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The Next Queen of Heaven (2009)

by Gregory Maguire

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4394056,332 (3.19)39
"As the new millennium approaches, the eccentric town of Thebes grows even stranger. Clocked by a Catholic statuette, Mrs. Leontina Scales begins speaking in tongues. Her daughter, Tabitha Scales, and her sons scheme to save their mother or surrender her to Jesus--whatever comes first. Meanwhile, choir director Jeremy Carr, caught between lust and ambition, fumbles his way toward Y2K. Only a modern master like Gregory Maguire can spin a tale this frantic, funny, and farcical. The ancient Sisters of the Sorrowful Mysteries join with a gay singing group. The Radical Radiants battle the Catholics. A Christmas pageant goes horribly awry. And a child is born. THE NEXT QUEEN OF HEAVEN is Maguire's most imaginative story yet"--… (more)
  1. 00
    The Lilies of the Field by William E. Barrett (aulsmith)
    aulsmith: The Maguire is less feel-good than the Barrett
  2. 00
    Easter by Michael Arditti (aulsmith)
    aulsmith: AIDS and the Catholic Church. Arditti's in set in England and takes place at Easter. Maguire's is set in upstate New York and takes place at Christmas. Liturical allusions are important to both works.
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» See also 39 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 40 (next | show all)
The story focuses on small town America and the role that religion plays in this setting. The cast of characters rely on religion in various ways for various purposes, some spiritual, some skeptical while others are going through the paces of their lives looking for ways to connect and finding them in different churches. The book is set in the small town of Thebes, New York in the late 1990's.

Jeremy Carr is the choir director at the local Catholic parish. He is hoping to make his big break after Christmas as he has won a place in a musical revue in New York. Jeremy is gay, and his singing group is made up of his friends who are also gay; one fighting AIDS. What has kept him in Thebes outside of a sense of obligation is his inability to stop loving Willem, who had a fling with him before Willem got married. Jeremy knows his love is impractical, but is stuck and can't bring himself to leave.

Another part of the book revolves around the Scales family. Mrs. Scales is raising three children by herself, and looks to religion to help her get through the days and provide a structure for her children. She is met by indifferent success, at least by the measures of traditional success. Tabitha is the oldest and the town scandal as she moves from man to man. The middle son is Hogan, a dropout who is interested in cars and garages and video games, but not much else. The youngest is a son named Kirk, who is interested in music and drama and doesn't fit in well in a traditional school setting. Mrs. Scales, who is a fundamentalist Christian, is transformed when she goes next door to the Catholic church and gets hit over the head with a statue.

It's not "Wicked", but, it's a quirky & different type of story. If you like different and enjoyed the story of "Wicked", then you'll enjoy this book. ( )
  Carol420 | May 31, 2016 |
Well, it's not Wicked by any stretch. A reasonable read for this time of year. It accurately displays how little support a family clearly in trouble might get in a small town.
  CydMelcher | Feb 5, 2016 |
Well, it's not Wicked by any stretch. A reasonable read for this time of year. It accurately displays how little support a family clearly in trouble might get in a small town.
  CydMelcher | Feb 5, 2016 |
Well, it's not Wicked by any stretch. A reasonable read for this time of year. It accurately displays how little support a family clearly in trouble might get in a small town.
  CydMelcher | Feb 5, 2016 |
I chose as a book club read, one of those books that aims for sophisticated humor. An ok readbut not impressive. ( )
  JeanetteSkwor | Oct 15, 2015 |
Showing 1-5 of 40 (next | show all)
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For those who keep singing and those who keep silent.
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To Tabitha's remark that the town's first speed-trap camera was totally unfair and kind of kinky, Mrs. Scales replied, after a prayerful silence, "Why don't you think of it as the Eye of God?"
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"As the new millennium approaches, the eccentric town of Thebes grows even stranger. Clocked by a Catholic statuette, Mrs. Leontina Scales begins speaking in tongues. Her daughter, Tabitha Scales, and her sons scheme to save their mother or surrender her to Jesus--whatever comes first. Meanwhile, choir director Jeremy Carr, caught between lust and ambition, fumbles his way toward Y2K. Only a modern master like Gregory Maguire can spin a tale this frantic, funny, and farcical. The ancient Sisters of the Sorrowful Mysteries join with a gay singing group. The Radical Radiants battle the Catholics. A Christmas pageant goes horribly awry. And a child is born. THE NEXT QUEEN OF HEAVEN is Maguire's most imaginative story yet"--

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