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yalena's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
It was good, not great. Satire is definitely not for all and the book needs to be understood for the audience it was crafted for. The 1940’s people. Basically a book about Satan I.e. Screwtape, giving what seems like ‘ hot takes’ on how to help demons f-up the people on earth. This all happens via a 1 sided correspondence from Screwtape to Wormwood. It was great and there were some points where I was receiving everything that was written to expand my view on what ‘Satan’ is crafting up. The downsides for me is that it never got interesting. It is just religious discourse and not a method of story telling I find myself connected to.
bethanyhasenberg's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
beaureads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
ccrutcher's review against another edition
3.0
Where to begin with this book.
1. I decided I wanted to read the Screwtape Letters after seeing it referenced and quoted in Jia Tolentino’s book Trick Mirror (a must read) - the essay referencing it can also now be found in The New Yorker. I could relate to Jia’s gradual descent away from Christianity, and she said it was this book that affirmed speculation about her beliefs. I don’t consider myself a firm believer in any one religion. I am, however, open to learning about all.
2. I went into this book aware of the concept (& with my own biases). It’s a satirical book about a higher demon (screwtape) advising a lower demon (wormwood) on how to corrupt a man turning to Christianity
3. I started underlining passages of this book because admittedly I did find some things profound. Not in a “I better be a Christian or else” but in a very clear good vs evil. What can I take from this book to be a better person? How do some of these quotes align with what I learned from my catholic childhood?
One of my favorites: “He therefore, I believe, wants them to attend chiefly to two things: to eternity itself, and to that point of time which they call the Present. For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.”
4. I find the ideal Christian narrative CS Lewis tries to push across satirically as frankly...unattainable? He calls out atheists, the educated, liberals, Christians who do it for show, the extremism on both sides and by the end of it: my consensus is if we all had to be the Christians C.S. Lewis describes - we’re all headed to hell.
“The safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts”
(I.e. most of us)
5. Do I recommend it? Yes actually, I do. It’s uniquely written. Dark and foreboding at times, almost comical at others, but filled with thoughtful sentiments to discuss or consider. I’m glad I read it, I just wasn’t as moved in my convictions as I’d hoped to be (either direction)
1. I decided I wanted to read the Screwtape Letters after seeing it referenced and quoted in Jia Tolentino’s book Trick Mirror (a must read) - the essay referencing it can also now be found in The New Yorker. I could relate to Jia’s gradual descent away from Christianity, and she said it was this book that affirmed speculation about her beliefs. I don’t consider myself a firm believer in any one religion. I am, however, open to learning about all.
2. I went into this book aware of the concept (& with my own biases). It’s a satirical book about a higher demon (screwtape) advising a lower demon (wormwood) on how to corrupt a man turning to Christianity
3. I started underlining passages of this book because admittedly I did find some things profound. Not in a “I better be a Christian or else” but in a very clear good vs evil. What can I take from this book to be a better person? How do some of these quotes align with what I learned from my catholic childhood?
One of my favorites: “He therefore, I believe, wants them to attend chiefly to two things: to eternity itself, and to that point of time which they call the Present. For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.”
4. I find the ideal Christian narrative CS Lewis tries to push across satirically as frankly...unattainable? He calls out atheists, the educated, liberals, Christians who do it for show, the extremism on both sides and by the end of it: my consensus is if we all had to be the Christians C.S. Lewis describes - we’re all headed to hell.
“The safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts”
(I.e. most of us)
5. Do I recommend it? Yes actually, I do. It’s uniquely written. Dark and foreboding at times, almost comical at others, but filled with thoughtful sentiments to discuss or consider. I’m glad I read it, I just wasn’t as moved in my convictions as I’d hoped to be (either direction)
morgainlafeye's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting religious philosophical discourse. Some very humorous. Some very thoughtful.
aediger2's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this book had a lot of really great ideas in it of how demons work and influence our lives even though, as christians, they can't directly touch us. It was very influential and got me thinking and looking at my life, where I might be affected. It's not a quick read though, despite it being a small book. It'll make you think!
bluebell4's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
grace_arend's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
rereader33's review against another edition
3.0
2024 Year of Classics
This was a weird one for me. I got a lot out of it and am sure that my mind's gonna be working overtime thinking about some of the topics and concepts discussed in these pages. That being said, did I have fun reading it? Kind of. I thought Screwtape was an interesting character and had a unique voice, but the purely scholarly writing did weigh on me after awhile. And just to be clear, just because writing is scholarly or mostly intellectual DOES NOT MEAN it can't also be entertaining. If there were some lighter moments or maybe some talk on the other tempters to buffer the scholarly writing, I think this would have been more enjoyable for me to read.
However, that doesn't mean this was bad or that no one should give it a shot; I think there are things that can be gleaned even if you're not Christian or practicing a faith. Overall, this was a solid classic and one that I got a lot out of, and hopefully others will too.
This was a weird one for me. I got a lot out of it and am sure that my mind's gonna be working overtime thinking about some of the topics and concepts discussed in these pages. That being said, did I have fun reading it? Kind of. I thought Screwtape was an interesting character and had a unique voice, but the purely scholarly writing did weigh on me after awhile. And just to be clear, just because writing is scholarly or mostly intellectual DOES NOT MEAN it can't also be entertaining. If there were some lighter moments or maybe some talk on the other tempters to buffer the scholarly writing, I think this would have been more enjoyable for me to read.
However, that doesn't mean this was bad or that no one should give it a shot; I think there are things that can be gleaned even if you're not Christian or practicing a faith. Overall, this was a solid classic and one that I got a lot out of, and hopefully others will too.