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Thinking Straight

by Robin Reardon (Goodreads Author)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 589 ratings · 74 reviews

I know God doesn't make mistakes, and if I'm gay it's because that's what he wanted. What you wanted. And I think the challenge is to get everyone else to see that. This is their test, not mine. If only Taylor Adams had kept on lying to his parents, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have been shipped off to Straight to God, an institution devoted to "deprogramm...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published May 1st 2008 by Kensington

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May 02, 2008 Beckie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone with an open and curious compassionate mind

Robin Reardon has taken on a hugely important subject in her new book, Thinking Straight. Taylor Adams, a teen who starts out the book with his head pretty well in place, has parents who think differently about their son’s well adjusted outlook on life. As the story begins they have sent him to Straight To God, a program that prides itself on fixing teens’ problems, including getting young men and women to overcome homosexuality. Despite his circumstances and justifiable anger, Taylor has faith...more

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Dec 26, 2008 Edward rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-fiction, teen-town

Thinking Straight, by Robin Reardon is in many ways similar to Alex Sanchez’ The God Box, in that it explores the new sub-genre of gay/teen/Christian fiction. Tyler is a good god-fearing Christian who struggles with coming to terms with his realization that he is gay. With the arrival of Will, a confident, cute new student who happens to be gay and finds Tyler attractive, Tyler’s world gets complicated. Will is also a member of Tyler's church and the two of them engage in a discussion about the...more

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Nov 28, 2008 Noj rated it 4 of 5 stars

Taylor, the main character, is written with a sweet and endearing mix of naive and rebellious, and it is quick and enjoyable to read. The book only gains any depth when it concentrates on what Christian love should be, and how that should transcend any other part of being a Christian - trumping interpretations of scripture, conventional or outdated social rules, even trumping the idea of morality as a prescribed and unchanging system of human behavior. It offers up a mild sort of moral relativis...more Taylor, the main character, is written with a sweet and endearing mix of naive and rebellious, and it is quick and enjoyable to read. The book only gains any depth when it concentrates on what Christian love should be, and how that should transcend any other part of being a Christian - trumping interpretations of scripture, conventional or outdated social rules, even trumping the idea of morality as a prescribed and unchanging system of human behavior. It offers up a mild sort of moral relativism, putting forward the idea that while the small number of edicts against homosexuality in the Bible were correct for the time due to the different social and cultural realities, that as the culture and societal norms change, so does what its moral. But, the book really only offers up just enough examination of moral complexity to cover inclusiveness for gay people, without really exploring what other moral implications this same relativity might have for other people and particularly what it might say about the viability of traditional Christianity in particular. Does Christ let us in on this changing and flexible nature of morality? If not, why not? It would seem to be a most important part of the religion then. The book directs us to a sort of covering mysticism that love, truly sought, would lead us naturally to uncovering how moral choices should pick and choose from scripture or convention. And I'm not saying this isn't a viable stance to take, but the book doesn't expand this theme even when it has the opportunity (for example, how does this apply to recreational drug users? are all recreational drug users addicts? is all such use immoral?). And because of that, the book (although endearing) finally becomes a bit more propaganda than literature. It walks a fine line by wanting to not offend too many of the default Christian moral assumptions, picking it's battle very carefully. And there's nothing wrong with that, except that if you examine it closely enough (and at least some teens questioning their religion along with their sexuality are capable of examining quite a bit), I think you see clearly a choiceful one-dimensionalness that's trying so hard not to offend that it looses its potential impact.(less)

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Dec 01, 2012 Janet rated it 3 of 5 stars

If I could, I would give this book a 2.5 rating.

I am not religious. However, two of my friends are bisexual and we are against discrimination of non-heterosexual people. I wanted to read this book for different, religious points of view on this matter, and to see how Taylor would deal with a situation where he is forced to adapt to another's beliefs.

Reardon's writing style isn't my cup of tea. I got bored of her prose very quickly. More often than not, I found the use of IM language unnecessary...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thinking Straight is a novel that starts out really slow, boring even, and slowly works itself up into a fervor that incorporates some dark themes and quite a bit of tension. It was a page turner for me, which as far as I'm concerned, means the author did something right. Though I should say as well, what ends up happening in the novel is not at all what I was expecting to get into when I started reading it. It's not a bad thing. Just it took unexpected turns.

The characters, for the most part, w...more Thinking Straight is a novel that starts out really slow, boring even, and slowly works itself up into a fervor that incorporates some dark themes and quite a bit of tension. It was a page turner for me, which as far as I'm concerned, means the author did something right. Though I should say as well, what ends up happening in the novel is not at all what I was expecting to get into when I started reading it. It's not a bad thing. Just it took unexpected turns.

The characters, for the most part, were engaging. Most of them felt pretty believable, and I like that most of the ones who were introduced were given enough "page time" to be developed a little and for us readers to learn why they're in the program.

That said, I had some big issues with the infallible narrator, as well as his so called love interest.

I'm not doubting that teenagers can fall in love. When I fell in love for the first time, I was twelve, and ten years later I still love that person, even though I know she can't love me (straight girl problems). Even so, I found the relationship played up between Taylor and Will difficult to accept as realistic.

As a protagonist, Taylor is too "perfect". He's so faithful and sure of himself that he has little room to develop within the novel. True, he has his chances to grow stronger, but it is his positive aspects already there that grow. There is nothing that changes from his previous life, and if there had been, I think the novel would have been stronger.

Taylor is so sure of himself and his sexuality, even though he apparently only realized two years before the book starts, that all he needs to do is look at another boy in class to "know" that he is his one true love and that they will be passionate for each other. The first time they meet to "study" at his home, they have sex. I mean, they "make love". The author painfully overuses this phrase throughout the entirety of the novel.

I don't doubt that sometimes guys will look at sex like that... but they're teenagers, they're young, and because they have sex the *very first time they meet*, I felt that it was all their relationship was based on. Yes, they had some tender moments, but they weren't monumental in developing them as characters. For gay teenagers, they eased into things way too easily. There was absolutely no hesitation, absolutely no second guessing. They just did it. And they did it *a lot*.

(view spoiler)

And if it was just them having sex that was the problem, it wouldn't be so bad. But like I said, they have a lot of sex. A lot. Sometimes two or three times in a short period of time. Reardon, there's a biological thing males have to deal with called the refractory period. Especially being teens and being fairly new to being sexual, it just didn't feel probably that they'd be able to go at it five times in an hour. Just saying. <_<

So yeah. The book did rely on a lot of cliches, flowery language, and sometimes I feel the themes in the novel kind of reflected a little too much on the author, but I think it's worth it to give the story a chance. Once it gets going, it becomes easier to ignore the flaws, and even though Taylor seems like way too perfect a person, you can really feel for the other characters and their struggles, and that's the novel's biggest drawing point.(less)

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Feb 21, 2010 Jamaica rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit

I'm torn on this book. It's not that I hated it...but I didn't like it...though some parts were alright. I dunno; I guess I was looking for answers, and this book didn't give me those answers. It was an entertaining read, and a page-turner for sure, but I wanted something more-- something much more real-- again, a truth to it. The book poses arguments on homosexuality and the Bible, but there wasn't much defin-ance in it for me. I'm sorry, but I was really excited to read this and try and figure...more I'm torn on this book. It's not that I hated it...but I didn't like it...though some parts were alright. I dunno; I guess I was looking for answers, and this book didn't give me those answers. It was an entertaining read, and a page-turner for sure, but I wanted something more-- something much more real-- again, a truth to it. The book poses arguments on homosexuality and the Bible, but there wasn't much defin-ance in it for me. I'm sorry, but I was really excited to read this and try and figure out something for myself, and I realized after reading it, I really couldn't give it to someone who had the same questions I had, and am having about this issue; there was no satisfaction in it for me, and again, though points were posed--I had a counter-argument for each. Trust me, I didnt want to have those counter-arguments, but they were there, and I'm not going to get real specific either; sorry for whoever reads this.

Also, I really didnt care for the overuse and display of sexual imagery because it felt like I was reading something like a 'soft porno' (I can only assume what that means) i.e. SMUT?, and though the character opted for this description as his lover's 'true love' and feelings, I felt more like it was sheer lust and instant gratification than love. =[

And, I really don't like the whole play about Rev. Bartle~yay stereotypes. I mean it certainly gave the book more zing, but again...yeah... not what I was looking for, and I don't think the book offered much aside from the fact of love; and yes, God loves everyone, but that doesnt mean he has to love the 'sin'. I'm not saying that homosexuality is a 'sin', but the way the book poses it, is that it 'was' once a sin, and that 'was' statement is difficult to adhere to especially if God's Word is as true as it was before as it is today.

