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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Michael and his dad hadn't been on good terms for a while, but then his dad made things much worse. Not only did his dad up and move the whole family -- AGAIN! -- when he had promised that Michael could finish high school in the same place... but he actually enrolled Michael in a Catholic prep school. Aside from the frustration of having to wear a stuffy uniform [including a tie!] every day, there was also that not-so-insignificant fact that Michael was an atheist. He entered the school prepared to be friendless, since he assumed the other students would all be believers and he wouldn't have much in common with them. Then, a girl named Lucy caught his attention when she challenged their teacher about whether "well-behaved women" make history. She argued that the female saints were NOT well-behaved and that they, in fact, often rebelled against the rules. Definitely a good sign that she might be willing to befriend a misfit! Despite putting his foot in his mouth during their initial encounter, Michael managed to gain her trust enough that she invited him to a special "study group" session with a couple of her friends. Except, it wasn't really a study group. It was a group that called themselves Heretic Anonymous. And though they didn't strive for anarchy or to destroy their school, they definitely felt that it was important to challenge some of the things about their school -- like the dress code and the blatant lies that passed as a sex ed assembly.
I think that the thing I appreciated most about this book was that it didn't make fun of anyone, believer or not. There were characters from a variety of religions and belief systems, and the author was careful to show respect to all perspectives. Though pointing out that some people might twist religious teachings to suit their own purposes, the actual beliefs (or lack thereof) were held sacred. And pairing that respect of differing beliefs with a display of how people who believe differently might work together toward common goals? Priceless! Oh... And if you enjoyed reading this story from the perspective of an outsider who is curious yet respectful about people's religious beliefs, you might want to check out a non-fiction book I read nearly a decade ago -- The Unlikely Disciple.
Happy Reading!
I think that the thing I appreciated most about this book was that it didn't make fun of anyone, believer or not. There were characters from a variety of religions and belief systems, and the author was careful to show respect to all perspectives. Though pointing out that some people might twist religious teachings to suit their own purposes, the actual beliefs (or lack thereof) were held sacred. And pairing that respect of differing beliefs with a display of how people who believe differently might work together toward common goals? Priceless! Oh... And if you enjoyed reading this story from the perspective of an outsider who is curious yet respectful about people's religious beliefs, you might want to check out a non-fiction book I read nearly a decade ago -- The Unlikely Disciple.
Happy Reading!
Not sure what I expected going into this, but it was SO MUCH funnier than I could have hoped. The audiobook was great and I flew through it.
I was going to say "holy crap" after I read this, but then I figured that was a bit sacrilegious.
This book was so, so good. I related to Michael on a personal level. So many aspects of it closely resembled how I grew up. This is going to be an interesting review to write.
This book was so, so good. I related to Michael on a personal level. So many aspects of it closely resembled how I grew up. This is going to be an interesting review to write.
Surprisingly well written and thought provoking, unsurprisingly sweet. I’ve read a lot of YA and this is the high-quality kind.
4.5 stars. Heretics Anonymous had me thinking a lot and I like when books are able to do that. This was a fun read and I really enjoyed how it develed in various religions and beliefs and made you think what it meant to believe in something greater or not.
I think this was a strong YA book that kept my interest compared to others in that genre. My attention did waver a bit towards e middle end when it became more coming-of-age than about defeating religion. Overall, unique YA book about religion, and I found myself challenged in my own beliefs about Catholicism and Christianity.
3.5/5
I like the very nuanced discussion that happens about religion - especially between teenagers! And that this isn't an outright assault on Catholicism, since the main character points out its many flaws while Lucy gets to represent the positives. Don't know how true Catholics would feel, as I am very much a former-Catholic-turned-agnostic because of a lot of the problems in the Catholic church.
That aside, it's a good read, I like the characters, but the plot is a little too run-of-the-mill for my tastes.
I like the very nuanced discussion that happens about religion - especially between teenagers! And that this isn't an outright assault on Catholicism, since the main character points out its many flaws while Lucy gets to represent the positives. Don't know how true Catholics would feel, as I am very much a former-Catholic-turned-agnostic because of a lot of the problems in the Catholic church.
That aside, it's a good read, I like the characters, but the plot is a little too run-of-the-mill for my tastes.