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Amazon.co.uk Review
The great 20th-century poet WH Auden said of this novel, "Lilith is equal if not superior to the best of Poe," but the comparison only begins to touch on the richness, density and wonder of this late 19th-century adult fantasy novel. First published in 1895 (inhabiting a universe with the early Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde--not to mention Thomas Hardy), this is the story of the aptly named Mr Vane, his magical house and the journeys into another world into which it leads him.
Meeting up with one mystery after another, including Adam and Eve themselves, he slowly but surely explores the mystery of the human fall from grace, and of our redemption. Instructed into the ways of seeing the deeper realities of this world--seeing, in a sense, by the light of the spirit--the reader and Mr Vane both sense that MacDonald writes from his own deep experience of radiance, from a bliss so profound that death's darkness itself is utterly eclipsed in its light. --Doug Thorpe
Product Description
George MacDonald (1824-1905) was a Scottish author, teacher, and, briefly, clergyman, whose theology was too personal and idiosyncratic for him to remain on the pulpit for very long, but whose imagination led him to write two of the most important visionary novels of the 19th century, "Phantastes" and "Lilith."
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I HAD JUST FINISHED my studies at Oxford, and was taking a brief holiday from work before assuming definitely the management of the estate. Read the first page
Front Cover | Excerpt | Back Cover
I HAD JUST FINISHED my studies at Oxford, and was taking a brief holiday from work before assuming definitely the management of the estate. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Brilliant - A Deep Journey into the Innerworld,
By A Customer
This review is from: Lilith (Mass Market Paperback)
Lillith is the result of a full and mature exploration of the "otherworld" by an author who knew more about the symbols of the mythopoeic realm than most any other author in the last 100 years (including C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Lewis Carol). If you're looking for a light reading story book, or merely entertaining fiction, this book is probably not for you. Some people taking it superficially see nothing more than an incomprehensible juxtaposition of images that reveres the qualities of obedience and submission. However, this would be to entirely miss the point of this story, which is about the process of inner transformation of human desire and will. It is very existentialist in that it places the responsibility for our progress on ourselves rather than on circumstances outside of ourselves. For those willing to dig deeper however, many rewards await those willing to ponder the story's rich (and often riveting!) tapestry of images. Taken further, the story describes the path of an individual's complete inner transformation in a language of symbols not merely arbitrarily arranged, but composed out of a deep understanding of the nature of the inner world of the human psyche. I would highly recommend this book, and regard it (together with *phantastes*) as possibly the best of genre for fiction / phantasy writing in the last 100 years. Madame L'engel regarded MacDonald as the "godfather of phantasy", and Lewis regarded him as his "master". Lillith is certainly worthy material for earning this distinction.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Magnificent,awe-inspiring,thought provoking,spiritual tour.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Lilith (Mass Market Paperback)
As has been said by C.S.Lewis,MacDonald has a gift which is difficult to define.A mythopoetic painter,is as close as I can come.He uses images as symbols of thoughts,ideas,spiritual states,and as has been said,shocks you into a more completely awake state than many will ever reach in their lives. Mr Vane,the central character,steps through a mirror,(possibly the same mirror written about by his friend,Lewis Carroll,in 'Through The Looking Glass.')In the world of the mirror,he finds that it is "-the business of the world to so make a fool of you that you know yourself to be one, and so begin to become wise."This is the book to which C.S.Lewis was referring in his book title,'Till we Have Faces,'as he watches the dance of the people whose spirits have not yet developed to the point where they yet have more than a flesh and blood body surmounted by a skull with lidless eyeballs,their uncontrolled passion stark and staring,though yet more well-developed than the poor skeleton couple who now need each other as they never did in life,and now must learn to love by need.From bog-worms to the demon vampire Lilith,saved by her ex-husband,Adam,from the noble Mr.Raven,who has haunted a magnificent library for generations,to the precious,innocent little ones,who will not grow to be stupid,cruel giants,all of the characters,teach the reader something of his own needs,his own sad character flaws,and how only a holy death can purify his motives.As do his other works,this one has inspired not only Lewis & Tolkein,but Madeline L'Engle,who quotes MacDonald in her books,and may have awakened the same gift in Charles Williams,another friend of Tolkein and Lewis.This and his other book,'Phantastes,' may be the greatest fairy tales ever written. The writing may not be perfect,but the content is right on.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A huge journey,
This review is from: Lilith (Mass Market Paperback)
Told in first person. We experience the other world through Mr Vane's eyes and thoughts and wishes. His journey is wonderous and educational. Swiftian in its comparisons of scale, relativity, responsibility, choice, free-will. Melodic in its overtures, themes and reprises. I was as exhausted as Vane towards the end - I even skipped a few chapters to see what I could see - but that was the point, the whole point and nothing but the point m'lud - until you go though it, you won't be changed. Then, with new eyes both Mr Vane and reader witness the evil Lilith confront the same fate.A humbling, beautiful, strangely comforting read.
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