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The God Box

by Alex Sanchez (Goodreads Author)

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 1,942 ratings · 211 reviews

Paul, a religious teen living in a small conservative town, finds his world turned upside down when he meets Manuel—a young man who says he’s both Christian and gay, two things that Paul didn’t think could coexist in one person. Doesn’t the Bible forbid homosexuality? As Paul struggles with Manuel’s interpretation of the Bible, thoughts that Paul has long tried to bury beg...more

Paperback, 272 pages

Published May 5th 2009 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (first published October 9th 2007)

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Jan 19, 2010 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, queer, fiction, religious

I read this in one day and I didn't skip work!

I started this morning, where I read the note in the front: "To those who believe in a loving God and those who struggle to love themselves." That's all I got, but it had my attention.

The first line of the first chapter did that too: "Sex and religion don't mix," my grandma once told me.

Pablo (err..Paul), our narrator, has a great voice. Okay, he's struggling with something and it makes me want to smack him around sometimes, but he's REAL. He loves...more

9 likes · like · see review

Mar 28, 2008 Edward rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Gay Teens, Open Christians

Shelves: teen-town, gay-fiction

I have enjoyed all of Alex Sanchez's (Rainbow Boys) books to date but this one somehow touched me more than all of the others. This book ranks right up with David Leviathan’s "Boy Meets Boy" in my opinion. Set in West Texas, the story is a familiar one; boy comes to new school and upsets the status quo. The twist is that the school is located in a conservative Christian community, and the new boy, Manuel is both gay and deeply religious. Most affected by Manuel's arrival is Paul, a popular boy w...more

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Mar 22, 2009 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: courtney

Shelves: young-adult, glbtq

The plot at first seems all too familiar - gay kid helps other gay kid realize he's gay despite his insecurities, a "terrible thing" happens (just guess... yep, you got it), all is well in the end. If you're a young gay kid, books like these are your bread and butter. No, the world isn't all that simple, but for the hours you spend reading, it can be a pleasant fiction.

But The God Box isn't that mundanely simple. In fact, it's a rich analysis of all (or nearly all) the arguments that Christians...more

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May 19, 2013 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alex Sanchez tackles the question of how Christianity views homosexuality through The God Box. He tells the story through Paul/Pedro, a devoted high school senior who struggles to suppress his feelings. Enter Manuel, a charismatic and openly gay transfer student. Manuel challenges traditional Christian beliefs and Paul’s views about himself by presenting a new and more loving perspective. He does so in a very respectful way, but also with a charming dose of humor. I often found myself smirking a...more

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May 17, 2013 Allison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was more a tract than a story... it was a discussion of what is said about homosexuality in the Bible, and how people can form a belief system that both includes God and being gay. The characters and what plot existed (the only plot was basically the closeted & Christian main character coming to terms with who he is, and integrating being okay with being gay into his Christian belief system) were basically an excuse for the aforementioned examination of the intersection of homosexuality...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Kristen Kempfert rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is an excellent read for (mostly) teens interested in the gay rights movement. The plot revolves around the struggles of a teen trying to figure out his sexuality and how it fits into his religion. The book is clearly for a teen audience, but there is invaluable information on scriptures and the context of those verses.

For anyone who is a Christian and who is gay, knows someone who is gay, or someone looking for arguments against the radical, adamant, homophobic Christian people, this...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic, young-adult, romance

Appeal Characteristicsreligious, Christianity, homosexuality, faith, high school, friends, gay-straight alliance, Texas, Hispanic-Americans, identity, drama, angst, violence

Where was this book when I was in a Christian high-school? Oh, wait, they probably wouldn't have allowed it in the library. I thought this was a great viewpoint of homosexuality from a religious aspect. I'm not sure how open religious (depends on the religion) teenagers would be to reading this book...but if you came from a b...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Alexandra Middleton rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-contemporary, probably-won-t-finish, books-that-suck, glbt

I'm not sure if I'll ever finish this book. I've read about three or four chapters, and I'm ready to hurl it at the wall, despite the fact that I'm reading it on my BlackBerry PlayBook and doing so would result in a loss of £120. From reading the summary and seeing the cover/title, I knew it was about homosexuality and religion. The premise sounded quite interesting. But the crappy grammar combined with the Bible quotes and a group of teenagers readily throwing scripture at their friends just go...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Paul Brouwer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book.
At times, this book had me close to tears, but I think what made it most interesting for me, is other people's interpretations of Bible passages. It just goes to show how some people, distort the written word to suit themselves and what they believe.

