Understand C. S. Lewis’s most controversial novel with Peter Kreeft’s new guide: The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece!
Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis has been debated for years. Now, with the help of Peter Kreeft’s new book, you’ll discover newfound clarity in Lewis’s polarizing fiction.
The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece: A Guide to C. S. Lewis’s “Till We Have Faces”
By Peter Kreeft
Word on Fire | February 2, 2026
Hardcover | 140 Pages | 5.5” x 8”
Retail Price: $29.95 (+$5.95 Shipping)
Till We Have Faces
By C. S. Lewis
Paperback | 368 Pages | 5.25” x 8”
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About The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece: A Guide to C. S. Lewis’s “Till We Have Faces”
Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis has been described as the most controversial of Lewis’s fiction—despised by some and celebrated by others. Yet Lewis himself regarded the novel as “far and away the best [book] I have written.” What are we to make of this strange and oftentimes dark retelling of the pagan myth of Cupid and Psyche?
In this new guide, renowned philosopher and writer Peter Kreeft introduces readers to the style, setting, and characters of Lewis’s novel; walks through ten philosophical and theological themes that permeate it, including the problem of evil, the question of identity, and the relationship between faith and reason; and, finally, shows how these various themes animate the drama of the narrative itself. The result is a deepened appreciation and understanding of a true masterpiece, one that offers not only wisdom, which is the end of all philosophy, but also wonder, which is its beginning.
Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis has been described as the most controversial of Lewis’s fiction—despised by some and celebrated by others. Yet Lewis himself regarded the novel as “far and away the best [book] I have written.” What are we to make of this strange and oftentimes dark retelling of the pagan myth of Cupid and Psyche?
In this new guide, renowned philosopher and writer Peter Kreeft introduces readers to the style, setting, and characters of Lewis’s novel; walks through ten philosophical and theological themes that permeate it, including the problem of evil, the question of identity, and the relationship between faith and reason; and, finally, shows how these various themes animate the drama of the narrative itself. The result is a deepened appreciation and understanding of a true masterpiece, one that offers not only wisdom, which is the end of all philosophy, but also wonder, which is its beginning.
About Till We Have Faces
Fascinated by the myth of Cupid and Psyche throughout his life, C. S. Lewis wrote this, his last novel, to retell their story from the perspective of Psyche's sister Orual: “I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer. . . . Why should they hear the babble that we think we mean? How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?” Lewis provides an engaging retelling of one of the most popular myths from antiquity with what The Saturday Review called “new meaning, new depths, new terrors.” With his trademark insightfulness, Lewis reminds us of our own fallibility and the role of a higher power in our lives.
Fascinated by the myth of Cupid and Psyche throughout his life, C. S. Lewis wrote this, his last novel, to retell their story from the perspective of Psyche’s sister Orual: “I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer. . . . Why should they hear the babble that we think we mean? How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?” Lewis provides an engaging retelling of one of the most popular myths from antiquity with what The Saturday Review called “new meaning, new depths, new terrors.” With his trademark insightfulness, Lewis reminds us of our own fallibility and the role of a higher power in our lives.
Here’s What People Are Saying . . .
“Peter Kreeft is right: Till We Have Faces is a masterpiece that’s also a mystery. With his characteristically piquant percipience, Kreeft inspects the many faces of Lewis’s gem-like narrative, helping us more intelligently to dwell in its profound mysteriousness and more appreciatively to savor its masterful artistry.”
— Michael Ward, University of Oxford, author of After Humanity: A Guide to C. S. Lewis’s “The Abolition of Man”
“Reading both Peter Kreeft and C. S. Lewis is like visiting an old friend—a wise, brilliant friend who wants to set you straight for the sake of your own virtue (and, ergo, the virtue of the whole culture). In The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece, we get a double dose of wisdom about how to read one of the most hauntingly challenging stories of the twentieth century. By the last page, I was eager to devour again Lewis’s timeless work and revisit it with Kreeft-tinted lenses. If we aren’t afforded the privilege of living at the same time as Lewis, at least we have the gift of living at the time of Kreeft. What a gift he is to all of us, as is this book.”
— Tsh Oxenreider, author of Shadow and Light: A Journey into Advent and Bitter and Sweet: A Journey into Easter
“With his signature clarity of style spiced with a healthy dash of Chestertonian wit and paradox, Peter Kreeft takes a deep dive into Lewis’s most difficult but most rewarding novel, Till We Have Faces. As he elucidates the intricacies of the plot, he illuminates what Lewis has to teach modern and postmodern readers about the true nature of evil, identity, reason, myth, faith, hope, and love. And yet, while he explains and clarifies, he never reduces or collapses the complexity and beauty of Lewis’s achievement. A must read for those who struggle to understand why Lewis considered Till We Have Faces his finest novel.”
— Louis Markos, professor in English and scholar in Residence, Houston Christian University; author of C. S. Lewis for Beginners and Restoring Beauty: The Good, the True, and the Beautiful in the Writings of C. S. Lewis
“Great books deserve great guides. With Till We Have Faces, C. S. Lewis’s most mysterious and confounding novel, we now have one—Peter Kreeft. Drawing on years of reflection, the eminent Catholic philosopher brings his sharpest insights and perennial wisdom to Lewis’s masterpiece. In this book, you’ll encounter one great thinker exploring the depths of another.”
