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Charis in the World of Wonders: A Novel Set in Puritan New England
"When I swung over that windowsill, everything changed for me. We are meant to go in and out of doors in civilized style, but my mother bade me climb into woodsy wildness and a darkness flushed with crimson light and torches …"
Clambering into the branches of a tree, a young woman flees flaming arrows and massacre. She will need to struggle for to scour the wilderness for shelter, to strive and seek for a new family and a setting where she can belong. Her unmarked way is costly and hard.
For Charis, the world outside the window of home is a maze of hazards. And even if she survives the wilds, it is no simple matter to discover and nest among her own kind—the godly, those called Puritans by others. She may be tugged by her desires for companionship, may even stumble into an intense love for a man, and may be made to try the strength of female heroism in ways no longer familiar to women in our century.
Streams of darkness run through the seventeenth-century villages of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Occult fears have a way of creeping into the mind. What young woman can be safe from the dangers of wilderness when its shadowy thickets spring up so easily in the soil of human hearts? Much will oppose Charis' longings for renewal and peace; she must pursue and discover the hero's path to a larger, more vivid life.
Clambering into the branches of a tree, a young woman flees flaming arrows and massacre. She will need to struggle for to scour the wilderness for shelter, to strive and seek for a new family and a setting where she can belong. Her unmarked way is costly and hard.
For Charis, the world outside the window of home is a maze of hazards. And even if she survives the wilds, it is no simple matter to discover and nest among her own kind—the godly, those called Puritans by others. She may be tugged by her desires for companionship, may even stumble into an intense love for a man, and may be made to try the strength of female heroism in ways no longer familiar to women in our century.
Streams of darkness run through the seventeenth-century villages of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Occult fears have a way of creeping into the mind. What young woman can be safe from the dangers of wilderness when its shadowy thickets spring up so easily in the soil of human hearts? Much will oppose Charis' longings for renewal and peace; she must pursue and discover the hero's path to a larger, more vivid life.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2020
112 people are currently reading
1202 people want to read
About the author
Marly Youmans
37 books117 followers"Youmans (pronounced like 'yeoman' with an 's' added) is the best-kept secret among contemporary American writers." --John Wilson, editor, Books and Culture
MAZE OF BLOOD (Mercer University Press, 2015.) Novel. Inspired by the life of Robert E. Howard. Profusely decorated by artist Clive Hicks-Jenkins. Literary / fantastic. "...A haunting tale of dark obsessions and transcendent creative fire, rendered brilliantly in Youmans' richly poetic prose." --Midori Snyder
GLIMMERGLASS (Mercer University Press, 2014) IndieFab BOTYA Finalist. Art by Clive Hicks-Jenkins. Novel. "It’s brilliantly well-written, shockingly raw, and transportingly—sometimes confusingly (but not in a bad way)—weird. Glimmerglass shimmers on the boundaries of the real and the unreal, of poetry and prose, of the ordinary and the fantastic. It’s down to the caprice of the individual reader, therefore, to decide exactly what sort of story it’s trying to tell. It’s difficult to overstate the emotional effect that Glimmerglass has had on me. This is a beautiful, complex, moving book. Marly Youmans’s prose flows like clear water, and every image is, as Cynthia observes, “full of meaning” (p. 39)." -Tom Atherton, "Strange Horizons"
A DEATH AT THE WHITE CAMELLIA ORPHANAGE (Mercer University Press, 2012) The Ferrol Sams Award for 2012; Silver Award in fiction, The ForeWord BOTYA Awards. Novel. "It is seldom that a novel from a small university press can compete with the offerings from the big houses in New York. A Death at the White Camellia Orphanage may be the best novel this reviewer has read this year. Its quality and story-telling remind one of The Adventures of Roderick Random, Great Expectation and The Grapes of Wrath among others. The winner of the 2012 "Ferrol Sams Award for Fiction," A Death has the potential to become a classic American picaresque novel. / One wishes, however, that this novel will not get shunted into the regional box and be seen only as a Southern novel. Its themes and the power of its language, the forceful flow of its storyline and its characters have earned the right to a broad national audience." 30 July 2012 ABOUT.COM Contemporary Literature, John M. Formy-Duval.
THALIAD (Montreal: Phoenicia Publishing, 2012.) Post-apocalyptic long poem combining elements of the novel and the epic. Art by Clive Hicks-Jenkins. In THALIAD, Marly Youmans has written a powerful and beautiful saga of seven children who escape a fiery apocalypse----though "written" is hardly the word to use, as this extraordinary account seems rather "channeled" or dreamed or imparted in a vision, told in heroic poetry of the highest calibre. Amazing, mesmerizing, filled with pithy wisdom, THALIAD is a work of genius which also seems particularly relevant to our own time. --novelist Lee Smith
THE FOLIATE HEAD (UK: Stanza Press, 2012.) Art by Clive Hicks-Jenkins. Collection of formal poetry.
THE THRONE OF PSYCHE (Mercer University Press, 2011.) Collection of formal poetry. "Youmans is a writer of rare ability whose works will one day be studied by serious students of poetry." Greg Langley, Books editor, The Baton Rouge Advocate, October 2, 2011
VAL/ORSON (P. S. Publishing, 2009.) Novel. "Book of the Year" for 2009 Books and Culture Magazine
INGLEDOVE (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005) Fantasy, y.a.
CLAIRE (Louisiana State University, 2003) Collection of poetry.
THE WOLF PIT (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001.) The Michael Shaara Award. Short list, Southern Book Award.
CATHERWOOD (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1996.)
LITTLE JORDAN (David R. Godine, Publisher, 1995.)
MAZE OF BLOOD (Mercer University Press, 2015.) Novel. Inspired by the life of Robert E. Howard. Profusely decorated by artist Clive Hicks-Jenkins. Literary / fantastic. "...A haunting tale of dark obsessions and transcendent creative fire, rendered brilliantly in Youmans' richly poetic prose." --Midori Snyder
GLIMMERGLASS (Mercer University Press, 2014) IndieFab BOTYA Finalist. Art by Clive Hicks-Jenkins. Novel. "It’s brilliantly well-written, shockingly raw, and transportingly—sometimes confusingly (but not in a bad way)—weird. Glimmerglass shimmers on the boundaries of the real and the unreal, of poetry and prose, of the ordinary and the fantastic. It’s down to the caprice of the individual reader, therefore, to decide exactly what sort of story it’s trying to tell. It’s difficult to overstate the emotional effect that Glimmerglass has had on me. This is a beautiful, complex, moving book. Marly Youmans’s prose flows like clear water, and every image is, as Cynthia observes, “full of meaning” (p. 39)." -Tom Atherton, "Strange Horizons"
A DEATH AT THE WHITE CAMELLIA ORPHANAGE (Mercer University Press, 2012) The Ferrol Sams Award for 2012; Silver Award in fiction, The ForeWord BOTYA Awards. Novel. "It is seldom that a novel from a small university press can compete with the offerings from the big houses in New York. A Death at the White Camellia Orphanage may be the best novel this reviewer has read this year. Its quality and story-telling remind one of The Adventures of Roderick Random, Great Expectation and The Grapes of Wrath among others. The winner of the 2012 "Ferrol Sams Award for Fiction," A Death has the potential to become a classic American picaresque novel. / One wishes, however, that this novel will not get shunted into the regional box and be seen only as a Southern novel. Its themes and the power of its language, the forceful flow of its storyline and its characters have earned the right to a broad national audience." 30 July 2012 ABOUT.COM Contemporary Literature, John M. Formy-Duval.
THALIAD (Montreal: Phoenicia Publishing, 2012.) Post-apocalyptic long poem combining elements of the novel and the epic. Art by Clive Hicks-Jenkins. In THALIAD, Marly Youmans has written a powerful and beautiful saga of seven children who escape a fiery apocalypse----though "written" is hardly the word to use, as this extraordinary account seems rather "channeled" or dreamed or imparted in a vision, told in heroic poetry of the highest calibre. Amazing, mesmerizing, filled with pithy wisdom, THALIAD is a work of genius which also seems particularly relevant to our own time. --novelist Lee Smith
THE FOLIATE HEAD (UK: Stanza Press, 2012.) Art by Clive Hicks-Jenkins. Collection of formal poetry.
THE THRONE OF PSYCHE (Mercer University Press, 2011.) Collection of formal poetry. "Youmans is a writer of rare ability whose works will one day be studied by serious students of poetry." Greg Langley, Books editor, The Baton Rouge Advocate, October 2, 2011
VAL/ORSON (P. S. Publishing, 2009.) Novel. "Book of the Year" for 2009 Books and Culture Magazine
INGLEDOVE (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005) Fantasy, y.a.
CLAIRE (Louisiana State University, 2003) Collection of poetry.
THE WOLF PIT (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001.) The Michael Shaara Award. Short list, Southern Book Award.
CATHERWOOD (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1996.)
LITTLE JORDAN (David R. Godine, Publisher, 1995.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
September 19, 2023
Potential for this to be an engaging story but the prose is incredibly insufferable.
The author’s attempt to integrate 17th vocabulary into the text, the heavy use of quotes and insertion of contemporary historical events seem to be a replacement for true creative writing and story telling. The story is interesting, there’s promise for the protagonist to be truly inspiring and a heroine to emulate. Unfortunately, it all comes off as “trying too hard” and only gets worse with every turn of the page. Only finished it as it was a book club pick.
The author’s attempt to integrate 17th vocabulary into the text, the heavy use of quotes and insertion of contemporary historical events seem to be a replacement for true creative writing and story telling. The story is interesting, there’s promise for the protagonist to be truly inspiring and a heroine to emulate. Unfortunately, it all comes off as “trying too hard” and only gets worse with every turn of the page. Only finished it as it was a book club pick.
September 2, 2023
I wanted to be able to rate this book more highly, because it was beautifully written. Unfortunately, its flaws outweighed its merits for me.
What I liked:
The beautiful, poetic quality of the prose. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the New England setting, as well as the clothing, tools, and habitations of the era.
I was very drawn-in by the first three chapters and thought there was so much room for character development and growth.
What I disliked:
By the fourth chapter, the book rapidly dissolved into an implausible, rushed, and melodramatic romance that was entirely unbelievable. The character was described as being unusually young to marry by the standards of their society, and had been through an unspeakable trauma only 4-5 months earlier. Yet instead of developing as a young woman, processing her grief, and so on, she plunges into a romance with a man she barely knows and is married within weeks. This was so unbelievable and ruined the book for me.
As I read the book, the amount of anachronism also began to bother me. This mostly came up in terms of theological beliefs inconsistent with 17th century reformed Protestantism, although it also showed up in terms of ideas of feminism and femininity and relationships between women and men. At first I found the theological insights and observations to be beautiful, resonant, and even refreshing to me as a 21st century Catholic. But gradually, their inconsistency with what I know of the time period began to feel awkward and inauthentic.
Finally, there was little character development. There was SO much potential here, but ultimately, characters were primarily presented as “good” or “bad” and remained so without very much development.
Ultimately, I was disappointed because this book had so much potential! It was undeniably very beautifully written and with better character development and less anachronism I would have given it 4 or even 5 stars.
What I liked:
The beautiful, poetic quality of the prose. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the New England setting, as well as the clothing, tools, and habitations of the era.
I was very drawn-in by the first three chapters and thought there was so much room for character development and growth.
What I disliked:
By the fourth chapter, the book rapidly dissolved into an implausible, rushed, and melodramatic romance that was entirely unbelievable. The character was described as being unusually young to marry by the standards of their society, and had been through an unspeakable trauma only 4-5 months earlier. Yet instead of developing as a young woman, processing her grief, and so on, she plunges into a romance with a man she barely knows and is married within weeks. This was so unbelievable and ruined the book for me.
As I read the book, the amount of anachronism also began to bother me. This mostly came up in terms of theological beliefs inconsistent with 17th century reformed Protestantism, although it also showed up in terms of ideas of feminism and femininity and relationships between women and men. At first I found the theological insights and observations to be beautiful, resonant, and even refreshing to me as a 21st century Catholic. But gradually, their inconsistency with what I know of the time period began to feel awkward and inauthentic.
Finally, there was little character development. There was SO much potential here, but ultimately, characters were primarily presented as “good” or “bad” and remained so without very much development.
Ultimately, I was disappointed because this book had so much potential! It was undeniably very beautifully written and with better character development and less anachronism I would have given it 4 or even 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2022
A lyrical, dreamlike, overwrought melodrama. By far its greatest success is in language. Youmans manages to use words and constructions of the period extensively and still sound smooth and natural, both in dialogue and in prose. It's a real triumph, the best of its kind I've seen. The language in general is excellent, consistently vivid and original, and the glossary at the end, especially the dialect parts, was wonderful. The descriptions of nature and of dressmaking, cooking, etc are very expressive, genuinely fascinating.
