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Believe Me
In the tradition of Jodi Picoult, a fresh, smart, and deeply moving novel about the power of faith, love, and family
Thirteen-year-old Nic Delano has a lot of questions. Like why does he have a babysitter at his age-and where did she get such long legs? But mostly, what exactly is the meaning of life?
His mother, Lucy, an astrophysicist and atheist, has always encouraged Nic to ask questions. But lately she doesn't like the answers he's getting. Nic has been hanging out with a group of devout Christians and is starting to embrace the Bible—and a very different view of the heavens.
But when unexpected tragedy strikes, Nic and Lucy's beliefs are truly to put to the test. And they need each other now more than ever. But will a mother and her son be able to find a common ground where faith meets understanding and love is, ultimately, what endures?
Thirteen-year-old Nic Delano has a lot of questions. Like why does he have a babysitter at his age-and where did she get such long legs? But mostly, what exactly is the meaning of life?
His mother, Lucy, an astrophysicist and atheist, has always encouraged Nic to ask questions. But lately she doesn't like the answers he's getting. Nic has been hanging out with a group of devout Christians and is starting to embrace the Bible—and a very different view of the heavens.
But when unexpected tragedy strikes, Nic and Lucy's beliefs are truly to put to the test. And they need each other now more than ever. But will a mother and her son be able to find a common ground where faith meets understanding and love is, ultimately, what endures?
- GenresFictionComing Of Age
291 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 23, 2013
I really enjoyed Nina Killham's first two books. Her first book, HOW TO COOK A TART is a delightful send-up of our impressions of food, relationships and love with a cast of quirky characters and a hilarious plot with a bizarre ending. Her second book, MOUNTING DESIRE, is a hysterical send-up of romance novels and also contains a quirky cast. When I saw that her third was coming out, I pre-ordered it. Well, it finally arrived and I read it in a day and a half.
BELIEVE ME is a slight departure from her normal writing. Sure, some of the characters are quirky and sure, there is a lot of humor, but the story is more, oh, I hate to use these words, as they are so overworked, poignant and heartwarming. This is the story of a young boy and his mother, each searching for something to cling to and believe in.
The story is told from the perspective of Nic Delany, whose mother is a devout atheist and whose father is a professor of comparative religions. Nic has fallen in with group of Christians, not just any Christians, but evangelical Christians and he begins to think about religion. He also thinks about all of the things a typical thirteen-year old boy thinks about. Things like video games and sex. The author does an admirable job writing in the first person and even though it's been forty years since I was a thirteen-year old, I found it very credible.
Nina Killham made me laugh, she made me smile, she made me think, and she brought a few tears to my eyes. I recommend this book to anyone and have already passed it on to a friend.
BELIEVE ME is a slight departure from her normal writing. Sure, some of the characters are quirky and sure, there is a lot of humor, but the story is more, oh, I hate to use these words, as they are so overworked, poignant and heartwarming. This is the story of a young boy and his mother, each searching for something to cling to and believe in.
The story is told from the perspective of Nic Delany, whose mother is a devout atheist and whose father is a professor of comparative religions. Nic has fallen in with group of Christians, not just any Christians, but evangelical Christians and he begins to think about religion. He also thinks about all of the things a typical thirteen-year old boy thinks about. Things like video games and sex. The author does an admirable job writing in the first person and even though it's been forty years since I was a thirteen-year old, I found it very credible.
Nina Killham made me laugh, she made me smile, she made me think, and she brought a few tears to my eyes. I recommend this book to anyone and have already passed it on to a friend.
June 21, 2010
Ohhh, this almost got 5 stars until I got to the ending and didn't like it that well. I LOVED reading the book from a 13 year old boy's perspective. His mother is an atheist... he's trying to decide whether to become a Christian. The author didn't take sides saying one is better than the other, instead showing the faults and goodness of both. One of my favorite quotes in the book was when his mother said.
"Listen. The way I see it there's this fine line that some people cross. They go from "Hey, this is what I believe and it helps me"
to "This is what I believe and if you don't believe it, you're stupid"
"Sort of like what you do." (the boy replies)
Silence.
And the book is filled with these moments between mother and son. Leave it to a teenager to help you face the truth!
