Meh. Important topic, tackled very boringly in this book. The book gets its point across, but I'd easily recommend books like Beckie Weinheimer's Converting Kate, Alex Sanchez's The God Box, or David Levithan's Wide Awake instead of this. The characters are astoundingly flat, we don't get much of a story out of the 100 or so pages of this short book, it's just not that great a story. Pick a different book related to the same topic if you're looking for something to read.
Reviewed by Margaret Waterman for TeensReadToo.com
NOTHING PINK, by Mark Hardy, is Vincent's story. It is about a preacher's son dealing with his demons - particularly those pertaining to his homosexuality; because in his church, homosexuality is viewed as a sin.
Vincent meets a boy, Robert Ingle, at church one day. Through horseback riding, birthday picnics, and Barry Manilow, they grow closer and closer, much to Vincent's mother's dismay.
Robert and Vincent's relationship is only part of the story. Vincent's relationship with God becomes increasingly more important as the story progresses; he is forced to wonder whether God will accept him, or change him.
When Vincent's secret is revealed to his family by a magazine found in his room, hidden away beneath his mattress, his parents pray for God to deliver him from his sins. Although his parents claim to love him unconditionally, Vincent wonders how they can, when they hate homosexuality.
Since he was a little boy, Vincent has felt that his gayness is as much a part of him as his religion. If Vincent were to have his way, everything would remain exactly how it is then. But, unfortunately, this seems out of his control; ever since a defining moment early in his childhood, there has been "nothing pink" in his life.
NOTHING PINK is a beautifully written story about a boy's acceptance of himself, and a higher power's acceptance of a boy.
NOTHING PINK, by Mark Hardy, is Vincent's story. It is about a preacher's son dealing with his demons - particularly those pertaining to his homosexuality; because in his church, homosexuality is viewed as a sin.
Vincent meets a boy, Robert Ingle, at church one day. Through horseback riding, birthday picnics, and Barry Manilow, they grow closer and closer, much to Vincent's mother's dismay.
Robert and Vincent's relationship is only part of the story. Vincent's relationship with God becomes increasingly more important as the story progresses; he is forced to wonder whether God will accept him, or change him.
When Vincent's secret is revealed to his family by a magazine found in his room, hidden away beneath his mattress, his parents pray for God to deliver him from his sins. Although his parents claim to love him unconditionally, Vincent wonders how they can, when they hate homosexuality.
Since he was a little boy, Vincent has felt that his gayness is as much a part of him as his religion. If Vincent were to have his way, everything would remain exactly how it is then. But, unfortunately, this seems out of his control; ever since a defining moment early in his childhood, there has been "nothing pink" in his life.
NOTHING PINK is a beautifully written story about a boy's acceptance of himself, and a higher power's acceptance of a boy.
