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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I love Lewis, and perhaps I would appreciate this book more if I had read Pilgrim's Progress more recently.
However, I feel as though the moment our main character steps out of his hometown, the story's through-line becomes incredibly hard to track.
Additionally, it seemed as though Lewis had just read Pilgrim's Progress and went...
"but what if it was also Game of Thrones...
and also God was less in it...
but also it was somehow MORE about Christianity?"
I hope this review doesn't diminish anyone's enjoyment of the book because it was undoubtedly a fun read that was exciting to interact with, as one of Lewis's earlier books was fascinating.
However, I feel as though the moment our main character steps out of his hometown, the story's through-line becomes incredibly hard to track.
Additionally, it seemed as though Lewis had just read Pilgrim's Progress and went...
"but what if it was also Game of Thrones...
and also God was less in it...
but also it was somehow MORE about Christianity?"
I hope this review doesn't diminish anyone's enjoyment of the book because it was undoubtedly a fun read that was exciting to interact with, as one of Lewis's earlier books was fascinating.
I found the allegory difficult to see and understand, which is interesting as allegory was supposed to make the story of atheist going to Christianity, and the doctrine, easier to understand. Also the interspersed poetry and other high-type, old-fashioned language I didn't get, or just found annoying. Plus I was bothered by the frequent use of "brown girls" as the symbol of the main character's lust troubling. And the few other instances of women being mentioned were mostly as ideals or lust objects.
I don’t know what I can say about this to convey the weight of the book other than to say (1) Lewis was obviously younger when he wrote this than when he wrote his other books (2) I’m younger than Lewis was when he published this volume (3) this volume explains a great deal of his work elsewhere.
Oh, and of course that he decimates many false philosophies that are alive and well today, though not with as much grace as he has elsewhere. There are parts in the this book that will remain with me until I die.
Especially the bit about the desire behind all desires...
Oh, and of course that he decimates many false philosophies that are alive and well today, though not with as much grace as he has elsewhere. There are parts in the this book that will remain with me until I die.
Especially the bit about the desire behind all desires...
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism
Minor: Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, War
As an avid C.S. Lewis reader I was very excited for this allegory. It's a tale about finding belief in God that is somewhat biological. There are many inspiring elements. I especially liked how meaningful and characterized many natural elements are in the tale. This is certainly a pattern Lewis continues in his later tales. However this one just didn't pack the punch I'm used to. In other words, I felt like I liked it generally but it didn't have the staying power of some of his other works.
I thought this book had a lot of really great bits in it. As a Christian, there was so much that resonated with me, and I appreciated Lewis' creative way of showing all the philosophies and lifestyles he encountered on the way. That being said, I don't want to give it any stars because there's so much I didn't understand and I don't think it would be an accurate reflection of the book itself.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me ages to finish it, and I am thankful for the author’s afterword. It validated my perspective
Lewis's phenomenal response to the Pilgrim's Progress.
It is the fairy tale embodiment of Lewis's most compelling argument for the Christian faith: the fact that we desire something that is both beyond and echoed within this world implies that we were made for something that is beyond and echoed within this world.
Unlike the Pilgrims Progress, which centers on the Christian's pursuit of Holiness in this life in order to make it into heaven, the Regress centers on the human quest for the fulfillment of desire, who ends up being the God who freely gives Himself through his Church. Christian labors towards heaven as his end, John however ends up back where he started but entirely transformed. Instead of the goal being to make it to our deaths without falling, Lewis portrays the goal as delighting in the Kingdom even here on Earth.
As Lewis freely admits, some of his allegory is quite obscure. But that is because the protagonist John's journey is not supposed to be that of the general Christian, but instead CS Lewis's own journey. Thus, Lewis does an excellent job of portraying and critiquing the philosophies and schools of thought which still dominate in our day.
My main reason for not giving it five stars is that I can't recommend it without qualification. Some of his allegorical elements are a bit racially insensitive and not particularly laudable. He portrays juvenile lusts as "brown girls" reminiscent of the Victorian stereotype of Polynesian culture.
But all in all, Pilgrim's Regress is a improvement upon the Pilgrims Progress in most every way.
It is the fairy tale embodiment of Lewis's most compelling argument for the Christian faith: the fact that we desire something that is both beyond and echoed within this world implies that we were made for something that is beyond and echoed within this world.
Unlike the Pilgrims Progress, which centers on the Christian's pursuit of Holiness in this life in order to make it into heaven, the Regress centers on the human quest for the fulfillment of desire, who ends up being the God who freely gives Himself through his Church. Christian labors towards heaven as his end, John however ends up back where he started but entirely transformed. Instead of the goal being to make it to our deaths without falling, Lewis portrays the goal as delighting in the Kingdom even here on Earth.
As Lewis freely admits, some of his allegory is quite obscure. But that is because the protagonist John's journey is not supposed to be that of the general Christian, but instead CS Lewis's own journey. Thus, Lewis does an excellent job of portraying and critiquing the philosophies and schools of thought which still dominate in our day.
My main reason for not giving it five stars is that I can't recommend it without qualification. Some of his allegorical elements are a bit racially insensitive and not particularly laudable. He portrays juvenile lusts as "brown girls" reminiscent of the Victorian stereotype of Polynesian culture.
But all in all, Pilgrim's Regress is a improvement upon the Pilgrims Progress in most every way.