Truth: I'm Bisexual and I Love God; do I know if I'm going to hell? I'm not sure, but I do know that God loves me, the person, and if this truly is a birthed thing, then alright, but if its not, well then shit ya know? But its whatever; I'll keep wandering until I get the answers I seek...or maybe I already know the ansewrs. Its hard to tell sometimes and I was looking for something else to turn to, other thoughts, but when I know the things I know, and the things I've been told, I need more backing...understanding. Its hard to explain, but I'm one troubled fellow I can assure you that.

So yeah... I'm a little dissapointed, but hey it was an entertaining read, and for only the sheer purposes of entertainment and suspense, I would pick up the sequal and read about Taylor's new room-mate: Kenington. But yeah, other than that...I don't think so.(less)

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Feb 08, 2010 Jenre rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, contemporary

I read this book as part of a book reading challenge where the rules were to read a book in a genre or theme which you would usually avoid. The genre of this book is YA which I usually don't like to read because a) it reminds me of how old I am getting and makes me pine for my lost youth and b) YA books are often set in and around schools and since my school years were not particularly happy, I don't especially want to be reminded of that. The theme of the book is based around a teen who, after...more I read this book as part of a book reading challenge where the rules were to read a book in a genre or theme which you would usually avoid. The genre of this book is YA which I usually don't like to read because a) it reminds me of how old I am getting and makes me pine for my lost youth and b) YA books are often set in and around schools and since my school years were not particularly happy, I don't especially want to be reminded of that. The theme of the book is based around a teen who, after coming out to his parents, gets sent to 'Straight to God' which is one of these institutions run by the church to 'deprogramme' troubled teenagers, in the hope that he will emerge newly heterosexual. I hate books which show Christians as hateful homophobes - and yes, I am perfectly aware that many, many Christians are just that, but that doesn't mean I want to read about it.

In retrospect, I think this was probably a really good book for me to choose to read for the challenge because, although it is YA, it is not set in a school and although there are plenty of homophobic Christians in this book there are many more which show a positive Christian attitude to homosexuality, including the main character, Taylor.

There are a couple of things that I particularly liked about this book. The first thing I liked is probably something that would put off a lot of readers, especially those who are not sympathetic to the Christian faith, and that is that this book takes Taylor on a journey of faith. He begins the book very angry at the situation he finds himself in. He blames himself for being so foolish as to come out to his parents - and yet he doesn't blame his parents. He understands that his parents have a very blinkered Christian faith, and that their understanding of God, especially his father's, has led them to believe that gay people are sinners. He also doesn't blame God either for the situation he is in, quite the opposite in fact. Taylor is sure of his faith and sure of God's love for him. He's convinced that God doesn't make mistakes or create sinful people so as God made him gay, then it cannot be wrong. Instead, Taylor's anger stems from a kind of hopelessness - firstly by being separated from his boyfriend, Will, then by having no say in what happens to him and finally he chafes at the rules in the institution. However, as the book progresses Taylor finds a sense of peace in his situation as he begins to recognise why the rules are so strict. The time at 'Straight to God' also enables him to think deeply about his faith in God and begin to structure some convincing and coherent arguments so that when he is released he can try to get others, especially his parents, to see why there is nothing wrong with him being gay. The journey Taylor takes was quite fascinating, but also very biblical as he and a group of like-minded young people discuss theological ideas surrounding homosexuality in some depth. As I said, this may not appeal to all readers but was one of the most compelling parts of the book for me.

The second part of the book I really liked was Taylor's love for Will. This is told to the reader when Taylor deliberately spends time 'remembering' some of the things that have happened in their relationship. As a result, the reader gets told about how they met, their first kiss and a couple of other incidents in their relationship which brings strength to Taylor during his time at 'Straight to God'. Taylor's love for Will shines through these memories and non more so that when Taylor first introduces Will to the reader:

My Will. Brown hair with spiky, bleached ends. And that impish grin, sliding up slowly from the left hand side of his mouth and making me wonder what he's thinking. Leather thong around his neck, another on his wrist. Silver chain draped between front and back pockets of his scuffed black jeans. Golden hairs on his forearms, catching sunlight. Sweet, smooth skin on the undersides of his arms. Sweeter, softer skin on his lips.

Taylor uses his love for Will to give him hope, recalling their times together when he's feeling low and holding on to the knowledge that Will is waiting for him. I found this sweet, fierce love quite charming and moving.

This book isn't perfect by any means. There is a mystery involving the suicide of one of the residents which began well but turned out to be disappointingly clichéd - I can't say too much about that as it would be a huge spoiler. Another part which seemed odd was that every single teen in the book is incredibly intelligent and articulate, running rings around the adults in terms of logic and argument and debating theological ideas in such a clear and coherent manner that they would put scholars to shame. This meant that sometimes it seemed like these teens were just mouthpieces for adult logic and ideals and that was slightly disconcerting.

Overall, I am glad that I took up the challenge and read this book. It had been on my TBR pile for some time and I may have continued to put off reading it for much, much longer. To say that the book was gripping would be an understatement as I read it all in one day - only stopping to eat. I still found parts of it difficult to read, especially the scene where Taylor comes out to his parents and the pages leading up to his placement at 'Straight to God'. However, the book has provided me with a number of good theologically sound and bible based arguments as to why it is the Christian homophobe who is the sinner, not the homosexual - and it would be a fantastic book for a Christian teen who is struggling with his or her sexuality to read. Plus it is a beautiful love story both of a teen's love for God and for his boyfriend. I would recommend Thinking Straight to those who like YA books and who wish to read a sympathetic, liberal look at Christianity in relation to homosexuality.
(less)

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Jun 02, 2009 Jocardo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fabulous, library

As a gay man, I reconciled my spirituality and my sexuality many years ago. It was a difficult balance to achieve and was not possible until I shut all the external noise out and began to reflect on my personal relationship with the Divine. Once the outside was quieted, once all the rhetoric was sorted through, I was able to connect with the Divine and my life has been much better for it. It is always sad to me when I see so many of my GLBTQ brothers and sisters turning away from spirituality an...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt, religion, spiritual

This book was amazing. Not so much because of the concept [gay kid gets sent to a church-run camp for "bad" kids who need to be reformed] because I'm sure that's been done several times. What was really interesting about this book was that the main character is actually a Christian to begin with [not a usual theme in this sort of story] and the journey into this camp actually changes and strengthens his faith. This is one of those books that will make you think, and I'd recommend it to anyone wh...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Brandon Leung rated it 3 of 5 stars

Being someone who's not remotely religious at all, I felt somewhat distant from the subject of the novel at first. Reardon refers to the Bible and specific scripture a lot, and to be honest, I initially skipped over those parts. But I began to take it as a chance to educate myself on the struggles the queer community faces with religion.

The characters are all very lovable, I was especially attached to Charles, the roommate of the novel's protagonist. He was just too sweet, like a sad puppy (for...more

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Jan 12, 2010 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, queer

Really, it's all about love.

A wonderful mesh of queer and religion, Reardon gives the reader plenty to think about once the book is down.

I had some difficulty getting through this book, NOT because it was bad, but because it put people in awkward situations that could have turned out badly/embarrassingly and that is my squick. Our narrator is funny, witty and rather intelligent, which lends itself to a fun story, even when the discussion topics are deep and serious. Ty is taking everything serio...more

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May 10, 2012 Terry rated it 3 of 5 stars

I guess this book was OK but it didn't quite gel for me somehow. I think it must have been written with "Bible Belt" teens in mind who have been raised with a thorough knowledge of scripture and I doubt if other teens without that background would get as much out of it. I thought the "Straight to God" organisation didn't work really - how were the going to "straighten out" the gay kids? Nothing was really alluded to as to how they were going to achieve that - except for a single scene near the e...more

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Nov 03, 2009 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, ya

When 16 year old born-again Taylor comes out to his parents they ship him off to be deprogrammed. Taylor and his parents seem to belong to one the western mega-churches, which are short on reason, forgiveness and rationality. The program they send him to Straight to God is administered by a freak who thinks gay kids who commit suicide are preferable to living ones. And it gets worse. Taylor's choice at the end really threw me.

