. Hell is not fire and brimstone, but a place of isolation and self-imposed unhappiness. Those in Hell CHOOSE to be in Hell, as they don't see it for what it is and they are unable to let go of their earthly emotional constraints.
I'm so glad I read this. Has it changed my opinion on religion? No. I still stand firm in my beliefs, but I absolutely appreciate it for the work of art that it is. The writing is just beautiful.
dkatreads's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Lovely story, grounded with some of the most profound reflections on the human heart and it’s capacity for sin and love I’ve ever read.
In a lot of ways, this novel is brilliant and I really enjoyed it. But Lewis is brilliant in other novels too, and, in my opinion, to a greater degree and with better development of story.
The vignettes that drive this one are each groundbreaking and imaginative and spoke to a depth of wisdom I don't have in the slightest, but at the same time they felt cheap, like he wasn’t sure how to weave each nugget of reflection and wisdom into a whole. It just went from scene to scene. There wasn’t much story to feel invested in. I know what Clive is capable of, and one of his novels is in my top three of all time—this one just left me wanting more.
In that way, this rating speaks less to how much I enjoyed it, and more to how much more I wanted from it, and how much more I feel like it could be. I’d still recommend the hell (or heaven?) out of it though.
I’m also willing to concede that growing up in evangelicalism, maybe I’m just too acquainted with these metaphors already, so they didn’t feel as novel. Hard to say.
In a lot of ways, this novel is brilliant and I really enjoyed it. But Lewis is brilliant in other novels too, and, in my opinion, to a greater degree and with better development of story.
The vignettes that drive this one are each groundbreaking and imaginative and spoke to a depth of wisdom I don't have in the slightest, but at the same time they felt cheap, like he wasn’t sure how to weave each nugget of reflection and wisdom into a whole. It just went from scene to scene. There wasn’t much story to feel invested in. I know what Clive is capable of, and one of his novels is in my top three of all time—this one just left me wanting more.
In that way, this rating speaks less to how much I enjoyed it, and more to how much more I wanted from it, and how much more I feel like it could be. I’d still recommend the hell (or heaven?) out of it though.
I’m also willing to concede that growing up in evangelicalism, maybe I’m just too acquainted with these metaphors already, so they didn’t feel as novel. Hard to say.
chris2110's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
pandaprobs123's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mayafwood's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
debout's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
english_lady03's review against another edition
1.0
One of the few Lewis books I can honestly say I did not like.
The rather obscure and and confused conclusions of the book make for a rather unrewarding read.
Most troubling however, were the implied beliefs in purgatory and universalism on the part of the author.
Such apparenly drastic deviation from scripural teaching and doctrine on the part of such a respected and influential Christian author could be shocking, to say the least.
Due to this, 'The Great Divorce' is not a book I would recommend.
The rather obscure and and confused conclusions of the book make for a rather unrewarding read.
Most troubling however, were the implied beliefs in purgatory and universalism on the part of the author.
Such apparenly drastic deviation from scripural teaching and doctrine on the part of such a respected and influential Christian author could be shocking, to say the least.
Due to this, 'The Great Divorce' is not a book I would recommend.
justyntennant's review
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nick_aziamov's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5