from Monica, 11th grader:
Godless, by Pete Hautman
An interesting book that takes a unique approach to a teenager's rebellion against Catholicism. The characters are fairly well-developed and different enough from one another to make for good reading. My main objection to this book is that the action seems unrealistic. Teenage minds — or any mind, really — can wander to stranger places, but I find it unlikely that any teenager would decide to worship a water tower. Even if someone did have that idea, I don't really think they would 1. become obsessed or 2. climb the tower, open its hatch, and swim in the "godhead." A little too crazy. One last comment: the theme (questioning religion) is not fully developed. Personally, I was too caught up in the oddities of the plot to really think about the characters' challenge to traditional beliefs. For a subject as deep and intriguing as this, Hautman could have taken his novel further. He ends up falling short of his potential. Still, I suppose that this book would be good for a person seeking a fun read.
