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Charly #1
Charly
Meet Sam, the straitlaced computer science major from Brigham Young University. And meet Charly, the sparkling, quick-witted girl who steps into his world and turns it upside down.
Charly is for anyone who has ever been in love. It's for those who love to laugh- and those who need to learn how. It's a story of joy and spontaneity, learning and loving, and, most of all, growing.
Charly is for anyone who has ever been in love. It's for those who love to laugh- and those who need to learn how. It's a story of joy and spontaneity, learning and loving, and, most of all, growing.
154 pages
First published May 1, 1980
17 people are currently reading
1636 people want to read
About the author
Jack Weyland
57 books230 followersJack Weyland is the best-selling author of young-adult fiction for the Latter-day Saint market. In fact, the modern genre of Latter-day Saint-themed popular fiction is one he is largely responsible for creating with his overwhelmingly popular novel Charly. His interest in fiction began with a correspondence course in creative writing taken during a summer at BYU where he was doing research work. Since then he has published more than two dozen books, and over fifty of his short stories have been published by the LDS Church magazine The New Era.
Born in Butte, Montana, Jack received a B.S. degree in physics from Montana State University and a Ph.D. in physics from BYU. Currently he teaches physics at BYU-Idaho. He formerly taught physics at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Jack and his wife, Sheryl, are the parents of five children and have four grandchildren. His hobbies include racquetball and singing.
Born in Butte, Montana, Jack received a B.S. degree in physics from Montana State University and a Ph.D. in physics from BYU. Currently he teaches physics at BYU-Idaho. He formerly taught physics at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Jack and his wife, Sheryl, are the parents of five children and have four grandchildren. His hobbies include racquetball and singing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 518 reviews
February 15, 2009
I have a policy of not posting books I'd only rate with one or two stars, but I'll make an exception in this case. I'd hate for someone outside the Church to read this book and then judge me for it. This guy drove me absolutely nuts. N-U-T-S. Was this a story or an advertisement for the Church? The main character was so self-involved, chauvenistic and self-righteous it made me want to hurl. I'd feel better about it if I thought the author had any clue. This doesn't work as a story either. Over and over again the characters did and said things because that's what the author wanted them to do, not because it's what they really would do. Whatever. In general, the book started out okay, and because I didn't go into it with high expectations to start with I was able to overlook minor irritations. By the middle of the book it was just too much to bear. It went downhill right until the very end, and by that time I didn't give a crap about any of it and could only express my joy that it was over. A least it was short!!
September 14, 2021
This book should not be read by anyone, ever. I can’t believe so many Mormon youths & adults have read, accepted, and sometimes loved this book. Especially the youngins, whose minds are so impressionable! Especially FEMALE youngins! Because this book is very sexist!
1) Soooo racist: Lamanites who need the gospel, aka “Indians” on the reservations.
2) Soooo sexist: Sam (the main dude) shames Charly for her past “sins” AFTER she repented. Luckily he sorta gets corrected for that. But anyway, he is so mean to her parents, especially her MOM. He continuously shames her for being cordial & wearing MAKEUP. Ugh. He also stalks Charly several times. He belittles her, tells her parents that a woman’s place is in the home, and she does all the cooking, cleaning AND changing of diapers. I’m sick.
3) Sooooo poorly written: Jack is no writer. His descriptions are literally nonexistent. He hardly does dialogue. It’s so bland and painful yet still somehow offensive? Like how did he accomplish that?! Apparently, he took one creative writing class (he’s a physics doctor) and told his teacher he wanted to write LDS fiction and his teacher basically said, “bro…really? You suck at writing tho…” Lolol
There’s really so much to be said? But I think this book was mostly loved because she dies in the end & that was shocking. Idk. It’s really just Jack Weyland’s Mormon fantasy: boring, sexist dude claims the spunky, smart, liberal, educated girl and domesticates her and makes her his. And she STILL loves him! Wow! Great story, Jacky boy!
THERE’S MORE!
In this story you can also expect really weird and stupid jokes, a very awkward first-time sex scene where Charly comes out in modest lingerie (wtf is the point of that???), an angry, rude, young man who yells at people (waiters, concession stand people, stake presidents, etc.) and plenty of Mormons-do-it-better scenarios. We love shaming other cultures, sexes and religions! Yay!
P.S. if you want a giggle, watch “Zelph on the Shelf” on YouTube! They did a series on Charly and it’s funny. But also don’t watch if you don’t want to.
1) Soooo racist: Lamanites who need the gospel, aka “Indians” on the reservations.
