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bass_clarinet's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Very interesting book, kept me turning the pages. Definitely dense, Clive Staples Lewis might have been experiencing existential dread while writing this book, and it shows. Can't wait to read the next and last in this series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, and Torture
Minor: Blood
taybot's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It's a great story but full of barely disguised Christian icons, tropes, motifs, and morals. It would be a much better book if CS Lewis had been less ham fisted about trying to preach his religion, but it was a fun read even with those complaints
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism and Violence
clevermird's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Professor Ransom is back, and this time he's headed to Venus!
Some time after his first adventure to the planet Malecandra (Mars), the professor is sent on another stellar journey. But rather than a helpless captive, this time he's an ambassador, sent to prevent some kind of evil from befalling the young, paradisaical world of Perelandra. Arriving in a crystal coffin, he finds himself in a world of endless oceans, golden skies, floating islands, and a young queen who is curious about the stranger that has just arrived in her world. But Ransom is not the only one with an interest in Perelandra and soon another visitor will arrive who wants nothing more than to destroy everything.
This book was a large change from Out of the Silent Planet and not, in my opinion, for the better. While the fantastic descriptions of alien landscapes remain, they're expanded on here to the point that they somewhat take over the book. Similarly, as much as I loved the philosophical debate that forms the climax of Silent Planet, here the discussions go on for chapters, to the point that they somewhat blur together and at times it became a struggle to keep from skimming the endless paragraphs of high-concept dialogue and abstract descriptions. And while I enjoyed the Christian themes and allusions in the first book and I don't mind them being stronger per se, the level to which the story hinges on them changes it from adventure sci-fi with philosophical undertones to an actual Biblical allegory, which was not what I was expecting and at times feels a bit on-the-nose and heavy-handed.
Nonetheless, once I adjusted to what the book actually was, Perelandra wasn't bad. I found the villain a genuinely disturbing depiction of what demonic possession might look like and the concept of the world and its creatures to be just as fascinating and creative as those in Silent Planet, if not more so.
I didn't dislike this book, but I think it's a very different audience than the first of the trilogy.
Some time after his first adventure to the planet Malecandra (Mars), the professor is sent on another stellar journey. But rather than a helpless captive, this time he's an ambassador, sent to prevent some kind of evil from befalling the young, paradisaical world of Perelandra. Arriving in a crystal coffin, he finds himself in a world of endless oceans, golden skies, floating islands, and a young queen who is curious about the stranger that has just arrived in her world. But Ransom is not the only one with an interest in Perelandra and soon another visitor will arrive who wants nothing more than to destroy everything.
This book was a large change from Out of the Silent Planet and not, in my opinion, for the better. While the fantastic descriptions of alien landscapes remain, they're expanded on here to the point that they somewhat take over the book. Similarly, as much as I loved the philosophical debate that forms the climax of Silent Planet, here the discussions go on for chapters, to the point that they somewhat blur together and at times it became a struggle to keep from skimming the endless paragraphs of high-concept dialogue and abstract descriptions. And while I enjoyed the Christian themes and allusions in the first book and I don't mind them being stronger per se, the level to which the story hinges on them changes it from adventure sci-fi with philosophical undertones to an actual Biblical allegory, which was not what I was expecting and at times feels a bit on-the-nose and heavy-handed.
Nonetheless, once I adjusted to what the book actually was, Perelandra wasn't bad. I found the villain a genuinely disturbing depiction of what demonic possession might look like and the concept of the world and its creatures to be just as fascinating and creative as those in Silent Planet, if not more so.
I didn't dislike this book, but I think it's a very different audience than the first of the trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Animal death and Violence
matt08's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is much closer to what I expected when starting this series. Where out from the silent planet was 70/30 fantasy vs sci-fi, this is more like 95/5. It has much more Narnia feel to it and the tone continues the more spiritual shift which happens at the end of the first novel.
It also reminds me a bit of Screwtape letters where we are given the inner dialogue of a character looking at humanity from outside our species. The lady has many fascinating observations throughout the novel. One that stick with me the most was how she views humans' tendency to look back at our past. She finds it odd that we would spend time acting as if we were dead and looking back at our life instead of simply living it.
Ransom's argument with Winston is also very relatable to the modern experience of discussing religion. The most fascinating part of reading well-written books from generations ago is you get the perspective of how nothing has really changed. People have always thought that curiosity has somehow corrupted a pure truth that only those not tied down by doctrine can fully appreciate. They act patronizing to those who believe in truth as they know that only general ideals govern a good person's life. They remove principles from the equation and allow themselves to be the final judge of what is good.
It also reminds me a bit of Screwtape letters where we are given the inner dialogue of a character looking at humanity from outside our species. The lady has many fascinating observations throughout the novel. One that stick with me the most was how she views humans' tendency to look back at our past. She finds it odd that we would spend time acting as if we were dead and looking back at our life instead of simply living it.
Ransom's argument with Winston is also very relatable to the modern experience of discussing religion. The most fascinating part of reading well-written books from generations ago is you get the perspective of how nothing has really changed. People have always thought that curiosity has somehow corrupted a pure truth that only those not tied down by doctrine can fully appreciate. They act patronizing to those who believe in truth as they know that only general ideals govern a good person's life. They remove principles from the equation and allow themselves to be the final judge of what is good.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
jessthanthree's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Body horror
Moderate: War
Minor: Religious bigotry and Sexism
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Animal death, Death, and Violence
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