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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Heretic’s Anonymous was one of my favorite books of 2018. As a former Catholic schoolgirl, the premise immediately appealed to me and it definitely did not disappoint.
The story follows Michael, a self-proclaimed atheist, who is forced to go to St Clare’s, a strict, traditional Catholic school when his family moves to a new town. After watching fellow classmate Lucy challenge a teacher in class, the two become unlikely friends. Recognizing Michael as a kindred spirit, Lucy invites Michael to join Heretic’s Anonymous, a secret society of St. Clare’s outcasts who accept each other's views that contradict the school’s doctrine. Michael encourages the group to expose the school's hypocrisies, but takes one mission too far, putting himself and the other heretics in jeopardy.
I loved this story. I read it in one sitting while waiting for a delayed flight, and I couldn’t get enough. It ended far too quickly for my liking. I loved Michael’s unique and brazen voice, especially complimented by Lucy’s strong, yet questioning faith. Lucy wants to be a priest, but as a woman, that’s not an option for her. It has the best feminist edge to it without being obnoxious or preachy.
The underlying message of acceptance and community really spoke to me. The heretics look out for each other and protect each other from the scrutiny and judgment of their other classmates. I loved their group and the message of it sent, that everyone had a place in their school.
The story follows Michael, a self-proclaimed atheist, who is forced to go to St Clare’s, a strict, traditional Catholic school when his family moves to a new town. After watching fellow classmate Lucy challenge a teacher in class, the two become unlikely friends. Recognizing Michael as a kindred spirit, Lucy invites Michael to join Heretic’s Anonymous, a secret society of St. Clare’s outcasts who accept each other's views that contradict the school’s doctrine. Michael encourages the group to expose the school's hypocrisies, but takes one mission too far, putting himself and the other heretics in jeopardy.
I loved this story. I read it in one sitting while waiting for a delayed flight, and I couldn’t get enough. It ended far too quickly for my liking. I loved Michael’s unique and brazen voice, especially complimented by Lucy’s strong, yet questioning faith. Lucy wants to be a priest, but as a woman, that’s not an option for her. It has the best feminist edge to it without being obnoxious or preachy.
The underlying message of acceptance and community really spoke to me. The heretics look out for each other and protect each other from the scrutiny and judgment of their other classmates. I loved their group and the message of it sent, that everyone had a place in their school.
dnf: pg: 116
there was a line where the mc is talking about his ex-girlfriend that perfectly summarizes why i dnf'd...
michael states his reason for breaking up with her was, quote: "i started to get the feeling rachel liked my moms brownies more than she liked me."
same rachel, same.
there was a line where the mc is talking about his ex-girlfriend that perfectly summarizes why i dnf'd...
michael states his reason for breaking up with her was, quote: "i started to get the feeling rachel liked my moms brownies more than she liked me."
same rachel, same.
A fantastic story about tolerance and that our personal beliefs doesn't mean that another's beliefs are wrong.
funny
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
This book is absolutely amazing, I really loved reading it and I could not put it down! 😍😍😍
Michael has just made his fourth move because of his dad's job. But this time, he's been enrolled in a Catholic high school. Michael is an atheist.
I overall enjoyed this book, but I had a few problems with the premise. Why do they put Michael in a Catholic school? Nothing is really said of his other family members beliefs, but they definitely aren't religious. And why does Michael's family have to move for his dad's job, when his dad travels 95% of the time anyway?
I overall enjoyed this book, but I had a few problems with the premise. Why do they put Michael in a Catholic school? Nothing is really said of his other family members beliefs, but they definitely aren't religious. And why does Michael's family have to move for his dad's job, when his dad travels 95% of the time anyway?
this was definitely a fun and enjoyable contemporary novel! it was humorous and good natured, yet still tackled serious issues like problems in the catholic church and familial problems.
as someone who went to a catholic primary school (it was by no means as severe as st clare's), i found myself being able to relate to a lot of this book. not the secret society that rebels against the schools wrong beliefs and teachings exactly, but still the parts about the actual school itself.
i really liked michael as a main character. he was sarcastic and snarky, but i loved him. his whole thing with his family was really moving, and i really felt for him in the parts with his dad. like when they brought up belguim at the dinner table, i immediately wanted to take michael upstairs and away and protect him. i know we were meant to like his dad by the end of this and feel bad for him, but i couldn't. i didn't like the way he treated michael in the book, and although we understand him a little more after his and michael's talk, i still don't think i can forgive him. he just angered me so much throughout the book. i loved his mom and sophia so much though. i wanted to give his mom a giant hug.
