When We Were Saints: Two Teens on a Spiritual Pilgrimage to Faith and Home

by Han Nolan

Archibald Caswell could never please his domineering granddaddy Silas. Now with Granddaddy gone, Archie finds himself lost, confused, and wondering what Granddaddy could possibly have meant by his dying “Young man, you are a saint!” Clare Simpson knows exactly what Silas meant. She convinces Archie to dedicate his life to God, give up his possessions, steal his granddaddy's truck, and head north to the Cloisters in New York, where she and Archie secretly live after museum hours. For Clare, the journey is a return to the only place where she has felt happy and loved. For Archie, the pilgrimage leads him to a closer relationship with God—and a burning desire for home.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Religion, Realistic Fiction, Coming Of Age, Historical Fiction

291 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Han Nolan is widely acclaimed for her evocative language, her gritty subject matter, and her ability to plumb the psyche of her characters. Her books include Dancing on the Edge, which won the National Book Award, Send Me own a Miracle, a finalist for the National Book Award, Born Blue, A Summer of Kings, and several other acclaimed novels. She and her husband live on the East Coast.

Reviews

[Christine Grabowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well developed characters. In fact reading this book was a homework assignment for my Developing Characters writing class.

As an adult, I enjoyed the story but it was definitely geared towards a tween or young, young adult with a 14 year old boy and 15 year old girl as the main characters. I believe a boy would find this as interesting as a girl as it was narrated by the boy. The story revolved around two teens becoming closer to God. I found it fascinating and I believe any young adult exploring their spiritual side would be intrigued. However, there are some kids where this may be a turnoff as this is not a jam packed action book like many geared for boys.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Young Adult book, but I was caught up by it. The two main characters are well-drawn, and their growing friendship turns into a spiritual and personal journey. The ending isn’t neat and tidy: it leaves the reader asking questions and wondering where these two young people will go next.

[Nikki (Wicked Awesome Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When We Were Saints is the story of Archibald Lee Caswell, your everyday, average 14 year old boy, who goes on a pilgrimage to become a saint. Archie’s life drastically changes the day his grandfather Silas, an old prophet, dies and tells Archie he is a saint. The day of the funeral, a young girl comes up to Archie and hands him a card that basically says the same thing. Clare Simpson, the girl from the funeral is a very religious 15 year old who convinces Archie that he truly is saintly and that the two of them are soul mates. From there, Archie goes on a journey to find God and become the saint he believes he is destined to be.

This book was a rollercoaster of a ride for me. There isn’t a lot of action or crazy things happening, but it truly made me think. Archie’s journey to sainthood is moving and made me think about religion in an entirely different way. That being said, this book is filled with the Catholic religion. I think that alone may make a lot of readers pass on this. I’m not particularly religious, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Nolan has created an unforgettable character in Archie. He is your average boy, but unique in the so many ways. His devotion to Clare is startling at times, but almost understandable. Clare herself is a startling character. Her complete, unwavering devotion to God is incredible and terrifying. Archie wants what she has and almost loses himself to find it. Their pilgrimage moved me to tears.

I couldn’t even put the book down towards the end because I was so connected to Archie and I needed to know what was going to happen to him. It’s impossible not to care for him. Archie is so young and naïve and he has so much love pouring out of him that I instantly felt connected with him. I never really felt that way with Clare, but I don’t think the reader is supposed to. Clare is the catalyst for the pilgrimage and Archie’s reason for wanting to be closer to God, but she does so much more than that for him. Their journey isn’t just about finding God, it is about finding the goodness in humankind and becoming saintly in ways that aren’t even related to religion.

When We Were Saints isn’t a love story and it isn’t necessarily a story about finding God either. It is a story about a boy finding himself. Archie goes on a pilgrimage to be closer to God, but he actually discovers the person he is and the person he wants to be. It is a moving, emotional journey that will stay with me for a long time.

