Heretics Anonymous

Katie Henry

Aug 2018 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year!

Put an atheist in a strict Catholic school? Expect comedy, chaos, and an Inquisition. The Breakfast Club meets Saved! in debut author Katie Henry’s hilarious novel about a band of misfits who set out to challenge their school, one nun at a time. Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Robyn Schneider.

When Michael walks through the doors of Catholic school, 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 atheist at that. Only this girl, Lucy, isn’t just Catholic . . . she wants to be a priest.

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.

Michael encourages the Heretics to go from secret society to rebels intent on exposing the school’s hypocrisies one stunt at a time. But 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.

Ratings and reviews

Heretics Anonymous is the story of a group of ‘heretics’ in a Catholic school, narrated by the newest addition to the group, Michael. He has just moved into town reluctantly and hates his father for moving without giving their family any choices. He is also an atheist in a Catholic school, and there is a clash between his thinking and their beliefs, but he usually restrains himself to snarky comments. The group consists of Lucy, a devout Catholic who nevertheless doesn’t agree with the misogyny of the Catholic Church, Avi, a gay Jewish kid, Max, who is Korean and belongs to another church that he chose, and Eden, who worships a Celtic goddess. For them, the secret group is a way to rant about the frustrations of being at a Catholic school, the rigid nonsensical rules and anger about the misinformation the school spreads among their students. Michael’s constant snark when it comes to Catholic traditions is amusing, to say the least. When they decide to take things a little public, fighting back against the school rules and the lies they say about sex education, the atmosphere at the school becomes charged, to say the least. Some students find it amusing, some students also find courage to stand up for what they believe is right, but some students like Teresa, who comes from a Very Conservative family, think it is an attack on their religion and try to fight back. In the midst of this, the administration makes their grip on the rules stronger. Meanwhile, the Heretics are becoming closer friends, and Michael himself is hoping Lucy will date him. There is the question of him not believing in her faith, and wondering if she questions so much about it, why does she either. Eventually, in anger against his father, he does something very drastic against the school, and has to face the consequences of that as well as a confrontation with his father. Obviously the Heretics don’t entirely succeed in changing their school, but they do help other students speak up. The book also confronts the discrimination faced by minorities in such hateful spaces and how any action of resistance is seen as an attack on the majority’s values (major timely shade thrown on ‘Religious Task Forces’ – even if this book was written way before it) and how even Michael’s way of thinking is not entirely right. He learns to not dismiss someone’s faith just because he doesn’t agree with it, more like understand and give people the respect to believe something that gives them comfort. It does its best to give voice to all kinds of belief – Eden’s choosing a religion that she feels comfortable with, Avi choosing which parts of his religion make logical sense, Max just wanting something simple, Michael and Lucy who question the various tenets of Christianity together, as a non-believer and a believer. But along with religion, the understanding is extended to familial dynamics, how a parent’s parenting style may be affected by their own upbringing and the importance of communication to address grievances *side eyes myself*. On the whole, a nice snarky comedy about what rules to follow and what you should think twice over. Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Katherine Tegen, via Edelweiss.

We’ve all heard the refrain – one doesn’t discuss politics or religion in polite company. For me, that has always meant that people are uncomfortable with differing opinions and difficult questions that truly mean they have to examine their own whys and hows of their faith (or support of a candidate). Personally, I think this book couldn’t have come at a better time - to give a smart and often hilarious set of arguments and struggles with faith, and why / how / who one actually believes in and why. Michael is a self-professed atheist, and he’s feeling much like a fish out of water as his father’s new job meant they’ve moved from all he knew, and now he’s at St. Clare’s, an upscale Catholic school. Aside from the usual shocks (new people, uniforms, rather strict code of conduct, religion class) he’s also finding that there are many students who are ‘ultra religious’, taking dogma and faith with their morning cornflakes, and he just doesn’t see it. He’s got questions, and none are easy, particularly when everyone seems to be on the same page. Oh well, there is Lucy, a serious believer BUT with one large hiccup – she wants to be a priest – far too radical for the current church. Through Lucy, he starts to discover the kids on the fringe – and the fact that everyone there is questioning, often with hilarious results, organized religion, beliefs, practices and taboos. Calling themselves the Heretics Anonymous, this little group is smart, funny, tolerant of other’s beliefs and ways of expression, but take the time to actually delve into the bigger questions – why we believe this, where are these beliefs the same or different and just what purpose is served by discriminating against one group or another because of what they believe, or are. Surprisingly enough, these kids manage to explore with humor and respect – it’s a clearly defined search for answers and how one comes to find their faith in something ‘bigger’ than us all – no matter what path one chooses to adopt. Not a title for those who are uncomfortable with questions directly related to the proclamations on everything from the pulpit, but a smart and clever way to view one’s faith, and that of others, in ways unexpected, with plenty of opportunities for further thought. Michael, as a narrator is rather bland and wanting to find a ‘fit’ in this new environment, and as such, he is a wonderful center point for all that surrounds him as questions are asked, debated and examined, giving them all the perspective of one who is, if not adamantly a non-believer, perhaps more unfamiliar with the whys and comforts of a belief in the often nebulous concepts of spirit, God and souls. What Henry has done here is started a discussion: a smart and cleverly couched discussion, that doesn’t provide THE answer, but a series of options for readers to take off on their own to discover more. And isn’t that just what we want for everything- the ability to have discussions, questions, answers and options to the issue that seems to be preeminent – why am I here, what is my purpose, what do I truly believe in. A read that is smart, clever and wholly engaging as it makes readers think, shows point and counterpoint, and offers a solid grounding in tolerance. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

About the author

Katie Henry, author of Heretics Anonymous, Let’s Call It a Doomsday, and This Will Be Funny Someday, is a writer living and working in New York City. She received her BFA in dramatic writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is a published playwright, specializing in theater for young audiences. Her plays have been performed by high schools and community organizations in over thirty states. You can find her online at www.katiehenrywrites.com.