lucy was a great character too. i loved her intelligence, her beliefs which she always stuck by, her motivation, her drive, her personality, and just everything. we definitely got to know a lot more about lucy than the other heretics, which made it a lot easier to connect with her. the whole thing with her family and her mom was really sad, and i really felt for her specifically when she is defending her religion towards of the end of the book and says that she isn't going to leave after everything. that made me sad,,
the other heretics kind of felt a little flat to me. i felt that they didn't really have personalities, more just quirks here and there. out of eden, avi and max, i definitely enjoyed max the most. i love his cloak, and i fully support the headcanons that he is autistic. eden was just kind of there for me? idk she was okay i guess. i liked avi but he kinda annoyed me towards the end when he started turning against heretics anonymous and then ignored michael.
the humour in the book was great though. michael's sarcastic personality supplied a lot of the humour, and his narration was pretty amusing. it was definitely the light-hearted book that i needed.
4/5 stars!
as someone who went to a catholic primary school (it was by no means as severe as st clare's), i found myself being able to relate to a lot of this book. not the secret society that rebels against the schools wrong beliefs and teachings exactly, but still the parts about the actual school itself.
i really liked michael as a main character. he was sarcastic and snarky, but i loved him. his whole thing with his family was really moving, and i really felt for him in the parts with his dad. like when they brought up belguim at the dinner table, i immediately wanted to take michael upstairs and away and protect him. i know we were meant to like his dad by the end of this and feel bad for him, but i couldn't. i didn't like the way he treated michael in the book, and although we understand him a little more after his and michael's talk, i still don't think i can forgive him. he just angered me so much throughout the book. i loved his mom and sophia so much though. i wanted to give his mom a giant hug.
lucy was a great character too. i loved her intelligence, her beliefs which she always stuck by, her motivation, her drive, her personality, and just everything. we definitely got to know a lot more about lucy than the other heretics, which made it a lot easier to connect with her. the whole thing with her family and her mom was really sad, and i really felt for her specifically when she is defending her religion towards of the end of the book and says that she isn't going to leave after everything. that made me sad,,
the other heretics kind of felt a little flat to me. i felt that they didn't really have personalities, more just quirks here and there. out of eden, avi and max, i definitely enjoyed max the most. i love his cloak, and i fully support the headcanons that he is autistic. eden was just kind of there for me? idk she was okay i guess. i liked avi but he kinda annoyed me towards the end when he started turning against heretics anonymous and then ignored michael.
the humour in the book was great though. michael's sarcastic personality supplied a lot of the humour, and his narration was pretty amusing. it was definitely the light-hearted book that i needed.
4/5 stars!
A book in which politics, religion, and protest are all main themes? Sign me up!
When one character is trying to explain her beliefs, she recites the Magnificat, Mary’s revolutionary song about the upside-down kingdom of God. It is rare to read a YA book that treats its religious (and also its atheist) characters with such respect and affection. I thought the last quarter of the book was not as strong but man did I love the seriousness with which these characters talked about big questions of faith and suffering and God.
When one character is trying to explain her beliefs, she recites the Magnificat, Mary’s revolutionary song about the upside-down kingdom of God. It is rare to read a YA book that treats its religious (and also its atheist) characters with such respect and affection. I thought the last quarter of the book was not as strong but man did I love the seriousness with which these characters talked about big questions of faith and suffering and God.
Unlike the synopsis suggests, the Heretics Anonymous group isn’t necessarily a rebellious organization of disgruntled teenagers. This books does a great job of delving into each characters’ spiritual beliefs and their motivations. They don’t hate their school or authority and I think this shows the level of critical thinking students are able to achieve if given the opportunity.
Side note: Michael is kind of a creepy character to me. His motivations toward Lucy makes me feel uncomfortable and I don’t know if the author was purposefully going for the exaggerated teenage boy trope but it wasn’t endearing to read.
Side note: Michael is kind of a creepy character to me. His motivations toward Lucy makes me feel uncomfortable and I don’t know if the author was purposefully going for the exaggerated teenage boy trope but it wasn’t endearing to read.