⭐ Rating: 3.5/5 stars
🗓 Publish date: Apr 15, 2025
🏷️ Tags: graphic novel, achillean romance, gay MC, queer and non-binary SCs, religion & faith, queer awakening, coming out

Books with themes around religion and queerness are my fave, so I knew I had to grab an ARC for this graphic novel. (Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley, btw. All thoughts are my own!)

This felt a bit like a primer on queer history in the Bible and Christianity, which I can see being a great intro to folks exploring these ideas for the first time. Unfortunately, I found myself a bit bored while reading, since I'm already familiar with most of the people/characters mentioned.

There wasn't much plot or tension beyond a fairly textbook gay awakening and coming out. I think I would have liked to see more depth to the characters because I never felt fully invested in what happened. The MC and LI getting together also felt a bit rushed and I never really felt their chemistry.

That being said, I do think stories like this are important to tell and I appreciated the way it explored a variety of viewpoints. I also loved the art, particularly the use of shadow and colours, and how it enhanced the storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy.

I don't think this was *the* queer graphic novel for me. This was a very dialogue heavy movement, and that is great for a character like Mark to really figure himself out. The art style was lovely and the conversations were wonderful in calling out different peoples relationships with the church and how that surrounds their identity too.

I enjoyed this one a good deal. It gave what felt like a very honest tale that included thoughtful commentary and beautiful artwork. The art is also easy on the eyes; it's crisp and includes enough details to tell the story/show the world but not so much that it's overwhelming to the senses.

I feel like people are going to either like this or hate this. The queer community and the Catholic Church are not communities that often intersect but I feel like this book really does a good job of explaining and exploring that possibility. So many people have been forced out of a community that they felt at home in and I think this book has a lot to offer.

I liked the illustrations, and I liked the descriptions of queerness throughout history and the Bible specifically, but I wish it was a little longer. Feels a little abrupt at the end and I do almost always wish books just kind of let their characters experience that resolution at the end for a little longer.

Oh, I loved this story. As a non-religious person, it’s easy for me to take a step back and not see the big picture of religion. Not see what it brings to people who practice, especially when some use religion to hate on people who aren’t what they think is “normal” and “right”.

This story about a young, catholic boy, struggling with coming to terms with his sexuality and his belief and trying to see how both parts of him can coexist, made me all kinds of emotional. And hopeful. It was so interesting to see all these historical, biblical people and stories from a queer perspective. Because it’s true! Why wouldn’t there have been queer people through all times. And if others get to cherrypick from the Bible, why not queer people? Or people who doesn’t want to hurt others.

All in all, this is a sweet story, full of love and hope, but also pain and struggle. But the readers are left with a hope for healing and that’s what matters.
The art worked wonderful to the story, as well.

Recommend!

/ Denise

this was so beautiful!! as a catholic queer person, this really hit home for me and im so happy this book was created. truly a beautiful story about self acceptance and love!

A didactic and informative discussion of queer Catholics through the lens of one character's story, this graphic novel isn't saying anything new, but it is still powerful and necessary. This book absolutely would've changed my life if I'd read it as a teen.

This was such a cute and amazing read! I’ve definitely struggled with finding a church that accepts everyone, as I know that God’s love is meant for everyone. I loved seeing the inside of Mark’s head as he came to the conclusion that we was gay but also Catholic. He had an amazing priest to help him better understand that God made him the way he is and that being gay didn’t make God love him less. I believe everyone needs to read this. So please read this book if you’ve made it through my review of it!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

*3.5 stars

This was a very wholesome read. I'm a big fan of graphic novels, and this one really spoke to me because of the themes. Being a queer person in a religious household i could relate very much to Mark, and I think my self discovery journey would have been easier if there were books like these at time. Seeing religion and queerness being discussed as not opposites of each other, but as two identities and communities that can co-exist made me very emotional.

Unfortunately I found the ending very rushed, which made the book kind of fall flat for me.

This was a great look at religion and queerness through a character struggling with merging both in a religion that looks at being queer as a sin. Despite the main character being a teenager, the story will resonate with any age as queer saints come to life and queer parts of the bible are explored to send everyone the message that love conquers all.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free arc!

An interesting graphic novel where Mark explores his sexuality within the context of his Catholicism. He talks with people in real life as well as with historical Catholic figures and saints. Since I do not have much background in Catholicism, I think I missed some of the references. All in all though, it was an interesting read.

I cried reading this. This is such a beautiful graphic novel, especially for those who grew up religious are are trying to find a way to combine their faith with their sexuality.

thank you netgalley for the earc

I absolutely loved this graphic novel! As a queer person who was raised catholic i felt like i was the target audience, I loved the jokes and all the reflections about how the bible is queerer that what they teach us! The authors did an impeccable job , this is truly a gem!

thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC copy of Hey, Mary!
I didn't grow up in a religious environment, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I never had an issue when it came to struggling with my identity and my faith, so l'm not able to relate to the story or the characters in the story, but that doesn't mean that there aren't young people out there who will see themselves in this graphic novel.
although I found the story a little bit muddy and the dialogue to be incredibly wordy, almost to a point where it didn't feel realistic that a teenager would speak this way, the overall message kept me reading. I think this would be an excellent book for any queer person who has ever had struggles or is currently struggling with their identity and the politics of their faith.

As someone who battled with being gay and being brought up in the church, this hit home. Although not raised Catholic, there were so many similarities that I could relate to and the emotions are real and raw.

I enjoyed the queer depictions of Bible stories and will go away and look further into this, as I feel it may heal my teenage self too.

A beautiful graphic novel that has the potential to be a guide and written expression of “you are good enough” for queer Christians all over the world.

Thank you!

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this incredible graphic novel detailing a catholic boys journey of self discovery. As someone who was also raised somewhat religious (not catholic, and certainly not as devout as Mark), it is a difficult journey to finding yourself while also wanting to maintain connection with the spiritual world, especially when the pathways you know won’t support who you are.

Andrew Wheeler does a phenomenal job bringing in catholic and queer history to aide Mark on his self discovery journey. Rye Hickman beautifully illustrates the story to help convey everything through subtle mannerisms, iconography on characters, and really being the story to life. It’s not often I tear up reading a graphic novel, but this one resonated with me in ways I didn’t see coming.

If you also are queer and have any sort of religious connection, this one is a must read. Also to any Catholics or other religious folks wanting to see why the queer community is a great place that should be accepted, this is a good place to start.

This was a sweet and creatively woven graphic novel about a queer Catholic boy coming to terms with the conflict between his identities- as a devout Catholic and as a queer person. I read oodles of novels about queer religious folx and I really appreciated how this one displayed the nuance of the conflict between Church Community (TM) and Queer Community (TM) for newly out people. Most novels tend to take the path of "well, church never loved me anyway" which isn't untrue for all queer people (sadly, it's true for most), but it is a bit dismissive of the largest draw of organized religion- built in community.

I really loved how the pages and panels of this book were set up and the episodic flow of the narrative. The incorporation of church lore and Bible stories was a nice touch, as well, and made the whole book feel like it was an epic being told through stained glass windows in a grand cathedral. I loved all of the artistic choices and had to take multiple breaks just to admire the artwork and clever references.

Unfortunately, I really struggled to connect with Mark on a deeper level and felt a bit like the poor kid was a vessel for the story. I think so much time was spent painting a beautiful and intricate portrait of the world around him that his inner world was a wee bit neglected. This might have been a personal problem versus an issue with the book itself, though. Like I said before, I do read a lot of similar titles so my standards might be a bit high in this respect.

Either way, this book is well worth the read and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a gracefully woven graphic novel with coming-of-age overtures.

From writer Andrew Wheeler (Another Castle, Cat Fight) and artist Rye Hickman (The Harrowing) comes a touching story of religion, desire, and what it means to be yourself no matter how lonely or scared you feel.

Mark is a good Catholic boy who attends church regularly, reads at mass, and was an Alter boy. His equally religious parents couldn't be more proud. But Mark has a secret that is eating him alive.
He has begun to realize he may be gay and he has a crush on his best friend.
These feelings don't jive with what you're taught a good Catholic is, especially in a faith that not only doesn't approve of LGBTQ, they also do not accept them as part of the flock. So how does such a religious boy reconcile what he is with the faith he has?
Add to his growing feelings the struggle of the heavy weight of centuries of shame and judgement and the fear that his parents will no longer love him.
Mark seeks advice from his priest, and also receives unexpected input from key figures in Catholic history and lore, including Joan of Arc, Michelangelo, St. Sebastian, and Savonarola.

The story is both heartbreaking and beautiful. Watching along as Mark finds himself and his place in his faith makes me wish this graphic novel has existed when I was a teen going through a similar struggle.

I would say this should be required reading for all YA's but in this climate we're lucky it can be read at all. But definitely buy and give this to any young person you know who may be questioning themselves and their connection to their faith.

Highly recommended and expected to be published April 15, 2025.
Thanks to @neygalley and Oni Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for this ARC

A sweet coming of age story about a young boy reconciling his Catholic upbringing with his sexuality. There’s some really great historical detail here from the Bible about queer folks! I think that if I was young and growing up I would find comfort in a story like this.

“The Bible is like a purse, honey. You can take out of it whatever you put into it.”

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

~

Hey, Mary, by Andrew Wheeler
★★★★☆
128 Pages



Hey, Mary is an intriguing graphic novel that explores the challenge of how to be gay and Catholic at the same time.

Mark is struggling. His best friend, Luka, has come out as gay at their Catholic school and to his parents, putting a strain on their relationship. Mark is confused about the church's teaching about being gay and that applies to his friend, but also confused about his own feelings – not just towards Luka in general, but the fearful thought that he's also gay!

Mark has always prayed and found an affinity for the Virgin Mary, but after a fight with Luka during a school trip to an art gallery, historical figures from the paintings start coming to life to talk to him. All of the historical figures are two things: queer and Catholic! They talk Mark through the teachings of the bible, the expansive queer history of famous Christian figures and even explore real world issues that Mark encounters throughout his days.

Mark confides in friends, a priest, and eventually speaks to his family. This way, we see how each part of his life differs from the others; unfailingly supportive friends, a wise and kind priest, well-meaning but conservative parents who don't understand.

The story is sweet but hard hitting in places. It could be a great resource for questioning kids or parents of teens who are struggling with coming out, giving them a look at the many connections between gay Christian history and modern living, which often counters the original teachings.

However...it could be too dark and depressing for some younger kids. I'd definitely say there are heavy chunks of sadness, fear and anxiety in Mark's story and it can feel a bit oppressing, which could be triggering for some kids. I also feel like it's very heavy handed with the pro-religion aspect, and gets quite preachy at points. There are counter points to nearly every argument, but for someone who is deeply religious it definitely sways towards using historical stories and teachings to overrule or discount modern teachings. I'm not religious at all, but that's definitely how it felt to me, and I wonder if someone who is as devout as Mark would feel differently.

Overall, I'd say this is a great resource for religious but questioning queer kids, with some supportive adult guidance, to talk through the stories, teachings and messages contained within. The ending is also very happy and easily resolved, which doesn't feel realistic, so that may also give a rose-tinted view to readers who don't know any better.