However, despite its consistent success in accuracy, the dialogue overall is poor, and just the first of the story's significant faults. It's not so much expository as just far too convenient, with characters repeating other's traits and pasts and plans ad nauseam. And it's much too flowery, giving the constant impression of planned and thought out speeches. If it were framed as a period memoir, since it's told in first person anyway, it could be more believable as such, but it isn't. The character work is very shallow. All but one of them are totally static and simplistic, and that one's development is "liking Charis to being manipulated into not liking Charis". The romance has an unusual aspect that I liked a lot, but other than that it's no good, and unfortunately it's one of the major parts of the book. The love interest has no meaningful faults whatsoever, has all virtues, and is totally devoted to Charis. This could also describe all the other protagonists. Charis herself makes a poor narrator, very caught up in herself, dull, repetitive, and annoying. Like all the protagonists, she's too faultless and flat to be effective in a novel of manners, and the rest of them continuously extol her virtues. Her victories over her purely malicious enemies are unpleasantly triumphalist, and she and her friends just happen to have currently-approved opinions. The plot is hung together by constant references to the deaths of Charis's family at the beginning, but it's really just a narrative of a few years of her life, though the most interesting ones.
Despite these issues, it's a reasonably entertaining story, and the language is truly beautiful. Low three stars.
However, despite its consistent success in accuracy, the dialogue overall is poor, and just the first of the story's significant faults. It's not so much expository as just far too convenient, with characters repeating other's traits and pasts and plans ad nauseam. And it's much too flowery, giving the constant impression of planned and thought out speeches. If it were framed as a period memoir, since it's told in first person anyway, it could be more believable as such, but it isn't. The character work is very shallow. All but one of them are totally static and simplistic, and that one's development is "liking Charis to being manipulated into not liking Charis". The romance has an unusual aspect that I liked a lot, but other than that it's no good, and unfortunately it's one of the major parts of the book. The love interest has no meaningful faults whatsoever, has all virtues, and is totally devoted to Charis. This could also describe all the other protagonists. Charis herself makes a poor narrator, very caught up in herself, dull, repetitive, and annoying. Like all the protagonists, she's too faultless and flat to be effective in a novel of manners, and the rest of them continuously extol her virtues. Her victories over her purely malicious enemies are unpleasantly triumphalist, and she and her friends just happen to have currently-approved opinions. The plot is hung together by constant references to the deaths of Charis's family at the beginning, but it's really just a narrative of a few years of her life, though the most interesting ones.
Despite these issues, it's a reasonably entertaining story, and the language is truly beautiful. Low three stars.
February 7, 2021
I absolutely loved everything about this book. The writing is exquisite, the setting in Puritan New England has an almost magical quality about it (two concepts that don’t generally go together without “is completely antithetical to” somewhere in between) and the heroine is just wonderful - feminist and feminine without any of the negative connotations these terms sometimes call up. I very much felt like I was reading an early American fairy tale. I hesitate to say that because the characters are complex and believable enough to stand on their own and cannot merely be reduced to types, but seeing the story through that lens is inevitable if you are paying any kind of attention. I will be wholeheartedly recommending this book to friends for years to come.
June 13, 2020
Charis in the World of Wonders is something absolutely stunning to read, to experience. I have been a reader of Marly's novels for some time, and each time she releases one, I think she can't possibly top the last one.
I ordered three copies of Charis in the World of Wonders directly from the publisher, because I know that when I lend out a copy to a friend of mine, it is not going to be returned. I have just finished reading my copy and am stunned. This one took my breath away. The final chapter, the language, the depth and richness of what I read (the glossary at the end is a treasure trove) transported me into the 17th century.
Hortus. Oh my goodness, I fell in love with Hortus.
And then there are passages such as this one that made me believe in beauty again:
"The living pulse of the water was in us, always, and I fancied that I should always after be hearing the sea-murmer of waves and fish and whales in my ears, as I had heard it tucked inside seashells when on land. The cadence and cry of spirit and mystery in matter is clearer on the ocean."
On my goodness people, get a copy of this novel and indulge in beauty and be transported.
Thank you, dear Marly, for another stunner!
I ordered three copies of Charis in the World of Wonders directly from the publisher, because I know that when I lend out a copy to a friend of mine, it is not going to be returned. I have just finished reading my copy and am stunned. This one took my breath away. The final chapter, the language, the depth and richness of what I read (the glossary at the end is a treasure trove) transported me into the 17th century.
