The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Many years ago, a brave writer, Dante, was given an express tour of both heaven and hell by Virgil, a long past Roman poet. For better or for worse, Dante's writings on the nine circles of hell defined the afterlife for many people, both believers and non-believers. Even today, if you ask most people about what sorts of images come to mind when they hear about heaven and hell, it's likely that they will at least mention something inspired from Dante's "Inferno," whether they know it or not. "The Great Divorce" can be best described as C.S. Lewis' attempt to put down his own understanding and interpretation of the afterlife. It's far shorter than Dante's "Inferno", but the theological ideas presented within seem to be far more rooted in scripture. The ideas Lewis presents are also much more intriguing and thought out.
One thing that Lewis does a fantastic job with is building up the world of the afterlife. It's clear from the beginning that we are not in the fiery and torturous version of hell from Dante's writings. Instead, Lewis presents the story from the point of view of someone newly arrived in the afterlife. Very little is explained through plan exposition, and is instead described as the protagonist experiences it. This is very compelling because it puts the reader right into the story. In a way, Lewis is guiding us into a glimpse of the afterlife.
One of the elements that makes this version of the afterlife so compelling is that Lewis stays away from the common cultural tropes about Heaven and Hell. In fact, it seems as if he goes to great lengths to resist them entirely. It's extremely effective in bringing down the defenses of the reader. As we experience heaven, we are greeted with a sense of wonder and curiosity with each new experience. It's the subversion of our expectations that makes this so effective.
Lewis also builds upon a grand theological idea as the story unfolds. This idea is only glimpsed at in the beginning of the book, but the reader begins to grasp this idea as Lewis continues our adventure into the after life. We see this idea presented in the lives of other denizens of the afterlife as they visit heaven from hell. By the end of the book, Lewis' theological idea hits its crest and suddenly crashes into the reader at the end of the story. It's a very clever way to present an interesting idea in a way that the reader can easily grasp. I won't spoil what Lewis' grand idea is, so you'll just need to read the book and discover it for yourself.
Overall, "The Great Divorce" was a very good read. It's quick and does not overstay its welcome. The story is presented in a very interesting way since it jumps between different sort of vignettes of people experiencing heaven. It's a fresh and interesting take on the afterlife that subverts our expectations while also presenting a new and intriguing way to view the afterlife. Its short length and overall presentation is certainly worth your time.

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