— Trevin Wax, author of The Gospel Way Catechism, The Thrill of Orthodoxy, and Rethink Your Self
Here’s What People Are Saying
“Peter Kreeft is right: Till We Have Faces is a masterpiece that’s also a mystery. With his characteristically piquant percipience, Kreeft inspects the many faces of Lewis’s gem-like narrative, helping us more intelligently to dwell in its profound mysteriousness and more appreciatively to savor its masterful artistry.”
— Michael Ward, University of Oxford, author of After Humanity: A Guide to C. S. Lewis’s “The Abolition of Man”
“Reading both Peter Kreeft and C. S. Lewis is like visiting an old friend—a wise, brilliant friend who wants to set you straight for the sake of your own virtue (and, ergo, the virtue of the whole culture). In The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece, we get a double dose of wisdom about how to read one of the most hauntingly challenging stories of the twentieth century. By the last page, I was eager to devour again Lewis’s timeless work and revisit it with Kreeft-tinted lenses. If we aren’t afforded the privilege of living at the same time as Lewis, at least we have the gift of living at the time of Kreeft. What a gift he is to all of us, as is this book.”
— Tsh Oxenreider, author of Shadow and Light: A Journey into Advent and Bitter and Sweet: A Journey into Easter
“With his signature clarity of style spiced with a healthy dash of Chestertonian wit and paradox, Peter Kreeft takes a deep dive into Lewis’s most difficult but most rewarding novel, Till We Have Faces. As he elucidates the intricacies of the plot, he illuminates what Lewis has to teach modern and postmodern readers about the true nature of evil, identity, reason, myth, faith, hope, and love. And yet, while he explains and clarifies, he never reduces or collapses the complexity and beauty of Lewis’s achievement. A must read for those who struggle to understand why Lewis considered Till We Have Faces his finest novel.”
— Louis Markos, professor in English and scholar in Residence, Houston Christian University; author of C. S. Lewis for Beginners and Restoring Beauty: The Good, the True, and the Beautiful in the Writings of C. S. Lewis
“Great books deserve great guides. With Till We Have Faces, C. S. Lewis’s most mysterious and confounding novel, we now have one—Peter Kreeft. Drawing on years of reflection, the eminent Catholic philosopher brings his sharpest insights and perennial wisdom to Lewis’s masterpiece. In this book, you’ll encounter one great thinker exploring the depths of another.”
— Trevin Wax, author of The Gospel Way Catechism, The Thrill of Orthodoxy, and Rethink Your Self
About the Authors
Peter Kreeft
The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece
The Everlasting Man: A Guide to G.K. Chesterton’s Masterpiece
Dr. Peter Kreeft is professor of philosophy at Boston College and the author of more than one hundred books. His many bestsellers cover a vast array of topics in spirituality, theology, and philosophy. They include C. S. Lewis for the Third Millennium, Christianity for Modern Pagans, Ethics for Beginners, God on Stage, the Socrates’ Children series, the Socrates Meets series, and the Food for the Soul series.
C. S. Lewis
Till We Have Faces
The Everlasting Man: A Guide to G.K. Chesterton’s Masterpiece
Clive Staples Lewis (1898–1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics in The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and have been transformed into three major motion pictures.
About the Authors
Peter Kreeft
The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece: A Guide to C. S. Lewis’s “Till We Have Faces”
Dr. Peter Kreeft is professor of philosophy at Boston College and the author of more than one hundred books. His many bestsellers cover a vast array of topics in spirituality, theology, and philosophy. They include C. S. Lewis for the Third Millennium, Christianity for Modern Pagans, Ethics for Beginners, God on Stage, the Socrates’ Children series, the Socrates Meets series, and the Food for the Soul series.
C. S. Lewis
Till We Have Faces
Clive Staples Lewis (1898–1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics in The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and have been transformed into three major motion pictures.
“My thesis is that Till We Have Faces is a great book, in fact a masterpiece. . . . A great book gives us something that a second-rate book does not. That ‘something’ includes not only wisdom, which is the end and love of philosophy, but also wonder, which is the beginning of philosophy.”
— Peter Kreeft on Till We Have Faces
Contents
The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece: A Guide to C. S. Lewis’s “Till We Have Face”
Introduction
How and When to Read This Book
Chapter 1
The Basics: The Style, the Setting, and the Characters
Chapter 2
The Themes: Ten Philosophical and Theological Themes
Chapter 3
The Plot: The Story Itself
Appendix
Some Questions for Solitary Thought, Original Essays, and Group Discussion
Till We Have Faces
PART I
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
Chapter XIX
Chapter XX
Chapter XXI
PART II
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Notes
Contents
The Mirror, the Mask, and the Masterpiece: A Guide to C. S. Lewis’s “Till We Have Faces”
Till We Have Faces
Introduction
How and When to Read This Book
Chapter 1
The Basics: The Style, the Setting, and the Characters
Chapter 2
The Themes: Ten Philosophical and Theological Themes
Chapter 3
The Plot: The Story Itself
Appendix
Some Questions for Solitary Thought, Original Essays, and Group Discussion
PART I
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
Chapter XIX
Chapter XX
Chapter XXI
PART 2
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Notes
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WordOnFire.org | Privacy | Contact
1-866-928-1237 | support@wordonfire.org
Word on Fire Catholic Ministries is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry.