Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsDefinitely an agenda here.
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2020
Warning: spoiler alert. I've read many book by this author and absolutely LOVED some of them, but this one left me feeling manipulated, not something I appreciate as a reader. I've read at least a dozen of her books, but will think twice before picking up another.
She makes the two main characters people you really end up liking and rooting for, but in order to completely pull this off, she has to make the teen's mother into a complete stereotype. If we're going to end up cheering for the teen who's "come out," then we're supposed to hate her mother who kicks her out because of this announcement. Of course, the easiest way to do this is to make the mother a "fundamental Christian" who is as cardboard a character as they come and completely devoid of any emotion or sensible thought. As in,
Christian = intolerant, judgmental. Okay, that was an easy character to write. This just reinforces a nasty, negative stereotype that anyone who claims to be Christian is hateful to anyone who is gay/lesbian. Sorry, Catherine Ryan Hyde, I'm not going to let you off the hook that easy on this one. It makes me wonder if she actually KNOWS (in real life!) any genuine Christians because the people I know (myself included) who are Christ followers would NEVER act the way she had this character act. Of course, it was convenient for the plot, but sadly, all it does is reinforce negative stereotypes.
