Last week I finished The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. It was recommended to me by Aden.
The Great Divorce refers to the gulf between Heaven and Hell. The book is a speculative vision of what the two places are like. It follows a character as he narrates what he sees and how he responds to his surroundings. The book describes some of the obstacles that prevent people from reaching heaven and different ways people can hold onto negative things.
I enjoyed the book. By comparison with the other two books I am currently reading, it was shorter and easier to read. This allowed me to spend more mental energy following the action and what it meant.
In the introduction, Lewis refers to a "Scientifiction" story he read that gave him some ideas he incorporates. While it does not match his description, I was reminded of the stories "Submicroscopic" and "Awlo of Ulm" by Capt. S.P. Meek (Sterner St. Paul Meek). Near the end Lewis footnotes an idea which is exactly the same as one from these two stories published in 1931. I read both of them in an anthology last month.
I do not want to say anything else about The Great Divorce, except that I recommend this easy to read book.
I'm very touched that you took my recommendation, Chris. It's a fantastic book. Lewis had such a brilliant mind, and through the sparse narrative structure of "The Great Divorce" he was able to explore many of his complex ethical and theological insights in a simple, entertaining story form.
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