"Listen. The way I see it there's this fine line that some people cross. They go from "Hey, this is what I believe and it helps me"
to "This is what I believe and if you don't believe it, you're stupid"
"Sort of like what you do." (the boy replies)
Silence.
And the book is filled with these moments between mother and son. Leave it to a teenager to help you face the truth!
March 25, 2019
I really loved how the author presented two opposing views, the virtues and vices of each, and showed that there can still be love between people with different beliefs. I love how flawed every character was, how real they were. Great book for those with open minds.
January 25, 2024
There were some funny snippets here & there, but overall too predictable.
March 9, 2024
Sweet but unremarkable. Read for book club. It should be an interesting discussion if anyone has strong religious beliefs!
March 17, 2017
Enjoyed Nic's voice and his questions about God and our existence. Very realistic and engaging.
April 2, 2015
Original Review
In Believe Me Nina Killham tackles religion in all its forms; good, bad, and ugly, all from the perspective of an intelligent teenage boy. It dives into the subject of how our religious beliefs can affect our relationships, plays with the role a parents in deciding their child's faith, and asks whether our faith change our lives, or is it our lives that change our faith? Yet perhaps what I like best about Believe Me is that there isn't one particular point it's trying to convince you of; it just brings up the questions and lets you (and the protagonist) figure them out for yourselves. There are times when it feels less like a story about a confused 13-year-old boy and more like a comprehensive discussion on religion. At the very least, Killham does a good job of presenting an impressive number of opinions on the subject; from an atheist astrophysicist , to a Nigerian reverend, to Nic's Muslim babysitter. The title is surprisingly fitting, as each character presents their case, never pulling too strongly, yet quietly begging 'believe me, believe me'.
The main issue for me comes in the form of the protagonist, Nic Delano. I go back and forth on the idea of disliking a main character.. On the one hand, I feel like it makes it harder to connect in a way that allows the reader to truly be immersed in the story. On the other, it can add a sense of realism and evoke a strong emotional response. For me it always comes down to the question; did the author fail in making the character likable, or succeed in making me dislike them? In the case of Believe Me, I’m still on the fence as to which it is. The author must have known that Nic would, at times, insufferable. And so surely it was intentional. On the other hand, I feel like she might’ve missed the point. It’s one thing for a character to have flaws and for the reader to be angry with them at times, but it’s quite another when you find that at no point in the book have you actually been ‘routing’ for this character.
Nonetheless, Believe Me has an easy-to-read flow that ended up making me read the whole thing in one sitting (which isn't that difficult, since it's not a huge book, but still.. it was at least good enough for me to want to continue reading!)
In Believe Me Nina Killham tackles religion in all its forms; good, bad, and ugly, all from the perspective of an intelligent teenage boy. It dives into the subject of how our religious beliefs can affect our relationships, plays with the role a parents in deciding their child's faith, and asks whether our faith change our lives, or is it our lives that change our faith? Yet perhaps what I like best about Believe Me is that there isn't one particular point it's trying to convince you of; it just brings up the questions and lets you (and the protagonist) figure them out for yourselves. There are times when it feels less like a story about a confused 13-year-old boy and more like a comprehensive discussion on religion. At the very least, Killham does a good job of presenting an impressive number of opinions on the subject; from an atheist astrophysicist , to a Nigerian reverend, to Nic's Muslim babysitter. The title is surprisingly fitting, as each character presents their case, never pulling too strongly, yet quietly begging 'believe me, believe me'.
The main issue for me comes in the form of the protagonist, Nic Delano. I go back and forth on the idea of disliking a main character.. On the one hand, I feel like it makes it harder to connect in a way that allows the reader to truly be immersed in the story. On the other, it can add a sense of realism and evoke a strong emotional response. For me it always comes down to the question; did the author fail in making the character likable, or succeed in making me dislike them? In the case of Believe Me, I’m still on the fence as to which it is. The author must have known that Nic would, at times, insufferable. And so surely it was intentional. On the other hand, I feel like she might’ve missed the point. It’s one thing for a character to have flaws and for the reader to be angry with them at times, but it’s quite another when you find that at no point in the book have you actually been ‘routing’ for this character.
Nonetheless, Believe Me has an easy-to-read flow that ended up making me read the whole thing in one sitting (which isn't that difficult, since it's not a huge book, but still.. it was at least good enough for me to want to continue reading!)