"There was something really creepy going on in this place, I decided....more

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Mar 21, 2012 Ella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed-from-library, gay-book

This was a very interesting read, and a lucky find in the Teen section of Bromley library. The title caught my eye immediately and I borrowed it even though the presentation of the book wasn't the greatest. It was either going to be a waste of the publishers' time, or a rare gem. It turned out to be the latter.

This novel follows the story of Taylor, a teenager who gets sent to a Bible camp after he comes out to his parents, who are hoping to "make him straight". In Taylor we have a main characte...more This was a very interesting read, and a lucky find in the Teen section of Bromley library. The title caught my eye immediately and I borrowed it even though the presentation of the book wasn't the greatest. It was either going to be a waste of the publishers' time, or a rare gem. It turned out to be the latter.

This novel follows the story of Taylor, a teenager who gets sent to a Bible camp after he comes out to his parents, who are hoping to "make him straight". In Taylor we have a main character who has a strong faith in God but who is also resolved not to let the "program" change who he is and what he feels for his boyfriend.

Taylor has to start by not talking for three days, and while on one hand he does not want to be brainwashed, some aspects of the camp and especially of human interactions really fascinate him. I really did enjoy all his theories about what motivated these people, because I'm also an overthinker, so I didn't think it was unrealistic or simply "too much".

There is an outstanding cast of supporting characters, so many names to remember and yet even those who only get mentioned once or twice I thought were fleshed out quite well, making it easy for me to remember who was who.

I am not religious but I was able to follow the religious talk quite easily, although at times I must admit it got a little intense. I do like religion when it's used as a basis for analysis of people's behaviour and how society has evolved. I think this book made me more sympathetic towards gays who choose to remain religious, while up until now I had dismissed them saying "how inconsistent is it to want to remain part of something that hates you?". I suppose I feel that more towards Catholics as that is the religion I was raised in, but the novel actually deals with a nonspecified Christian denomination in America.

The only fault of this book is in the narration, occasionally, and jarringly, in the occasion of "circle" meetings it looked almost like scriptwriting (character name: "Dialogue") and it just seemed inappropriate in the middle of a novel. Also, the IM acronyms used throughout the book must have seemed all the rage at the time, but they are quite outdated at the moment, giving it a bit of a "distant" feel while the topic is still extremely relevant, with the common plague of gay teen suicides.

(view spoiler)
I would have perhaps appreciated an epilogue where we find out what happens to Taylor once he returns to his parents, unchanged in his gayness but more accepting of other's narrow-mindedness.(less)

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Mar 21, 2009 Ralph rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Ralph by: Amazon

This was an pretty interesting book to read for me. I like how for once, it showed religious people defending their sexuality with scripture rather than trying to destroy it. The book gave some interesting view points that you don't see too often. My only real complaint with this novel was the IM lingo it used. That really detracted from the work. Most people don't use IM lingo outside of IMs, and those who do are really frowned upon. Heck, people are frowned upon for using in IMs. If the author...more

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Nov 13, 2009 Duane rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a book meant for gay teens, this book is powerful. Taylor is a self assured gay teen who enjoys his faith with God. That is until his parents discover his sexuality. Sent to a insitution that will ungay Taylor, he struggles to come to terms with how he can be both gay and be loved by God. With a bookfull of interesting characters, the reader will enjoy trying to decide who is a good person and who is dangerous. Although the ending is a little rushed, I enjoyed all the in-depth conversations t...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Mindi Rosser rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book follows the journey of a Christian teen coming out as gay to his family and community. As a result, he is sent off to be cured at a Christian Reform School.

I read this book as part of my research into the gay Christian community. My own father struggled to suppress his gay lifestyle because of his conservative Christian beliefs. He put himself through reform programs and ex-gay retreats to no avail. He died feeling shame and regret because he could not resolve the two as co-existent. T...more

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May 22, 2012 David rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm a bit torn with this book. I think this is an extremely important subject to tackle, the religious institutionalization of gay children, but something in this story just misses the mark for me.

It's not a bad book, I can't really find fault with the writing or the characters.