2) Soooo sexist: Sam (the main dude) shames Charly for her past “sins” AFTER she repented. Luckily he sorta gets corrected for that. But anyway, he is so mean to her parents, especially her MOM. He continuously shames her for being cordial & wearing MAKEUP. Ugh. He also stalks Charly several times. He belittles her, tells her parents that a woman’s place is in the home, and she does all the cooking, cleaning AND changing of diapers. I’m sick.
3) Sooooo poorly written: Jack is no writer. His descriptions are literally nonexistent. He hardly does dialogue. It’s so bland and painful yet still somehow offensive? Like how did he accomplish that?! Apparently, he took one creative writing class (he’s a physics doctor) and told his teacher he wanted to write LDS fiction and his teacher basically said, “bro…really? You suck at writing tho…” Lolol
There’s really so much to be said? But I think this book was mostly loved because she dies in the end & that was shocking. Idk. It’s really just Jack Weyland’s Mormon fantasy: boring, sexist dude claims the spunky, smart, liberal, educated girl and domesticates her and makes her his. And she STILL loves him! Wow! Great story, Jacky boy!
THERE’S MORE!
In this story you can also expect really weird and stupid jokes, a very awkward first-time sex scene where Charly comes out in modest lingerie (wtf is the point of that???), an angry, rude, young man who yells at people (waiters, concession stand people, stake presidents, etc.) and plenty of Mormons-do-it-better scenarios. We love shaming other cultures, sexes and religions! Yay!
P.S. if you want a giggle, watch “Zelph on the Shelf” on YouTube! They did a series on Charly and it’s funny. But also don’t watch if you don’t want to.
February 23, 2013
I am quite embarrassed that I read this. For one, it is the sappy type of story that I usually try to avoid. Second, there were several moments while reading this that I felt like the author was portraying the LDS faith in such a way that members of the church only look at other people as targets for converting them to their faith. The characters, both male and female, where misogynistic. Comments like "I'm the priesthood holder here, therefore, you should do what I say" made me cringe. Sam, the protagonist is my antithesis. He disgusts me with his shallow views of life.
Unfortunately, with all of the teenage girls in the LDS Church that read this book, it is no wonder that there problems in the Utah Mormon culture with self-esteem, only caring about people until you find out that they're LDS (or until they find out that non-Mormons don't want to convert), and other cultural problems.
Anyone who is not a member of the LDS faith, please don't think that this is how all LDS people think or feel.
Unfortunately, with all of the teenage girls in the LDS Church that read this book, it is no wonder that there problems in the Utah Mormon culture with self-esteem, only caring about people until you find out that they're LDS (or until they find out that non-Mormons don't want to convert), and other cultural problems.
Anyone who is not a member of the LDS faith, please don't think that this is how all LDS people think or feel.
February 7, 2009
Why read a book in which you are told on the first page that the titular character dies unless the book is about other characters dealing with the aftermath of said death? I couldn't get attached to the characters at all because I was waiting for Charly to JUST CROAK ALREADY. Books that make me cry - GOOD. Books that try to tug on heartstrings until you cry because of actual physical pain caused by an overdose of sappy cheesiness - reason enough for book burnings.
August 3, 2012
This book is an embarrassment. A tired formula wrapped in a cliche. It was absolutely nauseating. Now, I recognize that a romance must, in some way, be predictable -- romances are not really mysterious, you don't have to wonder who the "good guy" is, and we read it because we need to have something pretty and easy to understand; something "feel-good." But there are limits to predictability, and in this case, it was not only ridiculous but actually downright insulting. I mean, when I'm able to predict almost page-by-page EXACTLY what will happen in a story from the very first paragraph...when I can actually predict lines of dialogue before they even happen...that is just TOO darn predictable. It was obvious well past the point of simple frustration. To be honest with you, I actually LAUGHED because it was such a bad book. I had to laugh, because if I didn't laugh I would cry. I only kept reading out of sheer morbid curiosity -- and possibly a bit of masochism.
The characters are NOT witty or original -- far from it -- everyone is so cookie-cutter and flat and completely uninteresting. The book reads like one giant MormonAd (not to insult MormonAds, which are actually significantly more interesting and entertaining than this book) and was overly preachy.
The only good thing I can say about this book is that it was mercifully short. I only had to sacrifice about an hour of my time. Still, it was an hour I could have spent doing more enjoyable activities, like having my teeth drilled.
