John C. Wright reviews Lilith also, after previously writing two posts about MacDonald's Phantastes.
Lilith is indeed a very difficult book to understand--I've only read it two or three times, and I no longer own a copy--but at the same time the Lilith character is astonishingly modern in her pride and violence, and one of MacDonald's core messages that runs throughout his writings--obedience to God--is made very clear.
Most of the book is set within a highly-symbolic metaphysical landscape. Within this landscape are a number of scenes that seem to be intended to express spiritual truths. One scene that has stuck with me ever since reading the book is a never-ending furious battle between two factions, both of which claim they are on the side of Truth. This battle has no effect at all on the rest of that world. The protagonist does not engage in it, goes off on a foolish crusade of his own, and eventually has to simply obey instructions about one small rock, which when properly placed brings a great deal of healing.
My understanding of the Lona character is that she appeared to be about fifteen years old, which in MacDonald's time was sometimes considered a marriageable age. The two very similar white leopards are also difficult to sort out. One is Lilith, and I believe the other is the daughter of Adam and Eve who also appeared as the masked lady at the house.
For the Little Ones and the Bags, it is helpful to consider The Princess and Curdie, where Curdie is given the gift of being able to discern a person's moral nature. A wicked person's hand feels to him like the foot of the beast they are morally descending toward; Curdie's good mother's work-hardened hands feel human, and soft and lovely. MacDonald was showing how a person could descend into brutishness and a very thorough spiritual dullness.
