Which 1956 novel did C.S. Lewis adapt from the myth of Cupid and Psyche?

Till We Have Faces is C.S. Lewis’s 1956 novelistic retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. It was the last novel he published and is often regarded as one of his most psychologically complex works.

The story is narrated by Orual, a queen whose life is shaped by her love for and resentment of her half-sister Psyche. Lewis relocates the myth to a fictional ancient kingdom and gives the narrator a strong, critical voice. The title refers to the difficulty of truly seeing oneself and others, as well as the masks people use in relationships.

Unlike the Narnia books, the novel is aimed primarily at adults and does not present its mythic material as a children’s fantasy adventure. Lewis drew on the classical story but changed its viewpoint, emotional emphasis, and narrative structure.

The book was published during a major period in Lewis’s life, shortly before his relationship with Joy Davidman became a Christian marriage. Its themes of jealousy, love, suffering, and self-knowledge have led to extensive literary and theological discussion.