Scratches on the surface is an excellent book. The beginning is riveting. A group of teenage boys give Derek a severe bashing and leave him bleeding in a field, but  one of the boys, overcome with guilt, returns to help him. Thus begins the story of Derek, the self-harming homosexual, and Taylor, the devout Christian. Derek is a confronting personality, a difficult and not particularly likeable character - at least on the surface - but he sees the world with a deeper perception than many and his honestly forces Taylor to confront his own homosexuality. This is a painful process for Taylor, particularly in light of the Christian outlook on homosexuality. The book documents his journey as he comes to terms with his feelings for Derek and discovers the truth about Kenny, a man who mentored him in the Scouts. Taylor is a beautiful character. He has an endearing honesty and purity about him that makes him a powerful character. His faith is strong too. Rather than reject God, as he could … [Read more...]