Hortus. Oh my goodness, I fell in love with Hortus.
And then there are passages such as this one that made me believe in beauty again:
"The living pulse of the water was in us, always, and I fancied that I should always after be hearing the sea-murmer of waves and fish and whales in my ears, as I had heard it tucked inside seashells when on land. The cadence and cry of spirit and mystery in matter is clearer on the ocean."
On my goodness people, get a copy of this novel and indulge in beauty and be transported.
Thank you, dear Marly, for another stunner!
July 20, 2022
If you had told me that I'd be startled, enchanted and moved to joy by this first-person account of a 17th-century girl's sometimes harrowing adventures in Puritan New England, I would have laughed. But this may well have been the best thing I've read all year. Deeply and richly textured, historically accurate (there's even a glossary to help one through the quirky world of colonial English) and respectful of the cultural and religious milieu of this time and place. Marly Youmans has created a wonderful, lyrical story that keeps you rooting for her plucky heroine right up to the last page. Well done!
February 21, 2021
One of the most beautiful novels I've read in a long time. It's like being taken on a tour through Puritan New England by a brilliant poet and word artist. It hits you in the heart, too: the protagonist is so brave, lovable, resilient, and human. Bonus for one of the best animal characters (Hortus the horse) I can remember. I love this book.
September 29, 2023
On the face of it, this is a poetical book about a young woman in the late 1600s Puritanical Massachusetts who has both incredibly bad and incredibly good luck. It's a fine story and I wasn't mad that I read it.
But. The prose. Oh my goodness. I typically enjoy poetical and lyrical writing but this was over the top, even for me. At times, it felt forced, like the author was trying to think of the longest and most lyrical way of describing something. Instead of painting a picture for me, it was distracting.
I also found Charis' reaction to her family's deaths surprising. She barely cries, says a prayer, and moves on. However, you could convince me that she was simply in survival mode.
I found the pacing to be strange. Some things that were unimportant stretched on forever and then other important things were rushed. Her romance with Jotham was unbelievable. That he would profess his love and propose marriage at their second meeting was unbelievable. That a young woman of that time period would kiss a man in secret after meeting him once was absurd.
I did like that Charis questioned some of the societal norms and theology (although not to the extent that it made her kissing Jotham in secret believable).
The best part was Jotham and Charis' search for family and love for each other and their son. The desire to be known and loved is so universal and I thought it was portrayed well and rang true here. If good literature reflects what is true about human nature, this part was where Marly Youmans hit the nail on the head.
Otherwise, at times it felt like an overdone poem about tragedy, Cinderella, witch.
If you like super duper lyrical prose and are willing to suspend belief for a plot, you will really like this!
Overall, not a bad book, but got under my skin at times.
But. The prose. Oh my goodness. I typically enjoy poetical and lyrical writing but this was over the top, even for me. At times, it felt forced, like the author was trying to think of the longest and most lyrical way of describing something. Instead of painting a picture for me, it was distracting.
I also found Charis' reaction to her family's deaths surprising. She barely cries, says a prayer, and moves on. However, you could convince me that she was simply in survival mode.
I found the pacing to be strange. Some things that were unimportant stretched on forever and then other important things were rushed. Her romance with Jotham was unbelievable. That he would profess his love and propose marriage at their second meeting was unbelievable. That a young woman of that time period would kiss a man in secret after meeting him once was absurd.
I did like that Charis questioned some of the societal norms and theology (although not to the extent that it made her kissing Jotham in secret believable).
The best part was Jotham and Charis' search for family and love for each other and their son. The desire to be known and loved is so universal and I thought it was portrayed well and rang true here. If good literature reflects what is true about human nature, this part was where Marly Youmans hit the nail on the head.
Otherwise, at times it felt like an overdone poem about tragedy, Cinderella, witch.
If you like super duper lyrical prose and are willing to suspend belief for a plot, you will really like this!
Overall, not a bad book, but got under my skin at times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2023
4.5 stars — One of the best books I’ve read this year.
The writing is often lyrical, with colonial language woven seamlessly (there’s a glossary in the back), and the strangeness of that makes Charis in the World of Wonders into that rare sort of historical fiction that doesn’t feel like a 21st-century story simply dropped into another time and place.
It’s not perfect theologically - not that I expect my fiction to be, though it sure would be nice! - and the end dragged some - though that might be the fault of my own interrupted reading. Despite those flaws, this is a book I couldn’t stop thinking about while I read it.