The characters are NOT witty or original -- far from it -- everyone is so cookie-cutter and flat and completely uninteresting. The book reads like one giant MormonAd (not to insult MormonAds, which are actually significantly more interesting and entertaining than this book) and was overly preachy.
The only good thing I can say about this book is that it was mercifully short. I only had to sacrifice about an hour of my time. Still, it was an hour I could have spent doing more enjoyable activities, like having my teeth drilled.
September 16, 2021
This book is a disturbing case study on the Mormon male psyche. Charly is the manic pixie dream girl of Mormonism—a hot Columbia student who converts to Mormonism and falls in love with a man who possesses no good qualities other than being really religious. (Which I wouldn’t personally consider a good quality but we’ll put that aside!)
There is zero mention of Charly’s decision to drop out of Columbia to become a Mormon housewife because it’s just assumed that a converted woman would do that. (Sexist attitudes are rampant throughout the book, because the author’s life was built on them.) Sam displays disturbing behavior and mindsets throughout (while Charly is clearly the more empathetic, intelligent one) but there’s no character arc involving him becoming aware of them or changing. Charly just continues to be madly in love with a man who is patronizing, racist, and sexist.
I know it was written in the 80s but it is truly mind-blowing how racist this book is toward Native Americans. They are regularly referred to as Lamanites and only shown respect when they are being good Mormons. Otherwise, they are painted as poor, unintelligent savages, who the white Mormons in the book have to save. (Very fitting given that the Book of Mormon is a white man’s ethnocentric fantasy story about Native American history.)
There’s also a giant dose of prosperity gospel and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” toxicity. Sam is a thoroughly unlikeable character who doesn’t seem remotely deserving of Charly, and treats women horribly. (He was unwilling to take money from their parents when they were living in poverty because he sees himself as too good for that, but he was fine asking a random girl he begrudgingly took on a date for money for a flight to go and see Charly.)
Also the scenes depicting Charly’s Columbia classes are absurd and totally out of touch with what the study of philosophy actually entails.
An extremely juvenile book, even for children. (But a fascinating look into the Mormon male psyche in the 80s!) No self-awareness. No emotional intelligence or understanding of how humans think and act and make decisions. Humorless. Charly’s kindness is the only redeeming quality, and even then, it’s completely co-opted by Sam and Mormonism in disturbing ways.
There is zero mention of Charly’s decision to drop out of Columbia to become a Mormon housewife because it’s just assumed that a converted woman would do that. (Sexist attitudes are rampant throughout the book, because the author’s life was built on them.) Sam displays disturbing behavior and mindsets throughout (while Charly is clearly the more empathetic, intelligent one) but there’s no character arc involving him becoming aware of them or changing. Charly just continues to be madly in love with a man who is patronizing, racist, and sexist.
I know it was written in the 80s but it is truly mind-blowing how racist this book is toward Native Americans. They are regularly referred to as Lamanites and only shown respect when they are being good Mormons. Otherwise, they are painted as poor, unintelligent savages, who the white Mormons in the book have to save. (Very fitting given that the Book of Mormon is a white man’s ethnocentric fantasy story about Native American history.)
There’s also a giant dose of prosperity gospel and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” toxicity. Sam is a thoroughly unlikeable character who doesn’t seem remotely deserving of Charly, and treats women horribly. (He was unwilling to take money from their parents when they were living in poverty because he sees himself as too good for that, but he was fine asking a random girl he begrudgingly took on a date for money for a flight to go and see Charly.)
Also the scenes depicting Charly’s Columbia classes are absurd and totally out of touch with what the study of philosophy actually entails.
An extremely juvenile book, even for children. (But a fascinating look into the Mormon male psyche in the 80s!) No self-awareness. No emotional intelligence or understanding of how humans think and act and make decisions. Humorless. Charly’s kindness is the only redeeming quality, and even then, it’s completely co-opted by Sam and Mormonism in disturbing ways.
August 4, 2021
I actually listened to Zelph on the Shelf read this in weekly YouTube videos and it was a great time. Book was awful though.
April 1, 2008
Like a lot of young LDS girls of the 80's, I went through a Jack Weyland phase, where I had to read everything that he ever wrote. After reading several of his books, I kind of reached my quota and I haven't read anything by him in a long time.
Charly was his first novel, it was also the first one that I read. I was a sappy young 12 year old girl when I read it. I remember crying my eyes out while I was reading it and then crying some more for weeks afterward everytime I even thought about it. It probably would have a completely different effect on me if I read now, but I gave it 5 stars for sentimental reasons.
I thought that they did a good job on the movie and I think I went through an entire box of tissues while watching it.