February 20, 2013
Good idea for a story and initially I thought the characters were interesting, but I didn't feel they developed much or that the theme really was explored in very meaningful ways. There was lots of cleverness and information about cosmic stuff, but I didn't feel particularly sympathetic for any of the characters, certainly not the father who was weak and not especially believable – or possibly a bit cliche.
The astrophysicist mother could have been cool but needed some more character quirks to really be her own person. I thought it was going to be one of those books where the point of view alternates – in this case between mother and son, but it was told entirely from the boy's point of view, which was fairly well done in terms of displaying how an intelligent boy can grasp a lot of things intellectually but still be catching up on emotional understanding and development.
One character that I liked but we never got to meet "onstage" as it were, was the grandmother. I kept waiting for her to come in and really be a part of it. The Christian husband and wife were also a bit cliche. The African dude at least added a bit of light and warmth.
The astrophysicist mother could have been cool but needed some more character quirks to really be her own person. I thought it was going to be one of those books where the point of view alternates – in this case between mother and son, but it was told entirely from the boy's point of view, which was fairly well done in terms of displaying how an intelligent boy can grasp a lot of things intellectually but still be catching up on emotional understanding and development.
One character that I liked but we never got to meet "onstage" as it were, was the grandmother. I kept waiting for her to come in and really be a part of it. The Christian husband and wife were also a bit cliche. The African dude at least added a bit of light and warmth.
May 25, 2009
I had high hopes for this book but was disappointed to find that it was in the end a pretty standard story about a 14 year old boy dealing with his parents' separation with a fairly superficial attachment to a Christian church. It's very clear that this boy is less moved by Jesus and God than he is by the "normalcy" of his Christian friend's family where the parents' marriage is intact and generally pissing off his atheist mother. I was especially disappointed that the author didn't provide Nic with any kind of reasonable adult model to help him through this time. The Christians were all stereotypes, with the character of Dele, a Nigerian pastor, breaking out of the mold only slightly. The non-Christians didn't fare too much better with virtually all of them--including his parents--too absorbed in their own lives to pay adequate attention to Nic.
November 17, 2011
As interesting as it is controversial, Killman attacks mother vs. son and atheism vs. Christianity in the same novel successfully. As teenager Nic meets a new friend with the perfect family, who just so happen to be Christian, he begins to wonder if there isn't something in this whole religion thing after all. His mother, Lucy, a bitter atheist astrophysicist, sees beauty only in the stars and in what she believes Heaven is: Her current life with her son.
When Nic invites a local reverend from Nigeria to live with them, Lucy's world is tossed into turmoil. While she attempts to carry on with her life, Reverend Dele has made it his mission to convert her. Yet, when tragedy strikes the family, Lucy and Nic are forced to look at their faiths in a new way. Will both fiercely-opinionated souls find a common understanding, or will this tear their family farther apart?
When Nic invites a local reverend from Nigeria to live with them, Lucy's world is tossed into turmoil. While she attempts to carry on with her life, Reverend Dele has made it his mission to convert her. Yet, when tragedy strikes the family, Lucy and Nic are forced to look at their faiths in a new way. Will both fiercely-opinionated souls find a common understanding, or will this tear their family farther apart?
January 20, 2014
I had wronged this book. I thought it could develop my spiritual faith but no, it did something else.
Nic was a teenager lost in a crowd of atheists. Then, he turned to Christianity. I thought he and her mom (an atheist) would clash and someone would win the fight. But like what I said, it's not that.
This book is more than faith but rather, belief. The book is a message of how strong belief could do to a person. It could change him and his loved ones. No matter what we believe in, we should find a way to understand. And as long as we still believe, we still live.
I recommend this to people that are lost and to mothers. :)
Nic was a teenager lost in a crowd of atheists. Then, he turned to Christianity. I thought he and her mom (an atheist) would clash and someone would win the fight. But like what I said, it's not that.
This book is more than faith but rather, belief. The book is a message of how strong belief could do to a person. It could change him and his loved ones. No matter what we believe in, we should find a way to understand. And as long as we still believe, we still live.
