Book Review: The Woman in the Trees by Theoni Bell

“You cannot judge the state of a soul. You cannot assume a person’s home for all eternity. You may see the outside appearance of a person, like the cover of a book. But only God can read that book correctly.”

Theoni Bell, The Woman in the Trees

Review:

I was only vaguely familiar with Our Lady of Champion going into this book. I couldn’t even have told you the year in which the apparition occurred. I probably should have started with some nonfiction books on the subject, but finding modern written Catholic fiction is so difficult that when I saw this book, I couldn’t wait for research. 

While the book does not directly depict the Marian apparition itself, the story is set in the same region of Wisconsin in the mid-1800s. The book follows Slaine, a Belgian immigrant, as she grows up in an American pioneer settlement. The journey to America wasn’t easy, leaving her family scarred by tragedy, but they carried on. 

One day, a woman named Adele knocks on Slaine’s door, asking if she might be allowed to teach Slaine and her brothers the Catechism in exchange for work. Slaine’s mother, Mrs. Lafont, refuses, having closed her heart to faith and religion at this point in her life. Slaine, however, is intrigued by the woman. When she learns her friend’s family has accepted Adele’s schooling, she starts to sit in on their discussions. 

I loved reading about the different faith journeys the characters go through in this story. I also liked the rich history of the Lafont family’s immigration (fictionalized, but inspired by true events) as well as the history surrounding Adele. This book was a gem! I hope to read more from this author in the future. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• Great mix of history between immigration and religious history.
• Sweet characters and excellent character growth.

What I didn’t like:

• I would have liked a little more history about the religious culture at the time.

Afterthoughts:

I sincerely hope this author had another book in the works!

Where to buy the book: