Descent into Hell

I read this book once way back in the day, in my teens or twenties sometime. It was vivid, and I remembered details of the book, and other details from Williams' other novel. That said, I thought that Williams was a gifted weirdo. I decided to read this book again, and really enjoyed it. I am remind......more

Follow my Charles Williams blog, The Oddest Inkling, for more context on this book and (later) a summary and other thoughts. William Blake once wrote: "For every thing that lives is Holy"; and yet, Christ made division between subjects of the kingdom vs. slaves to the darkness when He said: "He will......more

This is not an easy book. In fact, it is a very difficult book on two grounds - the style and the content. But it is a minor masterpiece that deserves much wider readership. The style owes something to its period. The emotionally cold world of 1930s Britain. It is cerebral. The artistry - like the pl......more

Wow. Every five years I stumble across a book of this caliber, and I now understand why this novel is considered to be Williams' best. From beginning to end, Williams crafts a story that reads more like a theological drama which, though obscure, is deeply personal and engaged with humanity's need fo......more

This is a brilliant and bewildering book. As is typical of Charles Williams, he has a grand, absorbing vision but he writes so obliquely it can be very difficult to understand what he's trying to say. The chapter "Dress Rehearsal" is magnificent as Williams exquisitely describes a character whose ma......more