Which C.S. Lewis novel features Orual as its first-person narrator?

The story behind the answer

Till We Have Faces features Orual as its first-person narrator. C.S. Lewis published the novel in 1956, and it was his final work of fiction for adults.

The novel retells the ancient myth of Cupid and Psyche from the viewpoint of Psyche’s older sister, Orual. Orual is the queen of the fictional kingdom of Glome, and her account challenges the assumptions and limited perspective found in the traditional version of the myth.

Orual’s narration explores jealousy, love, grief, religious belief, and the difficulty of seeing oneself honestly. The title refers to the need for people to confront their true identities rather than hiding behind accusations, roles, or self-protective stories.

Till We Have Faces is not set in Narnia and does not feature Aslan or the Pevensie children. Its setting is a fictional ancient world influenced by classical mythology. Lewis regarded it as one of his best works, though it was less commercially prominent than his apologetic writing and children’s fiction.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: