The God Box

Reviewed by Jeremey for TeensReadToo.com

Paul is a boy who is highly religious, goes to a Christian school, lives in a very small town, and loves God and his girlfriend of several years. Living in such a small town and going to a small school, everyone knows the new kids.

The knew person, Manuel, is weird. Everyone talks about him, especially when he joins Paul and his friends at their lunch table. Manuel proceeds to tell them that he is both gay and Christian, two things that don't mix well.

The girls love Manuel, but the boys want to stay far away from him -- except for Paul. Manuel is trying to be Pauls friend and all the guys start talking about the both of them.

As Paul and Manuel hang out, a friendship is formed and Paul challenges show more Manuel about God, the Bible, and being gay. Every answer Manuel gives makes Paul think differently about his religion and what it says. Is being gay okay, and can you still go to Heaven?

While examining his feelings, Paul wonders about his own sexuality and if his friendship for Manuel is just that -- a friendship. When a series of events happens, Paul finds his true feelings, his true identity, and, most importantly, love.

Alex Sanchez's latest novel is amazing. It gives a new interpretation of "the Bible says that being gay is a sin," an excuse that many use. Very thought-provoking, this book will keep a smile on your face until the end. show less

By no means a book to knock 'em out of the park, this is a great book none-the-less. It's the kind someone could turn to if looking for fiction where homosexuality and religion resolves itself peacefully and realistically. It's also reminiscent of those books I flew through in middle school. Although those were 'easy' and 'light' this books has a similar feel, it packs a good message and is something that teens in search of some positive stories should not miss. You won't be wasting your time here, even if you don't think it's 'brilliant' or 'a waste of time'.

On an intellectual level, I found this book very interesting. While it didn’t break new ground for me, it did give a clear depiction of the way the controversy surrounding homosexuality can impact the lives of both gay and straight teenagers...[So] I feel kind of bad for not liking this. It was obviously written with good intentions and anything which goes to such lengths to dismantle anti-gay arguments that kids probably hear on a daily basis can’t be altogether bad. However, I really think Sanchez would probably have been better off writing a non-fiction book on the subject, either a memoir or possibly an academic study. He clearly has a great deal of conviction, but I ended up feeling a bit browbeaten. It’s clear that I’m not show more the intended audience for the novel and while I’m sure they will get much out of it, I did not [full review on my bloghref>]. show less

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 includes many examinations of Bible verses in conversations with his school Bible study friends, with Manuel as his guide and the one who teaches him to question the teachings of his minister, with the minister himself--and with the "ex-gay" show more counselor suggested by his minister to convince Paul to change his sexuality, with his father, his extremely understanding and tolerant girlfriend Angie, and with his loving Mexican grandma. The plot revolves around Paul accepting his sexuality and his love for Manuel in the face of growing violence and hatred in his community. I think this book could be very helpful for gay Christian teens in need of reassurance, and I think in many ways the book could be a great Bible study discussion tool for youth groups to work with. As a novel, it felt a little weak to me, though I admit that Sanchez was able to portray the emotions of the main character in a fairly convincing way. The plot wasn't exactly original, and it takes a back seat to the examination of the message, and most of the characters were rather one-dimensional. Still, the story is one to which I'm sure many teens can relate. show less

How do you judge a piece of activistic writing? You can't. The novel tells a story of a Christain teenager reconciling his faith with his sexuality. At a fictional novel, the book reinterprets sections of the bible regarding homosexuality. It's often enlightening but I dislike the lack of subtlty and it disrupts my idea of art, which should be ideologically free, or since nothing can be ideologically free, at least ideologically subtle.

Outstanding book exploring the internal conflict of a high school senior boy who is both strongly Christian and becoming more aware each day of his homosexuality. This book is strongly recommended for high school libraries. There are many topics to discuss here, from religious intolerence to Gay-Straight Alliance clubs to forgiveness and the loss of a parent. No matter what your sexual preference, this book will make you think about your choices and prejudices.

This book was a book that turned around my thinking of homosexuality completely.
Paul lives in a small town, he's a Christian, and he has a girlfriend. When Manuel comes, Paul questions everything he once believed - God and his sexuality, forcing him to ask himself two questions: "am I gay?" and "is it okay to be gay?" He answers his questions with help from his former girlfriend, Angie; his new friend, Manuel; and the Bible.