Charly was his first novel, it was also the first one that I read. I was a sappy young 12 year old girl when I read it. I remember crying my eyes out while I was reading it and then crying some more for weeks afterward everytime I even thought about it. It probably would have a completely different effect on me if I read now, but I gave it 5 stars for sentimental reasons.
I thought that they did a good job on the movie and I think I went through an entire box of tissues while watching it.
November 21, 2023
Not only is this book badly written and boring at times. It's also pretty sexist as well as racist (as one could expect from a religious fundamentalist). And because this is all voiced through the protagonist he comes off as a judgy unlikeable asshole who doesn't deserve everybody's kindness. 1 star.
I basically listened to this as an audiobook read by Zelph on the Shelf on YouTube. They also provided commentary and it was only worth watching because of that.
(If you wanna check it out: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA... )
Check out more of my reviews here!
I basically listened to this as an audiobook read by Zelph on the Shelf on YouTube. They also provided commentary and it was only worth watching because of that.
(If you wanna check it out: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA... )
Check out more of my reviews here!
May 20, 2010
yeah that is right. i gave it a 5. this was my favorite favorite favorite book as a kid. i read this when i was 11 and it was one of the very first books that pulled me in and taught me to love reading. it will always hold a special place in my heart.
July 10, 2021
~3.8~
I thought that this book was good! My mom kind of spoiled the entire end for me but then the book itself gives it away in literally the first paragraph so…Nevermind mom haha.
Anyways, I am on the drive to Utah and my parents were begging and I mean BEGGING me to read this, so I picked it up and I did.
It was a very fast read but I still feel like I got a whole story out of it. It was weird, it was only 98 pages but it felt like at least 150 (in a good way). I just found out that they made a movie about this book and I am excited and even though I did not cry in this book, I have a feeling that I will cry in the movie (I did come close to tears though)
I thought that it kind of portrayed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and little strangely. But of course this was written in the 80s and I am pretty sure they did things a little differently…but don’t take my word for it. (I didn’t live in the 80s) I just thought that some of the things he said were not totally something I would agree with, but I totally get what Sam meant.
There were some parts that caught the aspect of being a member pretty spot on and I do have to say, I did laugh out loud at some parts haha.
To conclude, I thought that it was overall a very good book and like I said above, LETS WATCH THE MOVIE AND PROBABLY CRY MY EYES OUT WOOOHOOO.
have a spectacular evening.
I thought that this book was good! My mom kind of spoiled the entire end for me but then the book itself gives it away in literally the first paragraph so…Nevermind mom haha.
Anyways, I am on the drive to Utah and my parents were begging and I mean BEGGING me to read this, so I picked it up and I did.
It was a very fast read but I still feel like I got a whole story out of it. It was weird, it was only 98 pages but it felt like at least 150 (in a good way). I just found out that they made a movie about this book and I am excited and even though I did not cry in this book, I have a feeling that I will cry in the movie (I did come close to tears though)
I thought that it kind of portrayed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and little strangely. But of course this was written in the 80s and I am pretty sure they did things a little differently…but don’t take my word for it. (I didn’t live in the 80s) I just thought that some of the things he said were not totally something I would agree with, but I totally get what Sam meant.
There were some parts that caught the aspect of being a member pretty spot on and I do have to say, I did laugh out loud at some parts haha.
To conclude, I thought that it was overall a very good book and like I said above, LETS WATCH THE MOVIE AND PROBABLY CRY MY EYES OUT WOOOHOOO.
have a spectacular evening.
February 12, 2008
Seriously, I know I stand alone in this opinion--but not only am I not a fan of Jack Weyland, I thought this book stunk! Manipulative, sad, and just plain weird. And I don't think it sends a good message to teens--the main guy went slightly "crazy" without this Charley. Dumb.
September 27, 2014
I am sorry to say that I saw the movie before reading the book. But I absolutely loved the movie and when I heard there was a book, I immediately knew I had to read it. Well, I read it. And i hope that my opinion of it isn't because of my opinion of the movie.
This book was fantastic. It's only 98 pages, but it seems longer. Charly is hilarious, and sweet, and so amazing and Sam almost doesn't deserve her. I like Sam, too. He can be a bit "stiff", but he really is like able. Occasionally he made some big mistakes, and said some really stupid things, but all in all he's a good guy.
I bawled my eyes out. As I finished it, I was like "oh I probably cried for the last what, 30 pages?" Yeah, no. I looked and the point I started bawling was page 89. 9 pages before the end. 9! It seemed so much longer. But I bawled for a good 5 minutes after the final page. I did cry at a few other parts of the book though.
