Scan barcode
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
God Says No is the story of Gary Gray who marries his first girlfriend while they are both attending a Christian college, despite knowing he is gay. Sexual incompatibility mars the marriage. He flees and plans to take a year trying to get the gay out of his system. When that doesn’t work he agrees to try Christian conversion therapy, which unsurprisingly doesn’t stop him being gay either. This was a tough read. His sense of shame was heartbreaking and the conversion “therapy” infuriated me. The damage Gary did to his wife by marrying her is obvious and it would be easy to judge him for that. But of course his actions have to be placed in context of a young man steeped in Christianity who believes that an innate part of him is wrong. Additionally Gary faced fat phobia which was never challenged. I was disappointed that this book didn’t take a strong stance against conversion therapy and that Gary didn’t get to fully and joyfully embrace his sexual identity. I wonder how this story would change if it were being written now as opposed to when it was actually written more than a decade ago.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Racism
More...