What was the title of C.S. Lewis’s final published novel, released in 1956?

C.S. Lewis’s final published novel, released in 1956, was Till We Have Faces.

The novel retells the ancient myth of Cupid and Psyche from the viewpoint of Orual, a queen in the fictional kingdom of Glome. Lewis described it as a retelling of the myth, but the book also explores jealousy, love, worship, political power, and the difficulty of seeing oneself honestly.

Till We Have Faces appeared in 1956 and was Lewis’s last completed novel. He wrote it with the help of his wife, Joy Davidman, whose criticism influenced the manuscript. Unlike the Narnia books, it is aimed at adults and uses a darker, more psychologically complex narrative voice.

The Last Battle was Lewis’s final published Narnia book, not his final novel overall. That Hideous Strength appeared in 1945 as the last part of the Space Trilogy. The title Till We Have Faces comes from the novel’s concern with the masks people present before they can speak truthfully.