The writing is often lyrical, with colonial language woven seamlessly (there’s a glossary in the back), and the strangeness of that makes Charis in the World of Wonders into that rare sort of historical fiction that doesn’t feel like a 21st-century story simply dropped into another time and place.
It’s not perfect theologically - not that I expect my fiction to be, though it sure would be nice! - and the end dragged some - though that might be the fault of my own interrupted reading. Despite those flaws, this is a book I couldn’t stop thinking about while I read it.
September 20, 2023
Bad Witch of Blackbird Pond fanfiction, damningly marketed towards adults. Author fails to distinguish between dialogue that is “cultured” and “1600s” and dialogue that is a mishmash of unbridledly florid rhetorical exclamations riddled with cringey anachronisms. Features include Plot Twist That Never Arrived and Jaw-Droppingly Zero-Dimensional Male Love Interest.
September 30, 2023
A 3.5 star book for sure, but I’m stingy. As someone who doesn’t tend to love puritan era books, I found this to be a story that kept me engaged and turning the pages. A good story, a feminine survival and hero myth, yet uncomplicated and relatable.
October 6, 2024
Coming of age novel set in Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1690. A teenage girl escapes a frontier massacre that wipes out her family, travels through the wilderness to civilization, meets good people and bad. Does what I want from historical fiction: describes a time and place as its inhabitants would have understood it—in this case, how someone steeped in Puritan theology and the allegory of Bunyan sees the world and interprets the events of her life. As the title indicates, this means an enchanted world where God and Satan leave traces of their work everywhere. The story itself has allegorical bones—stock characters, big moments charged with symbolic potential, worked over until it resembles something more like realism (in this way it reminded me a lot of Kristin Lavransdatter).
The novel smuggles in a modern perspective at points: Charis questions the role and abilities of women, the harshness of God's justice, whether some events are just random. But Youmans tries to have these questions arise organically, in an idiom compatible with the Puritan mind and sincere, fervent belief—an authorial construction but a generative one. Most noteworthy to me is the way the book handles sex and desire: very real, positive forces within the strictures of chastity and contemporary gender roles. Much more interesting then e.g. Demi Moore's Scarlet Letter.
The writing has a cod-17th century flavor, not really mimicking the prose of that era but using diction and sentence structures in a way that defamiliarizes the language and helps bring us into the worldview it describes. A glossary of the more unusual words is included, which is itself a delightful read.
The novel smuggles in a modern perspective at points: Charis questions the role and abilities of women, the harshness of God's justice, whether some events are just random. But Youmans tries to have these questions arise organically, in an idiom compatible with the Puritan mind and sincere, fervent belief—an authorial construction but a generative one. Most noteworthy to me is the way the book handles sex and desire: very real, positive forces within the strictures of chastity and contemporary gender roles. Much more interesting then e.g. Demi Moore's Scarlet Letter.
The writing has a cod-17th century flavor, not really mimicking the prose of that era but using diction and sentence structures in a way that defamiliarizes the language and helps bring us into the worldview it describes. A glossary of the more unusual words is included, which is itself a delightful read.
October 5, 2023
Her style is delightful - it’s easy to tell she was a poet before she was a novelist. I loved the Cinderella undertones tucked in (it wasn’t too much - it still felt new) and while I usually tend toward warmer reading, it was so well done here in a more serious but beautiful tone much closer to the original Grim. Following Charis’s story was good for my heart and I have found myself more ready to persevere when I meet my own challenges, refreshed in my awareness that in the history of the world, no one has ever lived as comfortably as we do. The theme of loss was good for me to wrestle with as a second party to Charis’s sorrow because it’s inevitable for all of us and much more comfortable to grow in wisdom vicariously and with a character that feels like a very close friend. I loved this one and I would be excited to read another one by Youmans.
October 10, 2023
A beautiful story that transported me to the place and time, I was truly anxious for dear Charis throughout this novel, I quickly came to love and root for her not only because of her underdog status and persistence but because of her faith. Her experiences make her an unusual Puritan, she has a wider understanding and deeper peace than most (although you meet many other wonderful characters too, the older minister Dane, the Saltonstalls). Her story is both specific to her time but so relatable, themes of suffering, motherhood, community, friendship, war, and faith that resonate still. I also just love a good horse in a story, oh Hortus!!
