In the late 1700s, Reverend Nathaniel Whitfield and his wife Catherine formed Cana, a utopian community with Puritan values in Massachusetts. Cana is built on principles of equity—everyone is considered to be the same as their neighbor. The idea has caught on with other Christians, who travel to Cana to be a part of this world.
Among those who flock to Cana is Arthur Lyman, a physician, who moves with his wife and preteen daughter. Reverend Whitfield’s words inspire Arthur, but they also fuel an intense desire for the other man. This is familiar territory for Arthur but not Nathaniel, and while he knows the feelings he has for Arthur are wrong, he cannot resist them.
But the relationship between the two men is not as secret as they believe it to be, and both of their wives and their children have to deal with the shock and shame that follows. And as the fervent intensity of the Great Awakening starts to overtake New England, Nathaniel and Arthur are risking their lives and the safety of their families, yet they try to figure out a way to survive without sacrificing their love.
Obviously, LGBTQ people have existed since the beginning of time, even if the world didn’t acknowledge them as such. But part of the appeal of All the World Beside is that it gave a glimpse into the lives of and dangers faced by gay people in 18th-century New England. That gave the book some added weight.
This book definitely has some similarities to The Scarlet Letter although the story is its own. It’s definitely a book that will stay with me for a long while.
Interesting this book is not written form their point of view. The audiobook is a challenge
ReplyDelete