This is a stunning, expertly written book that is thought provoking and moving. The cast is set for conflict - a Christian minister with a closet gay son who has committed suicide, an openly gay high school student, a closet gay student and his religious mother and her skeptical boyfriend, and a closet gay teacher. The story looks at every side of the Christian view of gays debate, with different characters representing different views, and it does so in a way that allows us to understand the fear and the indignation that fires the conflict. I particularly liked the way the author used video shot by the teen lovers as a means to help the minister come to a new understanding. The point is that it's easy to hate homosexuals and think all sorts of nasty things about them until you find that someone you love is one. I also loved the character of the mother's boyfriend. The complete ease with which he wandered naked around the house was delightful, as was his open-mindedness. He shows … [Read more...]