Gay the Pray Away by Natalie NaudusMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gay the Pray Away is a heartfelt, queer YA coming-of-age novel set against the world of ultra-strict Christian cults. Homeschooled Val checks out a library book that puts language--"bisexual"--to her growing feelings, just as cool new girl Riley arrives in her homeschool circle. The characters are vivid and fully realized and Val's narrating voice is so compelling throughout, we can forgive if the plot follows the usual genre beats or avoids darker turns. Which isn't to say some of the descriptions and actions of Val's Christian cult aren't horrifying. I can only imagine a young reader like Val finding a story like this on a shelf, how important, what a breath of fresh air this story must be. Gay the Pray Away hits all the right notes, sweet and life-affirming.
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