Opening line: Archibald Lee Caswell had named the still he and his best friend, Armory Mitchell, had built in the basement of his grandparents’ home The Last Hurrah, in honor of Armory, who was moving with his family to Washington, D.C.

Favorite line: Maybe that’s all it really takes to be a saint – those simple acts of kindness.

[Preeti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a YA book, it's a fairly easy read; I finished in a few hours. I picked up the book because it was religiously themed. I didn't see the cover illustration of stigmata until I actually sat down to read it. I remember watching the movie Stigmata and having been intrigued by the concept ever since.

The book makes you think about a lot of different things. For me, it made me question beliefs, perceptions, and the power of being able to "read" people simply through body language and their actions.

It also made me wonder if we believe less today, or if they believed too much ages ago (Middle Ages and prior). Today, anyone claiming to know God, or to have talked with or seen anything having to do with God is very quickly billed crazy. Was it the same way ages and ages ago? The rapture and bliss felt by the saints - would we have simply called it hallucinations or seizures had they lived in our times?

We don't believe in miracles anymore, we need proof of everything, we are running out of faith.

It makes me wonder, is our knowledge of the world, of the universe, moving us away from God?

[Heartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nolan offers a very interesting story in this novel. Although some parts are long and drawn out, the overall story is quite good. Many times the readers are left wondering where the author is taking them. The mysterious quality throughout the novel is largely due to the mystery surrounding Clare, one of the main characters. The readers are pulled into Archie's character, seeing things as he would and experiencing the same things, left asking the same questions. The readers are immediately intrigued with the idea of sainthood and who can achieve it in our world today. This novel is very descriptive and one can almost imagine oneself in the story or close one's eyes and picture what is happening in front of them. The ideas explored in this novel are ones that are most likely thought by many people at some point in their lives. Definitely give this book a read if you got the time!

[Carol Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare, so I was drawn to this story by that at first. I wasn't entirely comfortable with they way the author used my favorite saints for her story, though. Archie's grandfather dies. The last word he says to Archie, as his index finger presses into Archie's stomach, is "saint." What does he mean? Archie sure isn't a saint. Archie feels a little adrift after Grandfather's death, his best friend moving away, and Grandmama breaking her hip. Clare first shows up at the funeral, handing him a piece of paper with words by St. Francis on it. Clare sees herself as an incarnation of St. Clare and lets Archie know that they are soul mates. She encourages him to seek God on Caswell Mountain, and he finds Him there. Archie follows her lead, even when it starts to feel uncomfortable. She talks him into going on a pilgrimage without telling anyone. They end up in New York City, at a museum that turns out to hold special memories for Clare. Archie becomes increasingly concerned. He has to make a decision for himself, on his own.

[Fire Starter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This was rough for me. I love Han Nolan - one of my favorite authors - but this book took a lot to read. Parts of it felt preachy and some parts felt like she was trying to recapture the magic from Dancing on the Edge while others were genuine and enrapturing. No matter what, Nolan knows how to write and tell a story and that was what kept me reading.

[Shandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this a book for Christians?

[Jennifer Sommer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Even on his deathbed, Grandaddy Silas curses Archie with one last impossible challenge. But Archie knows he will fail at this, too, like he has everything else, because there's no way he is a saint. Then the beautiful, mysterious Clare Simpson comes to town. She befriends Archie, and the two of them soon become sure that they are soul mates. Clare makes 14-year-old Archie feel confident and full of purpose for the first time in his life. And she convinces him that his grandaddy was right. He can be a saint. That is, if he does exactly what she says..." They set out from southern Appalachia to the Cloisters Museum in New York City on a spiritual quest where Archie both believes and is frightened. I really enjoyed this suspenseful and gripping novel that uses Christianity as the backdrop. It was hard to put down. I continually wondered what Clare's motives were...could she really be such a true believer or is there something else going on here that we don't know about. Recommended for teens in grades 8 and up.

[Samantha Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book. This book is mostly about this kid named Archibald (Archie). His grandfather (Silas) passed away. When Silas was dying,his last words to Archie were,"Young man,you are a saint." Soon after his grandfather pass,Archie was lost,confused,and wondering why his grandfather said those words to him. Archie dedicate his life to God. Later in the book,Archie relationship with God was closer. I recommend this book to anyone. It's such a good,heartwarming book.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book frustrated me. Claire was slightly annoying because she never worried about actually DOING anything about her faith. True, her faith must have been pretty strong, but her works were few. Alright, maybe that isn't completely accurate because she DID do a lot of good for others by simply lightening them up a bit and encouraging them to do the things they wished they did or wished that they could return to. I guess the part that frustrated me most was that Archie would simply follow her without doing what he felt was right. I think that his faith, even if it was less glamorous than Claire's, was probably more in the direction of what religion should be. I think that God provides so much for us, but it is important for us to accept what He provides, and to try to further provide for ourselves by planning, for example, our next meal. True, fasting can make one closer to God; however, I think that Claire took many of these ideas too far. In the end, I wasn't sure if she was crazy or if she was just caught up, but I do know that it seemed more disturbing than enlightening and happy. On the other hand though, who ever said that everything about the gospel is supposed to be happy? Though I do think that gospel truths and spirits should be uplifting in many cases, which is why I question her mental state of health. This was an interesting read, but it was a bit too strange for me.

Warnings:
Violence--There is one particular scene of violence, and some the of the thing Claire does to her body/that happen to her are somewhat violent.

Drugs/Alcohol--Archie and his friend, both teenagers, brew some alcohol in Archie's grandparents' basement. Archie's grandfather was also an alcoholic.

Language--If I remember correctly, there was a bit a language in this book, but I don't think it was too bad.

[Michelle Starrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man. Get ready to freak and and possible re-examine what it means to be a person of faith.
We follow Archibald and post trauma-inducing-death-of-grandfather. Archibald blames himself for his grandfathers death. With his last breath he calls Archibald a Saint. Not knowing what to do with this message and being a very easy to sway, Archibald grabs on to the strange ideas of Clare. Clare is a girl from town with severe dedication to her faith. She and Archibald will literally pray for hours, saying the same prayer again and again. Archibald will follow Clare anywhere. Which he literally does when she states they must take a pilgrimage. It soon becomes apparrant that Clare might be taking things too far and Archibald has to decide what is right and what could kill them.

My thoughts? This book is insane. But I think it's good. I don't really know. My brain feels like it's going to explode when I try to think about it too hard for too long. Which of course makes it an excellent piece of work. Nolan looks writes about faith and mental illness. But we're never really told what to think. So much of the storyline is left up to us to decide. It also left me pondering my own faith. I'm happy to say it only strengthened my faith and resolve of what I believe is right... but I like that the book made me examine myself.

Warnings
language: not that I remember?
Sexual content: nope
Violence: yep.
drugs: the grandpa drinks... and they are trying to make a still at the start of the book. But it's pretty mild and not a big part of the book.

[Louisa George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how the book ended. Because this book brought about confusing, extreme spiritual circumstances (and because it was introducing this to a teen audience) I was glad that at the end of the novel it concluded in a non-confusing way and left the reader with little phrases of truth to hold on to and feel good about. I really think this is an excellent book for blowing teen's minds about religion and God and faith. It didn't shake my beliefs too much, maybe because I wasn't fighting with myself on whether Clare was ultimately right or not. I understood what she said and did that was right and what was wrong. It's true though that some situations made you wonder if she was ultimately in the right (the sandwich from the boy and how they were led to the old man), however in the end I decided that perhaps God was still looking out for Archie, and maybe it wasn't because Clare's mission was right. Anyway, I thought this book was fascinating and presented an original story with thought provoking messages. I enjoyed it a lot and would gladly suggest it to my friends, teen and non-teens.

