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bukolayemi's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
3.75
A classic. A masterpiece satire. The Screwtape Letters is a one sided epistolary novel made up of letters from hell, literally from the assistant to the Devil to his nephew Wormwood, a demon in training.
C.S. Lewis uses satire to describe the Christian’s prayer life and its effect on the quality of his life. With themes like hatred and fear, love and devotion vs performance, gluttony (the gluttony of delicacy vs the gluttony of excess), peaks and troughs in life and many others.
It is a very reflective book with a lot of humour.
librarianlizreads's review against another edition
5.0
A dear friend recommended this book to me at a time where I was struggling with my faith. She felt it would help me to see what all was affecting me. Some time passed between that recommendation and my reading of the book. This however did not change my great enjoyment and astonishment at reading this book.
From the very first of Screwtape’s letters, this work fascinated me. It takes the reader inside the ranks of Hell’s devils and shows the Gospel of the Lord in reverse. I do not often take notes in a book, but with this one I could not help it. There are sticky notes all through it, detailing what good messages I could take from Screwtape’s evil words.
I have to admit that while there are many confirmations of faith, this is not a feel-good read. If you do believe as a Christian, you will feel the weight of sin in many passages. However, so clear is the picture that Lewis portrays of the war between Heaven and Hell that you can feel the reality of both and the reality of the love God has for us. If you have faith or are curious about faith, I hope that you will give this novel a chance.
From the very first of Screwtape’s letters, this work fascinated me. It takes the reader inside the ranks of Hell’s devils and shows the Gospel of the Lord in reverse. I do not often take notes in a book, but with this one I could not help it. There are sticky notes all through it, detailing what good messages I could take from Screwtape’s evil words.
I have to admit that while there are many confirmations of faith, this is not a feel-good read. If you do believe as a Christian, you will feel the weight of sin in many passages. However, so clear is the picture that Lewis portrays of the war between Heaven and Hell that you can feel the reality of both and the reality of the love God has for us. If you have faith or are curious about faith, I hope that you will give this novel a chance.
taj58's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
1.0
Sounded like an interesting premise, but ended up being a poor and boring piece of religious propaganda.
cdjdhj's review against another edition
4.0
I have recently taken a couple of online classes about C.S. Lewis, but until now I had only read one of his books, Mere Christianity. The Screwtape Letters is truly a classic of Christian literature. It is written in a satirical tone as letters from a wordly-wise demon, Screwtape to his demonic nephew and novice, Wormwood. In the letters, Screwtape tells his nephew how to win souls to "Our Father Below," Satan himself. The letters are interestingly entertaining, ironically humorous and thought-provoking as Screwtape tells Wormwood how to use human nature to secure the damnation of a young man whom Wormwood has been tasked to take to hell. The addition at the end of the book, written several years later, Screwtape Proposes a Toast, takes on a political tone and comments about government and education in the 20th century, specifically the post WWII world. In today's "Cancel Culture" society, I'm afraid that C.S. Lewis might have been in real trouble, but much of what he wrote rings true, and gives even the 2022 reader much to contemplate.
toutou's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
ec_newman's review
5.0
Still potent, still thought-provoking and still sinister in its own way.
--
This remains, and Lewis remains, so on point. I don't know how to explain it. Despite writing this half a century ago, being mostly English/British, it's still incredibly relevant. I see it all happening, the good and mostly the bad. Humans have not changed. How we are tempted, what we give into, how we deceive ourselves against God...it's all there and repeats itself unto eternity.
I pray my students learn from it even a tidbit.
--
This remains, and Lewis remains, so on point. I don't know how to explain it. Despite writing this half a century ago, being mostly English/British, it's still incredibly relevant. I see it all happening, the good and mostly the bad. Humans have not changed. How we are tempted, what we give into, how we deceive ourselves against God...it's all there and repeats itself unto eternity.
I pray my students learn from it even a tidbit.