What was the final novel published during C.S. Lewis’s lifetime?

The final novel published during C.S. Lewis’s lifetime was Till We Have Faces. It appeared in 1956 and retells the ancient myth of Cupid and Psyche from the viewpoint of Psyche’s sister, Orual.

Lewis described the book as a retelling of the myth rather than a straightforward adaptation. Orual is the narrator and central character, and her account explores jealousy, love, self-deception, sacrifice, and the difficulty of seeing other people clearly. The title refers to the need for genuine identity and honest self-knowledge.

The novel differs sharply in tone from The Chronicles of Narnia. It is psychologically darker, set in a fictional ancient kingdom, and written for adult readers. Lewis considered it one of his best works, although it has never achieved the same popular reach as Narnia.

The Last Battle, published in 1956 as well, was the final Narnia novel to appear, but not Lewis’s final novel overall. Till We Have Faces was his last novel published before his death in 1963.