Basically, this is the most emotionally wrecking book I have ever read (and is better than the movie). It was so good. Next time I will make sure I have a box of tissues next to me.
This book was fantastic. It's only 98 pages, but it seems longer. Charly is hilarious, and sweet, and so amazing and Sam almost doesn't deserve her. I like Sam, too. He can be a bit "stiff", but he really is like able. Occasionally he made some big mistakes, and said some really stupid things, but all in all he's a good guy.
I bawled my eyes out. As I finished it, I was like "oh I probably cried for the last what, 30 pages?" Yeah, no. I looked and the point I started bawling was page 89. 9 pages before the end. 9! It seemed so much longer. But I bawled for a good 5 minutes after the final page. I did cry at a few other parts of the book though.
Basically, this is the most emotionally wrecking book I have ever read (and is better than the movie). It was so good. Next time I will make sure I have a box of tissues next to me.
August 8, 2015
You know, when you read a book involving a romance and a cancer victim, you expect something a little sappy - kind of like A Walk to Remember. Sappy, but really, really sad - the kind of sad that if you have a heart, you cry for hours (well, maybe not hours - but you at least feel a burning behind your eyes). When Charly died, I was relieved. I saw it coming and I rejoyced. I know it sounds awful, but if you've read the book, and you've got half a brain, you were considering suicide the whole while. I've never dragged myself through a worse book - or, at least, not that I can remember.
The characters were shallow, the plot drab and predictable, the dialogue boring... I could go on and on and on.
The worst part is that usually I enjoy LDS fiction (I mean, sure, it can be melodramatic, and there's a sort-of formula that most follow, but I like them), but this was honestly just painful. I only finished it because my friend had loved it and recommened it to me, and then lent me her copy.
If you love life, don't read it. If you've read it, I'm sorry.
The characters were shallow, the plot drab and predictable, the dialogue boring... I could go on and on and on.
The worst part is that usually I enjoy LDS fiction (I mean, sure, it can be melodramatic, and there's a sort-of formula that most follow, but I like them), but this was honestly just painful. I only finished it because my friend had loved it and recommened it to me, and then lent me her copy.
If you love life, don't read it. If you've read it, I'm sorry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2024
Really, really terrible. The writing is awful and doesn't read realistically at all. Sam is chauvinistic, self-righteous, and not attractive at all. There is a lot of randomness in the middle. Then she dies, and you are manipulated into crying. I can't believe I used to like these books. On the plus side, it was so terrible I couldn't stop reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2009
I love reading the reviews on here after I finish a book. Everyone's comments made me want to remove the fourth star. But . . .
I'm not going to be one of those people who rants about how tear jerking and wonderfully romantic this book is. And it is far from realistic. But I won't complain about the writing either. From what I understand Jack Weyland is a Pysics professor at Ricks College (I don't know if he stayed on past Ricks, so that's what I'll call it). And I think to myself, for a science brain living in small town Idaho, this is a pretty well written story. And I think the quality of writing matched the narrator well. If Charly had told the story I would have wanted it to be more poetic and thoughtful. But since it was Sam's story I thought the writing suited him.
I read this in one sitting. Took about as long as watching the movie would have. So I can't complain. I'm glad someone summarized the plot of "Sam" on their review. Won't bother reading that. I don't like that these books make women seem like they should stay at home and be housewives, but it was written by a middle aged man in the 80's so whatever.
Oh, the Bishop doing the dishes thing is what really got me. Like no one would really help. Please . . . and like he'd really hesitate to share the gospel just to get out of doing the dishes. A couple other things made me roll my eyes, but overall, I have to admit, I really liked it.
I'm not going to be one of those people who rants about how tear jerking and wonderfully romantic this book is. And it is far from realistic. But I won't complain about the writing either. From what I understand Jack Weyland is a Pysics professor at Ricks College (I don't know if he stayed on past Ricks, so that's what I'll call it). And I think to myself, for a science brain living in small town Idaho, this is a pretty well written story. And I think the quality of writing matched the narrator well. If Charly had told the story I would have wanted it to be more poetic and thoughtful. But since it was Sam's story I thought the writing suited him.
I read this in one sitting. Took about as long as watching the movie would have. So I can't complain. I'm glad someone summarized the plot of "Sam" on their review. Won't bother reading that. I don't like that these books make women seem like they should stay at home and be housewives, but it was written by a middle aged man in the 80's so whatever.