Possibly it has to do with the climax, the idea that we, gay people, need evil to exist to justify a position. Perhaps the thought of people thinking and believing certain ways with goodness in their hearts is too scary t...more

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Jun 15, 2010 Cryselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, ya

This should be a 4.5, the slight deduct has to be there because of the over-the top aspects of the ending, which was a little rushed and lacked the subtlety of the rest of the story. However, the amazing sense of a clear thinking young man who got put through the wringer with brainwashing and altering his most basic self, who still managed to retain his identity, was amazing. Taylor sounded a little older than his stated age sometimes, but that's okay; this was hard material. The story is marked...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Natashia Duncan rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book didn't snag my interest as I would have hoped. I didn't expect the religious theme to be embedded so deeply in the text, and I felt the whole thing just painfully dragged on and on until the end when EVERYTHINGWENTSOFASTANDSOMUCHHAPPENEDTHATDIDN'TEVENMAKESENSEORMATTERANDTHENTHEBOOKWASOVERBOOM. Aaaaaand I didn't love that. I felt like the idea itself was good, but the focus wasn't where it needed to be.

ALSO. -spoiler, read at your own risk-
I'm sorry, but there is NO POSSIBLE WAY that h...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Alexandra Middleton rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Gay Christians, religious people, teens who are versed in scripture

Shelves: 2013-reading-challenge, young-adult, glbt, favourites

It was difficult deciding between four and five stars, because I liked this book a lot. It was thought-provoking, interesting, and kept me hooked to the very end. However, because I'm not religious, pretty much all of the scripture was lost on me. I had a lot of questions towards the end, which were all resolved, to my delight. I really, really liked this - it had just the right amount of angst. There was one thing that confused me, though - I really liked Taylor's voice, but I wasn't sure when...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Sama3267x rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic book, with many lessons that anyone can learn. I know I will definitely read it again sometime soon. The characters really had their own individual personalities, the plot was very intense and exciting, and it isn't the type of book that you know what will happen next; you might have an idea about what COULD happen, but the possibilities really make you think. The look on religion and how people observe the bible is very original and actually motivates me to read the bible a...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Madison Parker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: religious, lendable

Ty was a very likeable character, stuck in a very unpleasant situation, and as I was reading I kept hoping and praying that he wouldn't put up with all the bullsh*t. I'm not well-versed in Bible speak, so at times I had real difficulty following the religious discussions, but at least I got my wish. The plot was slow to unfold, which was good because it kept me guessing.

This was a really heavy read. It took me three times as long to read this book as it normally would other books of the same len...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Huston Piner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-young-adult, favorites, young-adult

This book will not be for everyone. Because of the severe tone many Christian groups take on the topic of gays, much of the first half of the book will sting with too many reminders of comments, lectures, and attitudes that either consciously or unconsciously have caused deep hurt and resentment. For others, the challenge of following the ongoing theological discussion (don't freak, it's not that heady) on the topic will difficult as well. One review took the book to task as merely towing a new...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Kirsten rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Christians, gay Christians, questioning Christians, and Christians undecided about gay rights

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Oh my god. This book is amazing. I'm not going to write a very in-depth review, because I don't ever write one at all, but wow. First off, I love, love, LOVE the concept. I was initially intrigued by the author beginning in the Straight to God facility (what is essentially, as we learn, reminiscent of a concentration camp in WWII) and working in bits of Taylor's (the main character and narrator) backstory. Each and every time Will, Taylor's boyfriend, was mentioned made me want more -- their lov...more Oh my god. This book is amazing. I'm not going to write a very in-depth review, because I don't ever write one at all, but wow. First off, I love, love, LOVE the concept. I was initially intrigued by the author beginning in the Straight to God facility (what is essentially, as we learn, reminiscent of a concentration camp in WWII) and working in bits of Taylor's (the main character and narrator) backstory. Each and every time Will, Taylor's boyfriend, was mentioned made me want more -- their love story is exciting, dangerous, and rooted in their shared faith in God. But the love isn't just between Taylor and Will. There are many instances of "brotherly" (platonic) love between Taylor and the other "Ironically, StG results in bringing Taylor closer to God, despite the atrocities committed in the name of God by Reverend Bartle, and the brainwashing (never explicitly stated as such), and the hatred. Still, Ty (Taylor) never loses his sense of who he is, and throughout his stay at StG, he rebels against the facist, overzealous leadership using his inner strength, IM acronyms, knowledge that God is LOVE, and (I think) above all, his deep and unrelenting love for Will.

