Kate was raised in the Church of the Holy Divine--it's influenced everything in her life from her homeschooling to her ugly handmade clothes. But ever since the death of her nonreligious father, Kate has suspected there's more to life than memorizing Bible passages.
Taking advantage of a move to a new town, Kate--to her devout mother's horror--quits the Holy Divine. She replaces it with the cross country team at her public school, her father's beloved book collection and services at a tradional Christian church. But these new diversions don't bring all the answers she's looking for. And as Kate struggles to come to terms with her father's death and her mother's blind allegiance to the Holy Divine, she discovers there's a big difference between religion and faith--and that the two don't always go hand in hand. Viking Books 2007
Excerpt
Referring to First Corinthians For now we see through a glass darkly.
"Maybe our lives are actually meant to be experienced in the half dark. Not knowing all the answers. Being open. Questioning. Always searing, but never being finished. And maybe not knowing the answers to all the cosmic question can actually make us kinder, more accepting and more loving."
Page 127
Professional Reviews
Kirkus Review
Kirkus Review:
Richly multilayered characters, portrayed with empathy, make this debut novel a strong addition to a growing body of works about adolescents seeking to reconcile the cohesive faith of childhood with the fractured religious diversity of the adult world.
Publisher's Weekly
Publishers Weekly:
Faced with daily situations that challenge what she's been taught, Kate questions her views about religion, and her inner conflict shows the great effort it takes for her to disentangle herself from the church's teachings, which intrude into her thoughts unbidden (often represented by italics). Despite her sheltered upbringing, Kate emerges as a strong, self-reliant young woman who is not afraid to question authority. Her plight will likely strike a chord with any teen who has struggled with a belief system that has been handed to them.
Midwest Book Review
The Midwest Book Review:
A welcome and highly recommended addition to high school and community library fiction collections, "Converting Kate" is deftly written, inherently fascinating, consistently entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking reading by anyone of any age.
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