Hey guys, long time no see.
I'm here to talk about a book that I just finished reading yesterday, and since none of my friends or family are interested in literature, and especially not if it's not German, I decided to take it here.
Part of my father's heritage are his books, many of which are fantasy novels, but also lots of philosophy. Since I am a huge fan of such stories, my mood brightened a lot when my eyes fell upon old copies of George MacDonald's work. Now, I hadn't read any of his books yet, but indeed, I had heard a lot about him before. He inspired the likes of Auden, Lewis and Tolkien, and made adult fantasy a thing.
Lilith is by all means not a book for a casual reader who is used to reading light fare. The style it was written in is dated, as it was published more than a hundred years ago. Part horror, part romance, part fantasy, part theological treatise, and part philosophical musing, Lilith has to be experienced for any true fantasy connoisseur. I won't guarantee that you'll like it, but I guarantee there are shining jewels in it that'll make you think or, at the least, make you uneasy. Just let me show you a few gems:
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"Strange dim memories, which will not abide identification, often, through the misty windows of the past, look out upon me in the broad daylight, but I never dream now. It may be, notwithstanding, that, when most awake, I am only dreaming the more! But when I wake at last into that life which, as a mother her child, carries this life in its bosom, I shall know that I wake, and shall doubt no more."
"Our life is no dream, but it should and will perhaps become one."
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The last quote originally belongs to Novalis, a German philosopher. It somehow can be described as the main motif of the book, although there is a lot more to it. I don't want to lose words on the plot either, as that can be done easily by opening the Wikipedia article to this book. What I wanted to express was that never before have I read a book like this, and frankly, I do not believe there's another like it. It made me think and question what I perceived to know about life, death, and spirituality, and no book has done this before - not like this. I'd rate this 4.9/5, as the plot has some shortcomings in some places. But overall, Lilith truly is a masterpiece!
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