The Disturbing Charm

"The Disturbing Charm" by Berta Ruck is a story set in the early 1900s that looks at how love can sometimes be influenced by unusual things. The story is about a young woman named Olwen Howel-Jones who gets caught up in the idea of a "Disturbing Charm," which is supposed to help people find love. After her uncle, Professor Howel-Jones, receives a letter about this charm, Olwen finds the charm itself and decides to try it out on others. She starts with Miss Walsh, a lonely woman, hoping to bring some romance into her life. As Olwen plays with the charm, the story also shows the many challenges people faced during World War I, especially when it came to love and relationships.