Cana, Massachusetts: a utopian vision of 18th-century Puritan New England. To the outside world, Reverend Nathaniel Whitfield and his family stand as godly pillars of their small-town community, drawing Christians from across the New World into their fold. One such Christian, physician Arthur Lyman, discovers in the minister’s words a love so captivating it transcends language.
As the bond between these two men grows more and more passionate, their families must contend with a tangled web of secrets, lies, and judgments which threaten to destroy them in this world and the next. And when the religious ecstasies of the Great Awakening begin to take hold, igniting a new era of zealotry, Nathaniel and Arthur search for a path out of an impossible situation, imagining a future for themselves which has no name. Their wives and children must do the same, looking beyond the known world for a new kind of wilderness, both physical and spiritual.
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In the early 1800s, against the backdrop of Puritan New England, where religion held paramount importance, ‘All the World Beside’ unfurls in a society where love between men was condemned as a mortal sin. Religion served as the focal point, shaping and dictating societal norms and values. Within this rigid structure, Rev. Nathaniel Whitfield, the founder of the town of Cana, and Arthur Lyman, a doctor who followed Nathaniel, grapple with their beliefs, questioning doctrines, and ultimately discovering a broader perspective on life beyond the confines of religious dogma.
The author’s clear perspective on exploring themes of faith, family, and love is depicted with remarkable realism in this undeniably well-researched and beautifully written prose. Its narrative does not shy away from portraying the complexity and struggles faced by queer relationships, as seen from the perspectives of those around them. Through these viewpoints, readers gain insight into and understanding of their connection.
I found this aspect of the book to be a brave choice by the author. While I personally would have liked to delve more into the main characters’ points of view, I thoroughly enjoyed these perspectives, which somehow felt more human.
Ultimately, I would give this book a solid five-star rating. It stands as a strong follow-up to the author’s acclaimed autobiography, “Boy Erased.” It offers another brave and intelligent narrative that genuinely compels readers to root for its main and supporting characters. It tells a story of forbidden love, evoking deep emotions and offering a glimpse into the struggles of those caught in its grip. Conley, yet again, was able to present a strong point of view with emotional and poignant lessons in humanity.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Published on March 26, 2024 by Riverhead Books
About The Author
Garrard (pronounced without the final ‘r;’ a family oddity) Conley is the author of the memoir, Boy Erased, out from Riverhead (Penguin) May 2016. His work can be found in TIME, VICE, CNN, Buzzfeed Books, Virginia Quarterly Review, and many others. He has received scholarships from the Bread Loaf, Sewanee, and Elizabeth Kostova Foundation Writers’ Conferences and has facilitated craft classes for Catapult, Grub Street, Sackett Street Writers Workshop, and the Fine Arts Works Center in Provincetown. If you are interested in contacting him, you can find information here.
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