I recommend this to people that are lost and to mothers. :)
April 17, 2009
This book is about a boy and his mom, who is an athiest. It is written from the perspective of the boy, age 13/14. He makes friends with some Christian kids, and becomes very interested in learning about their faith. I do not know what the author's perspective was, but I thought the book was, overall, well written. Issues are not resolved satisfactorily, in my opinion, at the end. I do not recommend this book for teens, as it does have some adult content, even if this content is in the inappropriate fantasies of a young teen. I found it thought-provoking.
May 30, 2010
Quick and easy read-I finished it in about a day. The author has a pleasant writing style and develops her characters well. The kid got to be kind of a brat in the middle and it was difficult to stand his character haha, but the ending was pretty good. I think it was an OK approach to looking at different perspectives, and didn't force too much resolution or decision of sides, although I think it was a bit biased. Good, quick read though-a bit of a tear-jerker.
January 29, 2010
This book was so witty and thought-provoking at the same time. I really got into the story line and liked the very human and non-perfect characters. Because it was written in 1st person, in the perspective of a 13 year old boy, it was a bit on the crude side, which I tried to look past. But, over all, I really liked this book.
Warning: 3 F bombs
Warning: 3 F bombs
April 11, 2010
Maybe I assumed that this would have a point at the end...
This is a story about a mother and son, told by the 13 year old son. The mother is an atheist, and he, in the course of searching, finds christianity. This is a story about how the points of view come together about the questions of life, and what each character needs in their individual lives.
This is a story about a mother and son, told by the 13 year old son. The mother is an atheist, and he, in the course of searching, finds christianity. This is a story about how the points of view come together about the questions of life, and what each character needs in their individual lives.
Read
May 20, 2010Hmmm...interesting book. It did not get as deep spiritually as I thought it would. Though I guess I should have expected that as the book was very believable as written from the perspective of a teenage boy. The best in-depth discussions about God didn't happen until the last 20 pages. Kind of a disappointing read.
September 11, 2011
Atheist astrophysicist mom raising her 13-year-old son who attends bible study. An intelligent book, but sad. Some lighter moments made me laugh out loud. Reminds me of Judy Blume's "Are You There God, It's Me Margarent" of years past. This is an updated version from the point of view of a pubescent 13-year-old boy.
A nice read to pass the time.
A nice read to pass the time.
September 8, 2015
Great concept, poor execution. A 13yo boy, raised by an atheist, is befriended by a Christian family. He asks many, in fact, possibly ALL the questions about Christianity. Killham does a good job capturing the voice of a boy that age. However, the questions don't go deep enough. They get asked, but not really considered in a juicy, thought-provoking way.
March 8, 2009
Interesting that the novel was narrated in the son's voice. Mom is a brilliant atheist astrophysist. Son explores religion from the perspective of an evangelical Christian family. Lots of interesting things to think about.
August 9, 2011
This was a very enjoyable book, I really loved the perspective of the kid, he was hillarious had me laughing out loud more than a few times! This book could give an atheist a run for their money or just some food for thought!
July 3, 2012
I dove into this book hoping it would be an incredible story of a boy influencing his atheist mom to become a Christian. It was not that kind of book though. It was more about the boy dealing with his parents being separated and hanging out with his Christian friends. It was nothing extraordinary.
August 10, 2014
I couldn't get into this book (nor could I finish it!). The book is told from an adolescent's point of view, which normally isn't a problem, except this perspective did not feel intellectual or credible. I also found the premise for the book weak.
February 23, 2016
SUMMARY: The 13-year-old son of an avowed atheist joins a Bible study group, as part of a somewhat typical adolescent rebellion, but both mother and son see their beliefs put to the test when an unexpected tragedy strikes. COMMENTS: Unsatisfying.
March 21, 2010
A great premise, but a little bit of a letdown. It is a basic story of a child of divorce looking for something to give his life stabiity. A nice read but not particularly thought-provoking.
Want to Read
December 14, 2009Dooce 2009 list
July 26, 2010
I'm not giving this book many stars because it couldn't hold my attention long enough and I started reading something else before I finished it.
November 14, 2016
Rambling book, no elevation. Atheist Mom and 13/14 year old son live life as Dad lives 200 miles away. Divorce, cancer, boy searches for Christ.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2010
Sweet story about faith, with no easy answers
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews