Heretics Anonymous - Katie Henry

Title: Heretics Anonymous
Author: Katie Henry
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4.5 Stars

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Michael is an atheist. So as he walks through the doors at St. Clare’s—a strict Catholic school—sporting a plaid tie, things can’t get much worse. His dad has just made the family move again, and Michael needs a friend. When a girl challenges their teacher in class, Michael thinks he might have found one, and a fellow nonbeliever at that. Only this girl, Lucy, is not just Catholic . . . she wants to be a priest.

But Lucy introduces Michael to other St. Clare’s outcasts, and he officially joins Heretics Anonymous, where he can be an atheist, Lucy can be an outspoken feminist, Avi can be Jewish and gay, Max can wear whatever he wants, and Eden can practice paganism. After an incident in theology class, Michael encourages the Heretics to go from secret society to rebels intent on exposing the school’s hypocrisies. When Michael takes one mission too far—putting the other Heretics at risk—he must decide whether to fight for his own freedom, or rely on faith, whatever that means, in God, his friends, or himself.

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Heretics Anonymous, by Katie Henry, is the YA book I wish I'd had when I was a teen!  The book is full of humor, skepticism, rebellion, and good old fashioned questioning of authority and religion.  

Michael, an atheist, has moved with his family, again!  And now, he's being sent to a private Catholic school where he meets Lucy, Avi, Max, and Eden.

Lucy - wants to be a female priest.

Avi - is gay and Jewish.

Max - wants to be able to wear whatever he wants to school.

Eden - is a wiccan.

So, what happens when an atheist, a feminist, a gay Jew, a witch, and a uniform breaker get together?  They form Heretics Anonymous and pull pranks designed to share information with their classmates that their school won't tell them! 

I won't tell you what the pranks are - you should be surprised after all!  What I will tell you is that this book is worth every single second of reading!

The Characters: 

I loved every single character!  Especially Lucy!  I love these people are fighting for true change and equality in an institution that has been around longer than they will be alive.  I love that Lucy is so hell bent on fighting for women to become priests!  I love the Max is so unique and willing to stand up for even the most subtle changes in uniform.  

I think each of the characters in the book are deeper and more complex than we really get to see on the page.  There are hidden facets and parts of each persons identity that are revealed that show that teens can be complex and well rounded people.  These kids know how to speak up for themselves in the best ways, even if the adults in their lives won't listen.

Yes, there is a bit of the teenage "I hate what my parents are doing to my life" drama.  BUT, even that is resolved in a mature way after Michael actually talks to his dad (well, yells - but that makes his dad stop and really think about how certain decisions really do affect his kids.)

The Plot

This story moved really well.  There was the perfect amount of tension and humor throughout the book.  Everything in the story worked well together, each moment moving well into the next moment.  There wasn't a single "Yeah right" moment for me in the entire book.

Henry did a great job of tackling what it means to be atheist or questioning your faith when you attend a religious school.  She does a great job of showing that you can be religious and feminist, or Jewish and gay.  If someone religious were reading this book, they would not get the impression that Henry is slamming the Catholic religion, because she's not.  She does, however, make clear that it is okay to be religious and still question your beliefs and your church.

This is a wonderful book that should be required reading for every older teen!