October 12, 2021
I got this as a review copy. I have to get to writing the review. First impression is that Marly Youmans is an extraordinarily gifted writer, and this is a very good book. I'm a bit let down by the abrupt ending though. After reading about Charis how escaped horrors perpetrated by native Americans against her family and survived hardships in multiple treks through the wilds of Massachusetts, I expected more about how she managed to make her way in a new social setting at her destination.
November 2, 2023
Riveting from cover to cover, this well-researched novel kept be glued to my seat! I loved all the details throughout the book from the language, clothing, cultural references, etc that made it feel like you were right there with Charis, transported back to 1690. I found myself googling the significance of certain things throughout, and the things I learned always backed up the book’s research & plot. Tragic, redemptive, and sweet!
October 12, 2023
I think my favorite part of this book was just seeing how the main character dealt with so much adversity and evil with virtues of humility, gratitude, and great trust in the providence of the Lord. It seems around every corner, there could have been a reason for her to doubt the Lord’s Goodness or become embittered, but instead, with humility and trust, she pours forth the Mercies she has received, and graciously accepts where the Lord leads her with courage.
February 8, 2025
At first, I thought the language was a bit too thick, but I came to appreciate the author's cadence. This book is a great example of what "Christian fiction" could be. It had an engaging plot, excellent historical detail, and dealt with hard themes without coming to an easy conclusion. I did think the romance in the story could have been drawn out a bit but overall I really enjoyed this book.
dnf
October 11, 2023Book club met last night, so now I don't have to finish this! Turns out, getting through 60% was more than enough, because we only talked about one plot point that I hadn't gotten to yet. But I bet you can imagine what it was based on the fact that this is a Historical Fiction About Puritans.
I alternated being interested and finding the loooong passages of descriptions boring enough that I started nodding off a few times.
But really, the reason I'm reviewing is because this is not a very widely reviewed book and as such there were not any reviews on GR that indicated that this has MASSIVE TRIGGERS all over it.
As such, for future readers, here you go - warnings through the parts I read.
TW/CW: Murder/massacre, on-page death of family members, discussions of dying in childbirth, pregnancy, what we would now call post-partum depression, suicide, death of an infant, elements of racism against indigenous people
I alternated being interested and finding the loooong passages of descriptions boring enough that I started nodding off a few times.
But really, the reason I'm reviewing is because this is not a very widely reviewed book and as such there were not any reviews on GR that indicated that this has MASSIVE TRIGGERS all over it.
As such, for future readers, here you go - warnings through the parts I read.
TW/CW: Murder/massacre, on-page death of family members, discussions of dying in childbirth, pregnancy, what we would now call post-partum depression, suicide, death of an infant, elements of racism against indigenous people
March 25, 2024
I am shocked at how much I enjoyed this one.
Read
September 6, 2024the first 70 pages were slooooooow for me. i felt rather underwhelmed by the dialogue. often, i stopped to repeat lines that made me giggle (probs not by the author’s intention); i think some might become jokes amongst my roommates.
somewhere along the way i locked in and entered the world or wonders. could have honestly done without the last 20 pages… liked the epilogue though!
would not read again. would maybe recommend?
somewhere along the way i locked in and entered the world or wonders. could have honestly done without the last 20 pages… liked the epilogue though!
would not read again. would maybe recommend?
September 21, 2023
LOVED this book! It was a page turner and constantly kept me on my toes. It took its time (but not too much time) building to the events of the final chapters, which really upped the shock factor. My only critique (not even a critique, more so just a thought) is that the book ended rather abruptly. However, the epilogue helped.
January 15, 2024
4.5 stars. Literary Life Challeneg 17th century novel
Extremely well written and fascinating historical fiction set in late 1600s puritan New England just before the Salem witch trials. This did not read like a modern novel and I loved how the author wove in so many older words and ideas, So many biblical allusions. I felt like all the characters really could have lived in this period of history and had thoughts and feelings and wonderings fitting as if they did live in this time. I especially enjoyed how many real-life people of the time were mentioned, like Anne Bradstreet☺️
It started a little slow, but picked up quickly.
From the last page “ God fashioned the waters and their salt, changeable secrets out of joy and pleasure and likewise, he formed me, and all he longed for me in my life was that I be alive, all the way alive and whole like the sea, doing what I was intended to do, being all of what I was meant to be— a woman, rejoicing in creation, and sensing another, better world next to our own, a mother and wife, a wielder of the needle and apprentice to a Goldsmith and a candle on fire.”
