Chapters 29 - 31 & Final Thoughts

[Olga]

(Chapters 29 - 31)

Hello, what are your thoughts on these chapters? What are your final thoughts about the book?

[Nico]

Your increasingly and ravenously affectionate uncle

SCREWTAPE

For me, just hearing that, or if I'd read it instead of listening to the audiobook, it would have been bone-chilling and yet hilarious. lol Because again, Wormwood even though we never saw his correspondence, just really did seem like that inept co-worker we all have had. So... there is a weird poetic justice to it all. And hearing how "delicious tasting" the evilest of sinners are is well... kind of humorous too. I guess evil should be like cheese and require proper aging to get just quite right.

I've read a lot of reviews that agree with how I felt about this book: if you read it in the right frame of mind with the expectations that it is a satire you can enjoy it. Expect something else and it won't be so fun. So I did like it, as I do enjoy a good satire from time to time. It was a bit dry at times, but Lewis has always been a bit dry (Narnia suffers from being a bit dry, even).

[Olga]

Yes, I found it funny and interesting in some parts, but my overall feeling is meh. lol I just felt like it was too long, especially the last chapter in the audiobook where Screwtape is giving a speech to the Demon School. It went on forever! I think if you read this in small chunks over a large period of time it would be more enjoyable, and I did appreciate the ideas, and the way the world was created, like the whole demon aspect of it. And obviously the social commentary. But I thought really that it went on too long. That is my main feeling after finishing it.

[Remember me]

Ive had a bad month and just read this in one day. I enjoyed it. I agree with Nico that Lewis has a habit of becoming dry in bits. I also enjoyed the background for this book. Lewis wrote that he became very depressed writing this book and hated it. With that in mind I believe he wrote this as if he was struggling with his faith. However my favorite thing about this, despite being quite dry sometimes, is how Screwtape talks about Hell. How he hates the intelligence department, ect. I also enjoy seeing the fight over human souls in a different light.