Violence = 2, two boys shove Clare against a tree, Archie beats them up

Language = 1, very few swear words here and there

Sex = 1, two boys almost rape Clare

Alcohol/Drugs = 2, In the beginning of the novel Archie and his friend build a still in his grandpa's basement. Archie's grandad drinks.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was searching really hard while reading this book for something that would really catch my interest, but I neared the last pages and never found it. The whole time I was reading it, I was getting annoyed at the fact that the same thing kept happening over and over again. Archie would follow Clare, then he would change his mind and realize that she perhaps didn't know what she was doing and he would change his mind, but then a few lines later he would be following her again. This happened so many times throughout the story, it was so repetitious. I will say that I did in fact like the ending, only because Archie finally stood up for what he knew was right and called Clare's parents and asked them for help. Archie finally realized that what might have been what Clare wanted, wasn't what he wanted and it was okay to have differing views. It didn't mean that he didn't have God in his life, it was just that everyone is different and needs different things.

Ratings are from 1-10:
Violence:4-I would only put it as a 4 because there was a lot of violence done to the body itself, not eating, not sleeping--things like that.

Sexual Content:1- Since this whole book is about becoming a Saint, there weren't any instances in where this category was present in the book, except one minor time when Archie thought of Clare in a way that he soon became ashamed of and that was the end of it.

Drugs/Alcohol:2-Archie's grandfather, Silas died because he was an alchoholic.

Language:0

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know where to even begin. The author pushed the story farther than I thought possible. The plot kept taking unexpected turns and of the worst kind. Throughout the entire book I wanted to knock sense into Archie. Scream at him to think for himself for once, that he was a follower, and needed to wake up and meet reality! Worst, by the time he realizes what is happening, it seems too late....


When We Were Saints is a brilliant piece of writing. I'd put this novel as a psychological thriller. The main character Archie and his "soul mate" Clare keep you guessing as to what is reality and what is imagined. From the moment I began reading, the "gotta" Stephen King mentions in his novel Misery gripped me. It's that need to know. You think, "Just a few more pages" then you say, "One more chapter" and before you know it, you've read the entire book.

Recommended.

Warnings:

Sex 0 Nothing to worry about in this book, in fact, the main character Archie begins to think its a sin just to think about kissing.

Drugs and Alcohol 3 Though there are no drugs, Archie and his friend Armory make their own brew of alchohol in the basement.

Violence 6 When Clare is in a bad situation with a couple guys up to no good, Archie acts in her defense. However, his actions lean a little too close to murderous intent...

[McNeil Inksmudge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I initially hated this book, and still hate the entire second third. But it really is a good book for anyone religious to read. And probably only ammo for someone non-religious. The point of the book is to say that zeal and passion is great, but some people with both can be real charmers, and ser the ground for cultism. It's a warning. At first you feel like it's a born-again work, meant to baptize you. It seems like that for most of it. There is one sober part halfway through when you feel clarity, and aglimmerof hope, but you stay confused like the protagonist -- and this is intentional. The author did a good job writing this, and particularly at writing it for young readers. They need to know this lesson more than others, as a healthy dose of skepticism is good at thst age.
For what it's good at, it gets three stars. For entertaining, it doesnt get four.The most entertainment I got was hoping in tense situations that the antagonist would be murdered.

Warnings:
Sex -an attempted rape, but it doesnt get further than a torn sleeve
Violence - see above, and add the protagonists defense of the girl. Stigmata, which is bloody, also occures.
Drugs - alcohol is made in a basement but thr younguns are punished for it. You'll wish that the antagonist is under the influence to justify her actions, but sadly, shes (spoiler) not.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very frustrated throughout reading this entire book. I wasn't grabbed and sucked in immediately like I expected to be and then when I was sucked in I was frustrated with Clare. I wanted her to listen to Archie. At times I was a little creeped out by what was happening, especially when Clare acquired the marks of Christ (I can't remember what they were called).

I felt the ending made up for all those frustrations. I was a fantastic ending and I was left with a stunned look on my face. It actually increased my own faith in a way. Clare's loving persona made me want to be more understanding and loving. She made me question if I would have the faith to do certain things. I loved that Archie points out at the end that faith has to be an action and that we can just wait to be acted upon by God. I thought this book had some great themes and points. It raised really good questions and I am glad that they were discussed in this novel.

overall great book.

violence: I don't know if it would be considered violence, but there are some parts to the book that are uncomfortable and unsettling.
Sex: talks about being celibate.
Drugs/Alcohol: talks of medication (not in an abusive way) and mentions quite a bit about alcohol and Archie makes a still.
language: not much if any

[Cory Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. This pretty sums up what this book is. I wouldn't say that I loved it, but I would say that I liked it. It's a book that really made me think about my life and what I believe in. It posed questions to me such as "Am I crazy for what I believe? Can I be crazy and still be respected for what I believe? How far is too far with religion?" These three questions are just a few to the many that came up when I read the book. Even though I didn't particularly like the characters very much and I though it was a little hard to believe, it still raised these questions and this is what really made this book worth reading. Also, for some strange reason, I thought the book would be much more graphic than it really was; that was kind of cool. It's a clean book and it's still incredibly deep. I think I would reccommend this book to young adults who are between the ages of 14 and 18 and those who are trying to find what they are searching for. The book can really help students ask these questions and more to themselves without getting too much heckling from administrators or parents. However, I would still be careful in how I thought the book.

Scale 1-5

Violence:1 Minimal; nothing serious
Sex:1 References to sex but nothing graphic
Drugs/Alcohol:0 Nothing
Language:0 Nothing

[Bethany Eliason Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since I have read this book, I have really tried to love it, but I cannot get passed the character of Claire. She messes with my brain because I don't know if she is some deceived, crazy person or this person who is divinely inspired or a little bit of both. And I don't like not knowing that. I hate it actually. I hate her, but I also feel sorry for her because she does not see all the love that she has surrounding her everyday.

I loved Archie though. His growth throughout the book was amazing and really inspiring. My favorite parts were when he finally remembered everything about his grandfather in the church in New York and then when he finally realized what Claire's true intentions were and took control of the situation. He finally realized that he did not have to go against the feelings he was having and follow everything Claire does. He is linked to God like we all are and we know when something might feel right or when it feels wrong.

So I really had a hard time with this book, but I did really liked the message it gave. It made me think a lot about my life and my religion.

Violence: 3
Language: 2
Sex: mentions rape
Drugs: 0

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, this book started out wonderfully... not! Boys attempting to make alcohol and a grandfather dying right after he catches them... I wondered what else this book had in store. I was disappointed with the rest of this book. I guess I really didn't see any point in reading it; it wasn't a great novel and there wasn't any thought provoking idea held within its pages. It was just a book about two teens who believe they are saints. That's how I see it. I would not really recommend this book to any young adult, unless they came up to me asking for one about the Catholic religion and whom I knew wouldn't go all crazy and say that they were a saint like Archie and Clare.

Warnings
Language: I don't recall anything major, just a few minor words occasionally
Violence: there's an event or two in this book that might be considered violent, but it's not so much when seen through the main characters' eyes. Archie defends Clare from two boys & they three of them fight & there's some self-abuse too.
Sex: they talk about being celibate, which is the total opposite of sex.
Drugs/Alcohol: In the beginning, the boys are trying to make alcohol in their basement & drink their concoction.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird. Clare reminded me of that woman who went on the vitamin D diet thinking that she could survive off of sunlight. Well, she died. Shocker. Glad that Archie got a backbone before that happened. In Clare's search for sainthood, I think she did have some good, cogent points, but she also most definitely had mental issues. It bothered me that Archie just followed her, but that's who he was, a follower. He struggle at the end, while bothersome, makes sense for a 14-year old. When I was young (waaaay younger) I remember hesitating to cross the street because I was unsure when a car would crest the hill, and if they would see me and stop. I would wait, and wait....and wait. Just for something to change so I could cross the street. At the end of the book, I felt that's what Archie was doing. Just going along with everything, waiting for something.

I will never read this book again--wasn't much of a fan--and that is A.O.K.
It questions religious ideas while addressing adolescent rebellion, self-discovery, and family issues. Just figuring out where we stand with everything, and what is "crazy"?

[Cami Beath · Rating 5 out of 5]

When We Were Saints
By Han Nolan

I was lucky enough to have an entire afternoon to devote to this book. I HATED having to put it down! i wanted to just go and go and go. I kept trying to figure out what was really going on, I was sure there would be a killer twist. In fact, in most of my theories Clare really was a killer. Even though I was WAY off, this book definitely filled my mystery need. I loved trying to read into all the little “clues” and try to create a reason for everything in my head.

One of the coolest parts of this book is that after you’re done you STILL don’t know who to believe. There were some lines about faith that made me so mad. I had to scribble a great big “NO!” in the margin next to the worst ones. This book makes you really reexamine everything you believe in (so good). I wished it was even weirder though. The fact that it didn’t go completely over the line (Okay, it tried to.....but I was expecting some serious crazy) just added to the ambiguity of it all. This was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!

Violence: Oh yeah

Sex: None

Drugs and Alcohol: Nope

Language: I don’t remember

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really didn’t rock my world like I thought it was going to. I thought it was an interesting read for me, but what really got me was that this was a young adult book. I completely respect young adult readers but I just know that if I had read these religiously fanatic ideas when I was a teenager it probably would have rocked my world a little bit. I just don’t think I’d want my new-testimony adolescent to be reading about religiously fanatic teenagers and get an idea that that is righteousness or being close to God or required for being holy. I didn’t have a problem with Clare in the book either which is maybe why it wasn’t too big of a deal for me. All around it was a different perspective on religious beliefs of others from the perspective of lost and persuadable teenager. Made me think about my own beliefs and my justifications and reasoning for the things that I do, which is probably the best thing I could have taken from it any way.

Scale of 1-10
Violence: 2 (scene of teenager experiencing stigmata)
Sex: 0
Language: 0
Alcohol: .5 (boys experiment with homemade still)
Drugs: 0

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. Archie is a 14-year-old who is being raised by his grandparents since his parents' tragic deaths when he was young. His grandfather dies and Archie blames himself, but his grandfather's last words to Archie are, "You are a saint." While trying to figure out why he would have said this,and while dealing with his grandmother's declining health, Archie meets Clare, who believes herself to be called by God to be a saint, and takes Archie along with her on this journey. Clare convinces Archie that he, too, has been called, but on observing where this journey is menatally and physically taking Clare, and ultimately himself, is not so sure that Clare really knows the way. I skimmed a lot of this because it made me feel so uncomfortable the way one teen can convince another of the "rightness" of their actions. I'm not sure how a teen would react to reading this. Probably a lot better than I did. Probably really deserves 4 stars as it is well-written, but because of my reaction to the story, just can't bring myself to do that.

[Amy Bethke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book weirded me out on so many levels. I still can't decide if Clare was crazy or not, and honestly I don't think it matters because crazy or not she was able to manipulate Archie and he believed her. Her affect on the people around her and her ability to make them feel seemed genuine, but then who knows. Internally, this book shook me around, but that is why I do like it. In the end I don't know if Clare is better or worse, yet there is that one moment where you see a glimpse of hope for the old Clare, though I still don't know if the old Clare should come back.

Things to be aware of on a Scale of 1-10

Sex 1- There are a few times when Archie wants to hold Clare and kiss her, but that's it.

Violence 3- There are some violent moments, the biggest one I think is when Clare begins to bleed, and then there is the fact that they both have basically become anorexic, Clare much more so then Archie.

Drugs 3- Archie's grandfather was often drunk. The Archie and his friend Armory made a still in the basement.

Language 2- There was some language, not anything too bad.

[Kenzie Keppner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah... I don't quite know what to think about this book. It was very interesting and really made me think. I believed that Clare was a really holy person, however there was a bit of crazy in there as well. I was amazed because it really did seem like she god was providing everything for her. I mean meeting Irving? That kind of blew my mind. I felt like Archie, who was following her because she really was holy and god was on her side. God did love her and I really started wondering if she was a perfect person. Then she started starving herself and it became clear to me that she really wasn't perfect, she had her flaws that got in the way of her spirituality.

Language: 1- I do not believe there were really any swear words.

Violence: 2- Clare does do harm to herself and she is anorexic. But other than that, the violence is minimal.

Sex: 1- This book was not even close to having sexual content. There was too much holiness.

Drugs/Alcohol: 2- Archie's grandfather was a drinker and it eventually killed him. That's about the only thing.

[Jenalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This book was kind of creepy, but in a good way. It really made me think about my faith and what I really believe. And I'm still not entirely sure whether Clare was inspired or crazy or both. I'm kind of leaning towards both. Talk about your complex characters. I have to say, though, that while I was reading it, I couldn't help thinking that Clare reminded me of Brian David Mitchell (the guy who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart because he thought he was a prophet and needed more wives. He called himself "Immanuel"). Clare scared me sometimes with the way she manipulated people, but at the same time I can't help feeling sorry for her. I really connected with Archie and his desire to know God, though. He truly wanted to do what God wanted him to do, and Clare took advantage of that (although I'm not sure she realized that). Still, a very good book.

SENSITIVITY WARNING: Self-abuse, religious issues, one implied reference to rape

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um...wow, this book was crazy. I can't decided if Clare was bonkers or if she really was seeing Christ. I really wanted Clare to be possessed by the Devil instead of Christ because there were so many things that I could see was the Devil leading her astray, but I'm not to sure I could just be reaching. But, this book did bring up a lot of cool ideas that I am really excited to discuss with other people.

Rating:

Violence: 3- There are some violent things that happen, like the protagonist fights to boys and one of the characters bleeds.

Sex: 1- There are a couple of times when the protagonist has to resist the urge to kiss a girl but other than that there was nothing else.

Language: 1- I think that there are a couple of swear words but I really can't remember anything terrible swear words.

Drugs and Alcohol: 2- The grandfather in the book is an alcoholic and there are mentions of the character how needs to be on medication.

[Aubrey Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

ohhhh this book. SO interesting and strange. Being religious, it definitely made me think about how I am portrayed or things I might do that seem "weird". This book was about a boy named Archie and a girl named Clare who were on their way to becoming saints. They believed that they were going to be like the Saint Clare and Saint Francis. The author does such a good job of keeping Clare right on the line of being nuts. The whole time you wonder if she has gone bonkers, or if she really is being led by a divine being. Overall, I found this book extremely interesting, but weird at the same time. I gave it 3 stars because it was a little slow in the middle for me and I just wanted to know that happened in the end.

On a scale of 1-5
Violence: 1: nothing really
Sex: none
language: I feel like I remember a few swear words but nothing too bad
Drugs/alcohol: Archie's grandfather was a drunk, also Archie tried to brew his own beer in the beginning of the novel

[Alanah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a first for me. I'm not really sure what that first was but I felt strange while reading it. I may have even been somewhat disturbed? But disturbed in a good way, reading this book was like someone dragging me outside of my comfort zone. So I give it my average rating of three stars. I don't know if I would recommend this to my little sister because I fear that she might become some religious zealot and that thought kind of scares me.

Rating (1=low 5=high)

Religion 5+

The only other thing I would mention is the fact that the kids don't really eat a lot and that's a cause for concern. There is also a scene where Clare is led into the woods by two not so great guy. If you don't want to read about Christian beliefs then I don't suggest this book because it takes them to the extreme.