Oh, man. I'm surprised - but not shocked - that this book found a special place in my heart.

This dystopian fantasy (with light, not-plot-dependent romance) follows Margo as she is thrown into a different universe. First of all, the world building is fantastic and well-balanced. Second, wedged between time travel and action/adventure/mystery, O'Donoghue tackles issues of collonialism/extractavism, class and privilege, all through the perspective of youth activism with just a light touch of steampunk. I can see how so many through-lines between this novel and what is currently happening around the world (especially in the U.S.). This is a YA novel that can be easily enjoyed by older folks because the tone feels more reflective than hand-holdy (in my opinion, although I see other reviewers felt differently). The author's writing style is nevertheless compelling and her descriptions of the characters are so vivid. Even in audiobook format, it was easy to be immersed in each and every scene - and to picture exactly in my brain every last detail.

I loved this. I stayed awake listening to this. I woke up early to keep listening to this before work. I'm so excited for the next book in the series to come out.

Funny, straightforward, accessible. If I could only characterize this book in three words, I think that's what I would choose.

Fugelsang is not a credentialed expert like a seminarian or theologian. Instead, this is an actor who was raised with religious (but not zealot) parents. He aims to ground the book in a compassionate and common-sense approach while still challenging the views of religious extremists. As someone who was not raised religious, it provided really fascinating insight into what Christianity was supposed to be - and what its "leaders" have perverted it into. At the same time, I didn't find this to be the thought-provoking, insightful critique that Kristin Kobes du Mez offers in her book, Jesus and John Wayne (which got an appropriate shout out in this book, so major points to the author on that front). But, Separation of Church and Hate is a fantastic stepping stone for folks who are ready to talk about the damaging rhetoric of modern-day, Capitalism-driven "Christianity."

Line by biblical line, Fugelsang addresses the most popular arguments from evangelical extremists and rips apart their arguments with ease. It is, if nothing else, deeply satisfying and entertaining to listen to. I didn't expect the author to make me chuckle as much as he did. I can see why this book gets such high ratings. For me personally, it sits a little lower because I was expecting something closer to Jesus-and-John-Wayne level discourse, and this was not that (which is fine!). This should in no way discourage other readers from enjoying this all the same.

I beg you to take my review with a grain of salt. There was a time in my life (teen/early 20s) when this would have been a brain-rewiring book and it would have been 5*s from me. I'm at the start of my 30s though, and while there was nothing that I didn't anticipate, it was still heartbreaking and deserves so much praise, even if there were portions of dialogue for which I had little patience.

This reinterpretation of Medusa's story is beautiful and heartwrenching and clearly a Greek tragedy meant to resonate with young women. How I wish this book had been around for my younger years. Gray captured young feminine rage so well, and expertly turns a villain into the hero of her own story. It was enthralling from the first sentence and had my rapt attention until the bitter end. I also think a lot of the harsher criticisms are misplaced. This is not an interpretation geared at older women, who have been harboring grief in the hearts for over a decade. This is for the younger crowd, an opportunity to reach out and hug the young women who are coming face to face with certain kinds of betrayal for the first time in their lives. And, I think this book is perfect for coming to terms with that and establishing a flawed heroine for them.

I have a couple tepid gripes. Gray writes this story from the perspective of naive, 17-year-old Medusa almost entirely throughout the book. Her naivete feels like it dumbs down the story a little bit - which is a shame, but also I'm not the demographic reader for this novel, so grain of salt. The other issue I have is the introduction of the queer storyline. It felt like it was intended to serve as an antidote to patriarchal violence, which to me seems to cheapen the depth of that relationship.

Overall -- really entertaining and I'm glad I read it. I still prefer Miller's Circe, but this is easily a recommendation for any woman under 25.

I went into this blindly - I didn't even realize it was a nonfiction - and it was such a delight. However, there are a number of reasons why I totally get how polarizing this book is.

It is very slow-paced. The entire first act is the introduction of different characters and no plot, and so for audiences who are used to more formulaic or plot-driven writing, this will immediately feel like a bore. I felt like this helped situate me as the reader in the environment and era (80s) of Savannah, Georgia. Slow-paced, easing me into the rhythm of hot summers and and aimless wandering.

This is not deep or transcendent writing. At times, and when viewed through the lens of 2026, there are portions that are problematic. But I also think there is a place for this book even in today's discourse (and honestly, this would probably be great for book clubs). There are plotlines that feel so relevant and timely even 30+ years later, whether on the topic of human rights or jurisprudence/social justice.

Ultimately: this is nonfiction that reads like fiction, which is objectively difficult to accomplish. It retells a really fascinating legal case, which is also difficult to do. And I think both the story and cast of characters were given sufficiently distinct voices and roles that they'll stay with me for some time. I really, really enjoyed this and would recommend it.