Oh, the Bishop doing the dishes thing is what really got me. Like no one would really help. Please . . . and like he'd really hesitate to share the gospel just to get out of doing the dishes. A couple other things made me roll my eyes, but overall, I have to admit, I really liked it.
December 16, 2016
Charly was an exciting warmhearted book about love and kindness. Sam is a Mormon that just returned from his mission. He isn't exactly looking for a girlfriend but his father, invites him to take his boss's daughter out for the night. Sam was not happy about this knowing Charly would be a snobby rich girl. But their two personalities are perfect together which they soon realize as they spend more and more time together. I loved this book because I am LDS so I was able to connect with a lot of the religion in the book and Sam's perspective. I loved how Sam was so sweet to her and how they fell in love when I thought that they wouldn't have a chance together as a couple because of their differences. But one thing I didn't really like was the ending. I liked how it ended because it was a change of how romance books usually end but I feel it could have had a little more information. This book was beautifully written and had lots of meaning behind it. It taught me that everything will work out in the end no matter what happens.
February 1, 2010
I was 12 years old. I was attending Grange Middle School and I guess the Chicken Pox didn't catch me as a tot and so I had to suffer from an accute case of it. Not only that, I had a nasty sore throat. So I missed school. One would think "Yeah! I get to sleep in!" but not really any fun when you are miserable. So there I sat in my room in bed, with strep and the little bubbles on my skiin had popped and I was in a world of pain, even the bottom of my feet. I was crying a whole lot. Thankfully my mom gave me this book to ready. It took my mind completely off of my woes and gave me a whole nother reason to cry. A MUST READ!!
December 27, 2011
Classic LDS fiction. I first got this book when I was 12 years old. Got it for my birthday (or was it in my stocking at Christmas??) and read it within an hour. It's always been one of my all-time favorite stories. I laugh. I cry. Every single time.
My mom couldn't find my old copy, so for my birthday this year she replaced it with a new copy. I read it again within an hour. I laughed. I cried. I love this book, no matter how simple the writing or the plot it.
My mom couldn't find my old copy, so for my birthday this year she replaced it with a new copy. I read it again within an hour. I laughed. I cried. I love this book, no matter how simple the writing or the plot it.
March 30, 2009
This book is really good. It's sad near the end. I cried a great deal. But You'll find that it's one of the best books he has ever written. I'm sure you've seen the movie charly. This is the book to it, so if you have seen the movie, you know what happens, but trust me the book is tons better!
July 19, 2009
I had to add this one, of course! But I must say the movie is even better! :)
May 15, 2013
This book I have read 27 times. It's that good! And yes, after ALL of those times, I cry no, I bawl my eyes out EVERY single time I read it!!
November 26, 2015
I loved the Utah County humor. Dialogue-terrible, ending-terrible,prose-terrible. This book is only for people that grew up in Utah County in the 1980s.
February 24, 2017
I read this story years ago and as remembered I loved it then and still do.
January 17, 2018
Every girl I knew at church read this book shortly after it first came out in 1980. One of the better examples of Mormon romance novels, which isn't exactly saying a whole lot.
August 6, 2021
Terrible book. Only made palatable by reading along with Sam and Tanner from Zelph on the Shelf. Atrociously written, no nuance, no character depth or growth.
December 17, 2022
A truly awful book written rather poorly. The racism alone is enough to earn it one star, but there is so much more to it than that. If you are considering reading, might I suggest listening to Zelph on the Shelf read it to you instead?
September 30, 2013
Oh the feels! :'( I loved this book :) Charly is an amazing person--er-- character. Sam was not the kindest person and had kind of an uncontrollable temper in that he said a lot of mean things. This book teaches a lot of important lessons that a lot of people investigating the church seem to worry about, such as being outcast by their family.