The only questions I have after finishing the fantastic novel, are: do Ty's parents learn the truth about StG? Wat is Ty's process as he forgives them? (That is likely what he does during the remainder of his stay at StG.) And finally, will his parents ever accept him for who he is -- gay -- and can he ever be open about his relationship with Ty? Perhaps these questions are exactly what a good book does -- leave you desperate to know what happens -- regardless of whether you end up finding out or not.

This is a story that sheds light on the "ex-gay" or "reparative therapy" or "conversion" movement, a scientifically debunked idea based on 3 ambiguously-worded verses in the bible that harms at-risk youth across the country, often ending in suicide. Because of Ty's unfaltering faith in a God who loves him, this story also shows how it is possible to reconcile homosexuality with Christianity.

"Jesus loves you. But I'm his favorite."

Robin Reardon's best work.(less)

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Mar 05, 2010 Lisa Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

After Taylor comes out to his parents, they send him to a Christian reform program. During the course of the book, he journeys from literal silence (he's not permitted to speak his first few days in the program) to outspoken self-confidence, in his identity and his faith. When I picked this book up, I was a bit worried it would have the (typical) cartoonish take on conservative Christians. It doesn't. Thinking Straight acknowledges the good intentions of many of the characters, while not flinchi...more

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Dec 07, 2009 Jeff Erno rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-themed-young-adult

Taylor Adams is a sixteen-year old gay high school student who is head over heels in love with his first boyfriend Will. Unfortunately the joy that he feels about his first romance is not shared by his parents. They are devout, fundamentalist Christians, and they thus believe homosexuality to be an abomination. In an effort to cure Taylor of his homosexual proclivities, they elect to send their son to a six-week, faith-based, behavior-modification program called "Straight to God".

This is the sec...more Taylor Adams is a sixteen-year old gay high school student who is head over heels in love with his first boyfriend Will. Unfortunately the joy that he feels about his first romance is not shared by his parents. They are devout, fundamentalist Christians, and they thus believe homosexuality to be an abomination. In an effort to cure Taylor of his homosexual proclivities, they elect to send their son to a six-week, faith-based, behavior-modification program called "Straight to God".

This is the second of author Robin Reardon's books that I've read, and I am quick to admit that she is an impressive story teller. Her ability to get inside the head of her gay male protagonist is remarkably realistic, and her development of complex yet likable characters creates an interesting and memorable read. In this particular story she uses a narrative arc to transform characters who initially appear to be a certain way but eventually are revealed to contradict this first impression.

Reardon also weaves together two extremely paradoxical viewpoints into a story which ultimately challenges the assumptions of both arguments. She craftily challenges fundamentalists to re-examine their condemnation of homosexuals, and she gently urges gays to try to understand the motives which fuel these harsh, fundamentalist judgements.

Although there were some plot elements which I did not find to be particularly plausible, I sincerely regard this book to be one of the best I have read in terms of its presentation of how people of faith choose to perceive sexual orientation. It certainly would be one of the first books that I would recommend to someone who is struggling to reconcile their faith with their affectional identity. It could also be immensely helpful to the religious family member of a gay person who has just come out to them.

I was most disturbed by the methodology that the program employed to brainwash and control its residents. One example is the use of what they referred to as the "safe zone" in which the inmate was required to remain mute for a period of hours or days. This prevented them from ever questioning authority or expressing any opposing opinion. It also created feelings of frustration and helplessness, quite the opposite of the "safe" atmosphere it was supposed to provide.

I was also a bit annoyed by the manner in which the religious establishment eventually evolved to a place of pseudo-acceptance of gay identity. They ultimately conclude that homosexuality "used" to be a sin, but it is not any more. This sort of rationalization does not explain why God would ever create someone to be gay in the first place. And their insistence upon protecting the "sanctity" of marriage by disallowing gays to marry is also contradictory in that they continue to condemn sexual relations outside of marriage.

Perhaps the important reality is that the process of reexamination had begun. At least some of the fundamentalists were able to allow themselves to rethink their staid opinions and challenge their previous assumptions.