Cliff wants to prove a point so starts reading Genesis 19, Manuel points out that the story actually starts in Genesis 18, but because that would explain too much, Cliff carries on with chapter 19.

Cliff points out.
Leviticus...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Maicie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-in-2011, bullies, lgbt, teen, coming-of-age

I almost put this book down. I thought I had accidently grabbed some Christian literature…which I seldom read. Too preachy and I don’t need my shortcomings pointed out in a book, thank you very much. That’s why I have a mother.

There is more scripture quoted in this book than a church pamphlet on Sunday morning. Manual is a newcomer to an ultra-conservative school and openly admits he is gay. The majority of his classmates, as well as many teachers, are just as openly anti-gay. Both sides are usi...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spiritual, ya, realistic, queer, novel

I'm not Christian, so maybe this book didn't really resound with me because my eyes kept glossing over at all the bibley parts and I struggled to stay focused. However there were a lot of really great things in this book. I loved the stronger focus on Mexican culture and identity that Sanchez brought and I loved that he had an "ex-gay" character. I liked that the main character was too scared to start a GSA and that he had no gay role models, which made his fear and nervousness more believable....more

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Apr 21, 2011 Morgan Anderson added it · review of another edition

Paul and Angie have been dating since middle school, and as high schooler they both think they've got it all figured out. They both attend the same church, the participate in Bible club and are nice to every person whether or not they are nice back. Then, there comes Manuel. He just moved from another part of Texas, and is the first person in their school to openly admit he is gay and a christian. Can you see a problem there? Right as Manuel walks through the door Paul is instantly pulled toward...more

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Mar 17, 2011 Nicholas Armstrong rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This doesn't ruin anything about the novel that isn't obvious within the first 5 minutes of reading this, but, being neither gay or religious, there wasn't a whole lot of appeal for me in this. I did like seeing how one might struggle with the conflict between religion and reality; that is, what a person is born as (sexual orientation), and what their decided religion tells them that should be. Too many of the arguments were too tired and cliche for me, though. The bible passages and 'debates' w...more This doesn't ruin anything about the novel that isn't obvious within the first 5 minutes of reading this, but, being neither gay or religious, there wasn't a whole lot of appeal for me in this. I did like seeing how one might struggle with the conflict between religion and reality; that is, what a person is born as (sexual orientation), and what their decided religion tells them that should be. Too many of the arguments were too tired and cliche for me, though. The bible passages and 'debates' were also a little tiring. It's hard to really get into the debates in the novel where one side is shown to be far more open and knowledgeable than the other side but both sides are Christian. It undercut the credibility of the entire argument that the characters would argue logically for why homosexuality should be accepted by religion but not logically for why they should even believe in such a faulty, non-historical, nonfactual idea like the bible.

Outside of that, the writing isn't so great. The first few pages are especially hard to read. Actually look at the dialogue between all the characters in the first few pages; it is atrocious. Try speaking it out loud for greater ridiculous effect. The writing also reminds me a bit of a cheesy romance novel. The talk of 'sinewy arms' and 'lush lips' is all very stomach churning. The characters brush each other then blush and turn away. It is, from what I have heard, like Twilight. The love interest is described largely in ways of how ridiculously hot he is. A lot of the moments were plucked right of romance 101 as well. Standing alone in the rain? Alright. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for romance, but the combination of poor writing, weak characters, and unoriginal scenarios made it all a bit much.

So why was it okay? It was like watching CSI. It doesn't make sense, it is all ridiculous, but it is entertaining. I don't think anyone watches CSI and says "My god, the acting was superb. Did you see the camera angels? I've never seen a shot such as that." But we watch it. This is entertaining in the same way. Maybe I've just been raised too much on the formula and it works too well on me. I didn't enjoy it much, but it was enough to keep me reading to the end, so that's something.

Oh! One last thing! Game cartridge? Game cartridge? I guess the novel could be set in 1991 or something; I don't recall seeing a date so it is certainly possible. I recall that the GSA was formed somewhere around 1990, and it didn't start becoming big until sometime in the late 90's. As I say, it is surely possible that this takes place sometime before that period, but it was written in 2007 and most of the hoopla across the nation started in the mid to late 90's. That I know of anyway... Point is, cartridges sounds ridiculous. It's like saying floppy disk.(less)

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Jan 06, 2011 Travis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009

Paul is a Christian teen who has been dating his best friend Angie since middle school, but while he loves her, he feels no attraction towards her. Every night he prays that God will make him attracted to girls and take away his feelings about guys. Then he meets Manuel, who is a Christian and gay and sees nothing contradictory about that. As Paul and Manuel become closer, he starts to question what he's been taught about the evils of homosexuality.[return][return]I won't lie. This book is as su...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: boy, glbt, multicultural, romance, politics, religion

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 03, 2010 Elisa Ramblings added it

Homosexuality and christianity are two concepts that is no easy to put in the same sentence without them being at the opposite.

Paul is the perfect teenager: a beloved son, an attentive boyfriend, a good friend, he is perfect in anything he wants to achieve. But I felt something uneasy in Paul, a drive to be accepted that is almost unhealthy: Paul is a latino american, but when he moved to Texas with his parents, he was the odd kid out and the only to accept him was Angie, a kid his same age who...more Homosexuality and christianity are two concepts that is no easy to put in the same sentence without them being at the opposite.

Paul is the perfect teenager: a beloved son, an attentive boyfriend, a good friend, he is perfect in anything he wants to achieve. But I felt something uneasy in Paul, a drive to be accepted that is almost unhealthy: Paul is a latino american, but when he moved to Texas with his parents, he was the odd kid out and the only to accept him was Angie, a kid his same age who was beautiful and kind, and very religious. Angie is the good kind of religious girl, the type who really understands the concept of “love your neighbor as yourself”. In the little child Paolo, the concept to be accept was similar to the concept be like Angie, if he was like Angie he would be part of a group. And so little Paolo became Paul, and he also became a good Christian boy, every Sunday in the church, and of course he became also Angie’s boyfriend. To excel in everything was for Paul a proof that he was one of them, one of the good boy.

When he is a teenager, Paul starts to have “strange” feelings for other guys, feelings that Paul is more than able to indentify, but that he doesn’t want to acknowledge: being gay means being not perfect, it’s against the religion he was taught, it’s against the life he is expecting to have, it’s, above all, against his feelings for Angie, being gay means that he has to leave Angie, and leaving Angie is something he doesn’t want to consider, Angie represents everything little Paolo wanted.

When Manuel, an out and proud gay guy, transfer to their school, it’s not the first time Paul was questioning his sexuality. It’s not fault, or merit, of Manuel that Paul realizes he is gay, Manuel is only giving to Paul the proof that there is another way to consider the question, being gay doesn’t mean being excluded, being unhappy, being a paria. Manuel is not hiding his feelings, and moreover, he is not denying his love for Jesus Christ and God; Manuel achieved the result of accepting himself and at the same time continuing to love God and religion, only that his concept of God and religion is a concept of love and acceptance, not a concept of refusal and limitation.

Paul and Manuel’s path is not easy, and they will have a chance only since, among the majority of people who will refuse them, they will find also people who will accept them, not since those people are good or kind, but simply since those people will understand that Paul and Manuel are like any other teenager.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1416909001/?...(less)

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Aug 11, 2010 Grey853 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gay, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Paul's a senior in high school. He's dated his best friend Angie for five years, but there's just something missing in his relationship. Then he starts having homoerotic dreams and, because he's a devout Christian, he feels terribly conflicted. When he meets Manuel, an openly gay teen, and he realizes with great horror that he might be gay.

Thus is the premise of a very promising book by Alex Sanchez, the author of THE RAINBOW BOYS.

Having grown up in a fundamentalist family and as someone who liv...more

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Jul 23, 2010 David rated it 2 of 5 stars

What should have been a cute young adult fiction about reconciling one's religion with their sexuality actually turns into a faux non-fictional argument about homosexuality vs. religion, using a cliche plot as a background. While the author clearly had a message intended to be heard, is not delivered through his characters as much as thrown in your face.

In short, the plot is driven by the message, instead of the message being driven by the plot. Usurping his own narrative, what begins as a stor...more

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Jul 16, 2010 Elissa Hoole rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book follows the internal conflicts of a gay teenage boy named Paul as he struggles to make peace with his strong conservative Christian faith, his longstanding relationship with his girlfriend, and his confusing and yet persistent attraction to Manuel, the openly gay new boy at school. First, the book is not the least bit subtle. In many ways, it sets out to be more of a Bible study than a fictional story--with Paul learning and examining his faith and how it fits with his sexuality. It in...more

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Sep 22, 2009 Katherine Marple rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The God Box" was about Paul (Pablo) and coming to terms with whether or not he's actually gay. The Christian belief (atleast in that small town) is that being gay is sinful, yet how can it be sinful if it's just a matter of falling in love?

"The God Box" is loaded with challenges- Can you test god? Can you test your faith? Can you test what's in your heart and learn to be honest with yourself- regardless of what others think?

Now, I titled this "coming from an outsider" because I'm just an avid...more

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Aug 23, 2009 Brandon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'll admit that I rolled my eyes at the premise: balancing homosexual attraction and deeply felt religious beliefs. I enjoyed the realistic and agonizing internal dialogue of Paul, who must confront his wildly opposing desire with his faith. I think this is a well written novel for young adults, the events are plausable, the choices rational, and the effects believable. I found the Chrisitan High School setting a minor hindrance, no more than a caricature of the Bible thumping, hate spewing, bli...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Sophia Chilver rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pub-2007, pro-rainbow, christian, contemporary, young-adult, stand-alone, read-2013, glbt, nbrc-tower-challenge, this-world, realism

Wow.

This one was hard to read, because it hit so close to home for me. Actually, my Dad mailed it to me about four months after I'd moved in with my Grandparents - a full year after he'd come out to us. I was actually quite pissed that he'd sent me the book, because I wasn't mad at him for being gay. I was mad at him for pretending to be straight. I just didn't know how to tell him that. That was June of 2011.

So I picked up this book rather reluctantly after it had sat, not-quite-forgotten on m...more Wow.

This one was hard to read, because it hit so close to home for me. Actually, my Dad mailed it to me about four months after I'd moved in with my Grandparents - a full year after he'd come out to us. I was actually quite pissed that he'd sent me the book, because I wasn't mad at him for being gay. I was mad at him for pretending to be straight. I just didn't know how to tell him that. That was June of 2011.

So I picked up this book rather reluctantly after it had sat, not-quite-forgotten on my bookshelf, for Pick-A-Shelf's monthly shelf read. Despite my increased involvement in the Rainbow community, I still haven't read many GLBTI novels and this one was convenient more than anything.

I enjoyed it because the characters were likeable and I could relate to them, relate to their situations. Not only to Paul, but to Angie (because my own mother had gone through the same thing - except, you know, she married the gay guy and stuck with him for 20 years). I could even relate to Elizabeth and Cliff, because several years ago, I harboured the same homophobic attitude they do, and since speaking out for gay rights, I've had several well-meaning Christians like them tell me in that patronizing tone that they would pray for me. I know what it's like to fully trust the bible as the inerrant Word of God. I can relate to what Paul describes as "Proof-text Volleyball", having played on either side of the net on numerous occasions. My own journey in getting over homophobia is sort of similar to Paul's. No, I never battled with my own sexuality, and I didn't even really battle with Dad's. Before he came out, I was already starting to realize how ridiculous the Church's stance on homosexuality was, and Dad coming out was just enough to get me ticked off at the Church for forcing him into the closet, forcing him into a pseudo-hetero relationship, forcing him to lie (which, actually, is a sin). Not enough to push me away from God, though. I think my faith was a little bit too deep-rooted for that.

And that's what this book does. It shows that faith and homosexuality, or the acceptance of homosexuality, can and actually should go hand-in-hand. I was extremely emotionally invested in this book. It ticked me off at times, yes. Because even though Paul was real and relatable, he was also really incredibly thick sometimes. I wanted to yell at him to stop kidding himself and come out. There was one point where I so wanted him to just allow himself to fall for Manuel that I actually threw the book down in frustration. It wasn't an easy read, but it sure as hell was a good one.(less)

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Aug 17, 2011 Cris rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, teen

I thought it might be an interesting perspective. I've been an atheist since I was 11, long before I started questioning my sexuality, so religion never came into play in my own process. I've always been curious about how gay people who are also religious stay dedicated to their faith, since I didn't have to go through that myself, so this book held some appeal to me in that. What was actually there was... basically a lot of scripture flinging. Now... I expected some. I'm not an idiot. Obviously...more

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Jan 04, 2010 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbtq, yal, religion

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance--that principle is contempt prior to investigation" Herbert Spencer.

When I first picked up this book, the above quote is what I saw on the first page, and I did not know anything about the book, the author, any other books written by Alex Sanchez and I did not even really see the picture on the front of the book where it is now obvious th...more

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Jan 18, 2011 Cassandra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Man what can I say about this one? That the fact I was totally captivated and intranced by this book I read it within two days? Or the fact that I love this book so much I wish to buy as soon as possible (and let me tell takes a lot for me to actually buy a book that I'll keep with me forever where ever I travel)Which means I buy a book if and only if it I feel it has a good plot storyline and everything in itself is unquie and powering.
I was so into what paul was doing or saying next so into w...more

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Jan 03, 2009 Ozimandias rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great book for a whole lot of reasons. First of all, the main characters are Mexican American, which adds a different perspective to the age old controversy over sexuality and religion. It allows the author to add in more general issues of identity. Straight Paul is a mask worn by Gay Pablo, and he realizes the importance of both by the end of the book. Secondly, it deals with religion in a very nuanced fashion. It of course confronts the religious homophobes for misusing the Bible to...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Abigail rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2013, social-critique, teen-lgbt, religious-theme

I really enjoyed "The God Box" by Alex Sanchez.

While I'm not gay or very religious myself, I was 14 when my parents dragged me from upstate New York down to Georgia and I had to reconcile being half Christian and half Jewish in an overly Christian community so I can relate a bit to the finding yourself while surrounded extremely religious people. I had a friend in high school who was very religious, and seemed to question himself a lot. Every time a rumour about him being gay would surface, he'...more I really enjoyed "The God Box" by Alex Sanchez.

While I'm not gay or very religious myself, I was 14 when my parents dragged me from upstate New York down to Georgia and I had to reconcile being half Christian and half Jewish in an overly Christian community so I can relate a bit to the finding yourself while surrounded extremely religious people. I had a friend in high school who was very religious, and seemed to question himself a lot. Every time a rumour about him being gay would surface, he'd all of a sudden have a girlfriend he met at church that went to another school in the area. I watched him go back and forth on it for years, and to be honest, I'm not sure if he even knows what he wants now. I wish "The God Box" had been around back then for me to give to him to read. It probably would have helped him.

As for the story itself, I found it enticing and compelling. I liked that by the third page Paul had a nervous tick about the whole thing and by the end he wondered when he stopped it. Manuel provides a good counterpoint to Paul, getting him to actually think through the bible verses that he always ate up before. Paul was pushed, but not too much, and in the end it got him exactly where he needed to be.

I found Paul's panic in the beginning to be very realistic. Not just about himself but how things would be if anyone else found out he was friends with a gay person. Sanchez managed to capture the teenage mind in a way some authors fail and it made Paul and his struggle that much more real and easy to relate to. One of the hardest things about being a teenager is trying to figure out how you fit in, while being yourself.

I mentioned before that I'm not religious, so bible verses usually go over my head when they're quoted at me. But I'd have to be blind not to notice that the same verses and stories are used to condemn homosexuality. Sachez did a good job of analyzing these verses so both the religious and the non-religious could understand them and follow the arguments clearly, and allowing the reader to think about it as Paul thought about it. Paul is a good example of going with something you've known all your life only to have something turn it on its head. The content hasn't changed, but your understanding of it does.

All in all, I loved it. I'll admit to having a fascination with the sociological aspect of religion. That is to say, I like looking at how a religion and its devout followers impact a community. So "The God Box" was right up my alley and ended up being everything I hoped it would be. I wasn't even a third of the way through it before I was recommending it to a few friends. And now, I can't wait to hand the book off to them and see what they think about it. (less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

Typical YA realistic fiction. I was impressed with the author's knowledge of scripture and how the characters seriously considered what the Bible is really saying about homosexuality. I think this would be a reassuring book to kids who are Christian and gay (or who have gay friends or family members.) I like how many of the characters struggled with their beliefs, as is typical of most people this age.

Manuel, the new kid in town, was a little too perfect. Who wouldn't fall in love with him, gay...more

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May 03, 2011 Danika Dinsmore rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had a hard time giving a star rating to this book. It's romantic and cheesy, it's a bit of a "problem play," good and bad are too cut and dry, the message drives the plot instead of the other way around... and I still enjoyed it because I guess I'm a romantic at heart.

I don't think it's great literature, or extremely well-written, but I think it's an important book and might speak to many teenagers out there.

The premise is that a Christian teenage boy, Paul, who lives in a small conservative T...more I had a hard time giving a star rating to this book. It's romantic and cheesy, it's a bit of a "problem play," good and bad are too cut and dry, the message drives the plot instead of the other way around... and I still enjoyed it because I guess I'm a romantic at heart.

I don't think it's great literature, or extremely well-written, but I think it's an important book and might speak to many teenagers out there.

The premise is that a Christian teenage boy, Paul, who lives in a small conservative Texas town, falls for the new guy at school, Manuel, who is openly gay. Paul is in denial about his feelings for his own gender, has a girlfriend, and plays sports to overcompensate.

The story is about Paul's struggles with his conflicting feelings about his religion and his sexuality. He's the most dimensional character (thank goodness, b/c he's the protagonist) and his actions or inactions are what ultimately drive the story, because in the end we DO want him to end up with Manuel and live happily ever after. . .

When Manuel arrives at school, Paul's group of bible-studying friends quickly divide into two camps: those who support Manuel (Let's start a Gay-Straight Alliance at school!) and those who don't (You deserve to die because homosexuality is a sin!). This is where a reader might feel a bit manipulated, b/c it's pretty obvious whose side we're supposed to be on. Characters either jump on board in full support, or they stick with the "gay is sin" attitude, believing that people like Manuel and Paul can be fixed and need to repent.

As much as I would adore having Manuel as my friend, he just seemed too perfect. Too pretty, wise, balanced, self-assured, always saying the right thing . . . and I have a pet peeve when characters can just name and quote scripture from heart in a bible verse battle with others. Really? I asked my bible-studying students about that and none of them could do it. (For those who've read it, that part at the end with the forgiveness? Now we've turned Manuel into a saint.)

I respect Paul's struggle. I think it's a very real struggle and I would recommend this book to any teenager wrestling with religion vs. sexuality. One of the most interesting aspects of this story is how the author (via Paul's investigations) reveals the various interpretations of the references to homosexual behavior in the bible. It was so fascinating to me, actually, that I looked up some of this information myself and found this website: http://www.twopaths.com/faq_homosexua...

Because of this, I feel like I have tools if anyone were to approach me with "support" from the bible against homosexuals, instead of my old standby response which was, "hey, God is love." So, in that regard, I'm grateful to Mr. Sanchez for this information and inspiration.

For any teachers considering using this book, my students really liked it a lot. That's something, since they are primarily church-going Christians. We set the tone of the class before our discussion: we're not here to change anyone's mind about their faith; we're here with open minds.

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Jul 03, 2010 Kit rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Paul is a Hispanic, conservative Christian high-school student. When he falls for new student Manuel, at first he can't make sense of anything, from his own feelings to the fact that Manuel claims he can be Christian as well as openly gay. Seeing Paul and Manuel get together with the help of Paul's awesome abuela and his understanding former-girlfriend-now-just-friend makes for a great and heartwarming story.

A big chunk of the book is biblical interpretation, mostly voiced by Manuel, against the...more

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About Alex Sanchez

Alex Sanchez is the author of the Rainbow Boys trilogy of teen novels, along with The God Box, Getting It, and the Lambda Award-winning middle-grade novel So Hard to Say. His novel, Bait, won the 2009 Florida Book Award Gold Medal for YA fiction. Alex received his master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Old Dominion University and for many years worked as a youth and family counselor. His...more

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Quotes from The God Box

“What's unnatural is homophobia. Homo sapiens is the only species in all of nature that responds with hate to homosexuality.” — 111 people liked it

“the church should just stay out of people's pants.” — 56 people liked it

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title link	preview: The God Box
avg rating	preview: The God Box Goodreads rating: 3.97 (1942 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6560612-the-god-box?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348955448l/6560612.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6560612-the-god-box?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The God Box by Alex Sanchez[/url]

The God Box

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