Something that really struck me from this book was a lesson Sam learned, beginning when the drunk man asked him if he knew Jesus. "The Savior knew several days in advance that Lazarus was sick and that he was going to die and that He would raise him from the dead. He understood that from the beginning, Lazarus' death at that time was to last only four days. When Jesus met Martha and Mary after they'd buried Lazarus, the reproached him for not being there when Lazarus was sick. As they walked to the tomb where they'd laid him, the scriptures say that Jesus wept. Why? Why did he weep when he knew that Lazarus would come to life in five minutes? Why did her weep when he knew that, in a few minutes, Mary and Martha would be happier than at any other time? Why did he weep when he knew that their sorrow was only a breeding ground for their approaching joy? Why did he weep?"(pg. 103)
I planned to ponder these questions and find an answer once I finished the book but later in the book, there is an answer. "I felt great heartache as I watched Charly slowly become weaker...I wanted to know how this appeared to the Savior. He lives and knows each one of us by name, and hie love for us is completely unconditional. How did he view the imminent passing away of my wife? We had been faithful to the covenants we made in the temple. The Savior was aware of the joy awaiting in heaven after the resurrection. This thing that to us was such a great tragedy, what was it to him, who saw beyond the grave? Did he understand the depths of my sorrow? Then I remembered the raising of Lazarus--Mary and Martha weeping for the loss of their dear brother as they all trudged up the hill to the tomb. Jesus was certain that in five minutes Lazarus would come forth. What if he had turned to Mary and told her not to cry and that everything would be okay? What if he had treated lightly her sorrow? Instead, he wept. He wept because they wept and because he shared their sorrow. He wept because he loved them, and whatever grief they carried, even for a short time, he shared it with them. He would not leave me comfortless because he loves me..."
I love this, never before have I understood this as well as I do now. I plan to challenge myself as Sam did himself, and come closer to Christ.
Another lesson I found incredible in this book happened 10 days before Sam and Charly were to be married. Before she was baptized, Charly had not followed the law of chastity because she hadn't known to. When she was baptized, she was washed clean of this sin. However, children that are raised in the church as Sam and I were, are taught to follow the law of chastity because we would want our future spouse to do the same for us. Sam hadn't thought it possible that his future wife would not be morally clean, but she really was because she had been baptized after those things happened and had followed the commandments after. This made her temple worthy but in Sam's eyes she wasn't because he hadn't been prepared for her to have made those mistakes in the past. Sam had to learn to forgive and understand that Charly was clean. I think this is an important lesson that should be taught more often so that members of the church can prepare themselves, in case they ever are in that situation.
I really want to see the movie of this book and read the rest of the series as well as more books by this author!
Something that really struck me from this book was a lesson Sam learned, beginning when the drunk man asked him if he knew Jesus. "The Savior knew several days in advance that Lazarus was sick and that he was going to die and that He would raise him from the dead. He understood that from the beginning, Lazarus' death at that time was to last only four days. When Jesus met Martha and Mary after they'd buried Lazarus, the reproached him for not being there when Lazarus was sick. As they walked to the tomb where they'd laid him, the scriptures say that Jesus wept. Why? Why did he weep when he knew that Lazarus would come to life in five minutes? Why did her weep when he knew that, in a few minutes, Mary and Martha would be happier than at any other time? Why did he weep when he knew that their sorrow was only a breeding ground for their approaching joy? Why did he weep?"(pg. 103)
I planned to ponder these questions and find an answer once I finished the book but later in the book, there is an answer. "I felt great heartache as I watched Charly slowly become weaker...I wanted to know how this appeared to the Savior. He lives and knows each one of us by name, and hie love for us is completely unconditional. How did he view the imminent passing away of my wife? We had been faithful to the covenants we made in the temple. The Savior was aware of the joy awaiting in heaven after the resurrection. This thing that to us was such a great tragedy, what was it to him, who saw beyond the grave? Did he understand the depths of my sorrow? Then I remembered the raising of Lazarus--Mary and Martha weeping for the loss of their dear brother as they all trudged up the hill to the tomb. Jesus was certain that in five minutes Lazarus would come forth. What if he had turned to Mary and told her not to cry and that everything would be okay? What if he had treated lightly her sorrow? Instead, he wept. He wept because they wept and because he shared their sorrow. He wept because he loved them, and whatever grief they carried, even for a short time, he shared it with them. He would not leave me comfortless because he loves me..."
I love this, never before have I understood this as well as I do now. I plan to challenge myself as Sam did himself, and come closer to Christ.
Another lesson I found incredible in this book happened 10 days before Sam and Charly were to be married. Before she was baptized, Charly had not followed the law of chastity because she hadn't known to. When she was baptized, she was washed clean of this sin. However, children that are raised in the church as Sam and I were, are taught to follow the law of chastity because we would want our future spouse to do the same for us. Sam hadn't thought it possible that his future wife would not be morally clean, but she really was because she had been baptized after those things happened and had followed the commandments after. This made her temple worthy but in Sam's eyes she wasn't because he hadn't been prepared for her to have made those mistakes in the past. Sam had to learn to forgive and understand that Charly was clean. I think this is an important lesson that should be taught more often so that members of the church can prepare themselves, in case they ever are in that situation.