Extremely well written and fascinating historical fiction set in late 1600s puritan New England just before the Salem witch trials. This did not read like a modern novel and I loved how the author wove in so many older words and ideas, So many biblical allusions. I felt like all the characters really could have lived in this period of history and had thoughts and feelings and wonderings fitting as if they did live in this time. I especially enjoyed how many real-life people of the time were mentioned, like Anne Bradstreet☺️
It started a little slow, but picked up quickly.
From the last page “ God fashioned the waters and their salt, changeable secrets out of joy and pleasure and likewise, he formed me, and all he longed for me in my life was that I be alive, all the way alive and whole like the sea, doing what I was intended to do, being all of what I was meant to be— a woman, rejoicing in creation, and sensing another, better world next to our own, a mother and wife, a wielder of the needle and apprentice to a Goldsmith and a candle on fire.”
May 19, 2024
"Charis In the World of Wonders" was a mixed bag in our bookclub. Half of us really liked it and the other half did not. I happen to be in the half who enjoyed the flowery prose. I also didn't mind the "telling" style of writing in Charis's exploration of predestination in the conversations she had with those near her. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of Mr. Barnard's teachings that focus on resisting Satan's temptation versus Mr. Dane's teaching to rely on God's merciful love.
"To be destined does not mean our lives are play for God. It is not some wretched fatalism for the godly. God was at work for our salvation, regenerating hearts before we were aware; he calls us and gives us ears to hear."
" ...it was not the throne of an unchangeable will but the cross that hung in my mind with a glimmering, drowned light -- the arms-out image of wide embrace that declared we were not alone in our suffering."
"...this is a world of wonders because good and true beautiful, and only sin and wrong make it fall away from a natural glory."
"To be destined does not mean our lives are play for God. It is not some wretched fatalism for the godly. God was at work for our salvation, regenerating hearts before we were aware; he calls us and gives us ears to hear."
" ...it was not the throne of an unchangeable will but the cross that hung in my mind with a glimmering, drowned light -- the arms-out image of wide embrace that declared we were not alone in our suffering."
"...this is a world of wonders because good and true beautiful, and only sin and wrong make it fall away from a natural glory."
November 30, 2020
There are some very fine passages and sentiments in this novel, which is just asking to be made into a movie. The research behind it is admirable and Ms. Youmans does a nice job of putting us on the spot in 1690s New England. Some of her characters (the Minister Dane and Mehitabel Holt, in particular) are well drawn, while others fall a bit flat (Herrick) or drift close to caricature (Goody Holt). The book might have been improved with crisper editing, cutting short some of the more repetitious and cloyingly romantic bits. As readers, we rightly grant writers of fiction a lot of breadth in how they choose to tell their stories, but we can tell the difference between passages that truly serve the tale and those that represent an over-fond indulgence on the part of the author. Excising thirty or forty pages of the latter could have made this a more successful novel, in my opinion.
November 20, 2023
I was expecting this book to be another harrowing captive narrative, but was pleasantly surprised to find a coming-of-age story of a young Puritan woman wrongly accused of witchcraft. I loved Charis's reflections on the trials of her life and her determination to continue to live and learn despite those trials. I also appreciated the inclusion of a glossary for anyone not familiar with the time period.
January 2, 2024
A very unexpected book. It grips and pulls you into this world long ago. I couldn’t put it down. It is grounded in its century, the words, expressions, how characters think and act, feel so real. (Except for the romance, would it really be that sudden?) Beautiful writing explores experiences often brutal but it leaves you hopeful not hopeless.
August 11, 2023
Really enjoyed the writing style, I read this very quickly because I was captivated by the story. The spirituality of Charis was beautiful. I didn’t know much about Puritan New England or that era in general, and it was eye opening. I do hope there is a sequel, since the ending was a little abrupt and I want to know what happens next.
February 22, 2025
Oh god, beautiful beautiful. I found the pacing difficult at times, but it pales next to everything else this book gives...once I gave myself over to it it was one of the most wonderful things I've read, really. Youmans is special. we are made to fulfill the measure of our creation and have joy therein. ❤️
September 19, 2023
An excellent suspenseful story that is also spiritual and introspective. The author's style is beautiful and unique without seeming to try to hard. The historical setting and narrator seem authentic unlike a lot of historical fiction.
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