Over all, I loved the book, and do not hesitate to recommend it. I'm anxiously waiting to see what future work this author has in store for us. Five stars.
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Feb 05, 2010 Tindra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbt, young-adult, read-in-english, romance

This was book I was looking for (and not finding) in Clay's Way A Novel and Geograpgy Club. It deals with homosexuality in an adult and honest way. Not overly simplistic or angsty. Direct, and while still being a youth book it confronts it in an very adult manner.
Taylor is not in conflict or any emotional state about his sexuality. It was not simplt getting there, as he remembrence over, but his acceptance is central to the story. It was acceptet in the previews books as well, but without feelin...more

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Aug 08, 2009 Kris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-tasting-from-my-blog

The Tasting:

Why I bought it:

I was browsing the virtual shelves at The Book Depository and came across it. The blurb intrigued.

Dislike/like (ending on a high note):

Dislike~ Or more of a warning~ I have this fascination/horror with the things people do to each other in the name of religion. This is never more the case when it comes to what some so-called Christian people will do to adults and especially children in an attempt to make them conform to their interpretation of the Bible and Christiani...more

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May 12, 2009 Elisa Ramblings added it

Taylor is a young teenager from a really catholic family. He really believe in what he was taught, he believes in God and he loves Jesus, and he would be glad to be part of the church, but there is a problem: Taylor is gay and he is also in love with an high school mate, Will, another teenager who frequents the same church as him. They spend an year hiding their love, even if Will would be more bold and brave than Taylor, and he encourages Taylor to not stay in the closet, to come out but withou...more Taylor is a young teenager from a really catholic family. He really believe in what he was taught, he believes in God and he loves Jesus, and he would be glad to be part of the church, but there is a problem: Taylor is gay and he is also in love with an high school mate, Will, another teenager who frequents the same church as him. They spend an year hiding their love, even if Will would be more bold and brave than Taylor, and he encourages Taylor to not stay in the closet, to come out but without loosing his faith in God, since accordingly to Will, God loves his sons. When Taylor finally finds the courage to come out with his parents, his father's reaction is not as good as he hopes: he send Taylor in a catholic reprogramming group, a place where the motto ora et labora is still the panacea for all the problem, a place where people try to convince Taylor that suicide is better than being gay! With the strenght of his love for Will, and a new strenght he finds in himself, Taylor tries to survive to the 42 days of captivity.

The story is a lot more involving than the previous one by the same author, A Secret Edge: here the boys unfortunately have to face all the problem of being gay in a community that believes it to be a sin, and a mortal sin. Nevertheless it's a big love story, but more than a love story between Taylor and Will, it's a love story between Taylor and Jesus, and through Jesus, with God. Even if Taylor has to face unbelievable things, he never stops to love God, and he never stops to believe. Taylor, Will and some other guys they will meet during the story, will try to build a world where the words of God are still of love and not of hate. With their courage they will change a little part of that world that rejected them, even if, probably, the ending is too much as a fairy tale rather than reality; unfortunately I believe than in the real world, a guy like Taylor would be not so lucky as he was. But it's still a drop in the ocean and a little step toward a better world.

I should say that I like more this second book than the previous one, since, even if it's more angst, and the love story is a bit in second line, all the characters in the book have their personality and concur to create a chorus of voice that represents a good part of the young adult population.

Returning back to the worldly love story, between Taylor and Will, even if it's lived in flashback by Taylor, it seems alive and I found myself searching the little bit of memories which whom the author makes Taylor relive his love. It's also very sexy without being explicit. And also very involving: I almost wept in a scene where Taylor was forced to destroy a note from Will.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0758219288/?...(less)

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About Robin Reardon

My first book is A SECRET EDGE. On the surface, this looks like a coming-out book for a gay 16-year-old track star, a runner, who falls for a high-jumper on his team. But the high-jumper is from India and is obsessed with Ghandi, while the runner carries a switchblade. The story explores the concepts of honesty, violence vs. non-violence, and includes a smattering of Hindu philosophy. I think you'...more

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“Ty, my boy, here's what you tell them. Say it quietly, and sincerely, and like it's the most important thing anyone ever uttered. Tell them, 'Jesus loves you. But I'm his favorite.” — 4 people liked it

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