I really want to see the movie of this book and read the rest of the series as well as more books by this author!
November 28, 2016
The book "Charly" by Jack Weyland is a sweet romance novel that enables us to become more grateful for the people we have in our lives today. It starts as the 22 year old Sam gets asked by his dad to go on a date with a new girl in the neighborhood, Charly. Sam reluctantly agrees and starts dating Charly. She shows him how to love and live life to the fullest! This book helped me to wonder what I could do to lighten up and become more like Charly. This book was full of excitement, loss, healing, and love. To show its many emotion changes, I found it unnerving when Charly took off without telling Sam. And the at the same time it was fun and exciting when Charly and Sam decided to make further plans for the future. I thought that the book was well thought out, and though it ended very sadly, I liked the way that the author concluded it. I won’t say who or how, but it was very discouraging to watch the characters sitting with each other as one of them lay on their deathbed. I felt like I could really relate to this scenario. My youngest brother, Sam, was born 3 months early and struggled with many problems, one being that he had pneumonia and his lungs were not yet fully developed. He nearly died several times as his lungs kept collapsing and his heart would stop beating. Thankfully and miraculously, he somehow got through it and is now a 7 year old genius with absolutely no health problems! But it was a different feeling reading it and looking back at that experience. It made me so much more grateful to have my brother today. I really loved this book! I think the reason why I liked it so much was because of the way is was written. Jack Weyland makes you feel as if you are in the book too, like an invisible character that nobody knows, and yet I am aware of their very thoughts. To further expound on the way that I felt so attached to it, Charly was the first book that literally made me cry while reading! It was so good, and I don’t think I’d have any problem with reading it again any time soon!
November 2, 2011
"Charly" was a nice and calm, easy read. I enjoyed it because it was a cute story filled with love and adventure.
Sam, a boring, young man with his life planned out, meets Charly, an adventurous, wild, young woman who takes things as they come. He has no intentions of having affections toward her. During Sam and Charly’s fun filled days together, Sam finds himself falling in love with Charly and her personality. After they get married, they have a baby, build a house, and go through hard times and trials until Charly departs from this life from terminal cancer. Sam grows closer to God and learns important life lessons during his times of difficulty.
I loved the character of Charly! Her character was built well. She was so outgoing and would do crazy things. The things she did always made me laugh. She transformed Sam from a dull, computer geek, into a fun, happier man.
In this story, I was emotionally hooked on it. I laughed, I cried (literally), and I felt their emotions.
Although this book was an easy read, it was a good book for me to read over the summer. You must understand, I am not a reader at all! I was interested in it and read it fairly quickly (for my pace). The writing was plain and simple. There are no big, fancy words. Although the writing is somewhat bland, it has a good storyline. I know some people do not like this type of writing, but it was an enjoyable story.
In my opinion, the theme of this story is enduring to the end. Before Charly passes away, Sam breaks down and looses faith, but Charly assures him that it will all be well in the end and God has a plan for them.
If you are looking for a easy read, LDS romance, I would recommend this book.
There is a sequel to this, "Sam", about Sam's life after Charly dies. I read this book as well and it was almost as good as "Charly."
Sam, a boring, young man with his life planned out, meets Charly, an adventurous, wild, young woman who takes things as they come. He has no intentions of having affections toward her. During Sam and Charly’s fun filled days together, Sam finds himself falling in love with Charly and her personality. After they get married, they have a baby, build a house, and go through hard times and trials until Charly departs from this life from terminal cancer. Sam grows closer to God and learns important life lessons during his times of difficulty.
I loved the character of Charly! Her character was built well. She was so outgoing and would do crazy things. The things she did always made me laugh. She transformed Sam from a dull, computer geek, into a fun, happier man.
In this story, I was emotionally hooked on it. I laughed, I cried (literally), and I felt their emotions.
Although this book was an easy read, it was a good book for me to read over the summer. You must understand, I am not a reader at all! I was interested in it and read it fairly quickly (for my pace). The writing was plain and simple. There are no big, fancy words. Although the writing is somewhat bland, it has a good storyline. I know some people do not like this type of writing, but it was an enjoyable story.
In my opinion, the theme of this story is enduring to the end. Before Charly passes away, Sam breaks down and looses faith, but Charly assures him that it will all be well in the end and God has a plan for them.
If you are looking for a easy read, LDS romance, I would recommend this book.
There is a sequel to this, "Sam", about Sam's life after Charly dies. I read this book as well and it was almost as good as "Charly."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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