The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
allisonjpmiller's review against another edition
4.0
This was the last C.S. Lewis novel I hadn't read; I think that's why I put it off so long. I'm glad I did, though, because I had my first encounter with Charles Williams recently, whose fiction directly influenced this book - and I could clearly see how.
This is certainly the most complex narrative Lewis wrote - "Till We Have Faces" is more complex thematically, but when it comes to plot structure, "That Hideous Strength" reminded me of a game of chess. Characters are moved by various outside forces into a prime playing position, all the while believing they are the ones in control. Mark lets his desire to be inside the "circle" usurp and compromise every other part of him. Jane's desire to be normal, to conform to an expected standard, drives her to dismiss and box up the strange visions that mark her as unique.
The novel is rich with commentary on everything from sex and the human condition to alternate history, myth, and metaphysics. I could hardly keep up with it all. I think it's telling that the Space Trilogy was written so early on in Lewis's career - before Narnia. You can easily see how his experimentation with these dense narratives led him to simplify and streamline his approach to fiction later in life. But there is so much activity in these early works... so many strange and fascinating ideas. And some of the final scenes here nearly left me breathless with their intensity.
Overall, not to be missed if you are a Lewis fan. Despite the heavy thematic material, you can tell he's having a ball - never one to pass up an opportunity for wit and whimsy... which is, in the end, why he's always such a pleasure to read.
This is certainly the most complex narrative Lewis wrote - "Till We Have Faces" is more complex thematically, but when it comes to plot structure, "That Hideous Strength" reminded me of a game of chess. Characters are moved by various outside forces into a prime playing position, all the while believing they are the ones in control. Mark lets his desire to be inside the "circle" usurp and compromise every other part of him. Jane's desire to be normal, to conform to an expected standard, drives her to dismiss and box up the strange visions that mark her as unique.
The novel is rich with commentary on everything from sex and the human condition to alternate history, myth, and metaphysics. I could hardly keep up with it all. I think it's telling that the Space Trilogy was written so early on in Lewis's career - before Narnia. You can easily see how his experimentation with these dense narratives led him to simplify and streamline his approach to fiction later in life. But there is so much activity in these early works... so many strange and fascinating ideas. And some of the final scenes here nearly left me breathless with their intensity.
Overall, not to be missed if you are a Lewis fan. Despite the heavy thematic material, you can tell he's having a ball - never one to pass up an opportunity for wit and whimsy... which is, in the end, why he's always such a pleasure to read.
shyfroglet's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
kentexmom's review against another edition
5.0
This is my favorite of the trilogy. Though it can be read alone, I think it is best enjoyed after reading the first two, for understanding of this mythological world/universe in which the story is set.
serialreader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
stuckonamber's review against another edition
3.0
Final volume of Lewis's Space trilogy, this concerns the battle between good and evil here on earth. I found this a heavier read than the previous books, and the pace slow. There were interesting insights into the nature of good and evil, and the ultimate powerlessness of evil in the presence of God. However, as a story it was the weakest of the 3.
mpaigewilliams's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mimima's review against another edition
3.0
I will never *love* the Ransom trilogy, but enjoyed reading along with Close Reads and now I can say that I have read the whole thingÂ