A heartfelt coming-of-age story about Mark, a Catholic school student questioning his sexuality and faith. Reuniting with his now-out friend Luka sparks an exploration of queerness in religion, guided by imagined conversations with historical figures. The book blends storytelling with educational elements on queer history and biblical interpretations. As someone who attended a weekly chapel service, I related to Mark's questioning of self, God, and faith. Though I'm not religious now, I appreciated its message that queerness and religion can coexist. This would have meant a lot to my younger self.

I should start by saying that, as far as organised religion goes, I’m agnostic on the best days bordering on atheist on the worst (of which there are far too many at the moment).
However, I can see how important this book would be to anyone raised a in religious home or community in helping them question and come to terms with their feelings and struggles.
The art is good and the story has some really interesting biblical asides regarding queerness and diversity, some of which I wasn’t aware of previously.
There’s some interesting side characters including Jojo and a kindly young priest. Luka, the prospective boyfriend is sometimes unnecessarily harsh regarding Mark’s religion, in the way of fierce young people with a cause and not necessarily the empathy to consider others opinions.
I found Mark himself to be the least well rounded of the characters, I think maybe he suffered as a vehicle for the message the story wants to tell, and could have been better explored.
Ultimately a thought-provoking story of self-acceptance, coming out, and finding a balance between all parts of yourself.
And it has a happy ending, which I appreciated.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For young teenage Mark, being Catholic has its ups and downs. From questioning his sexuality to having sincere talks with the Virgin Mary, Mark is confused about his faith. However, with confessionals and talks with his gay friends, Mark slowly opens up to himself regardless of being Catholic.
It is a heartbreaking story of one young man who is questioning everything that means a lot to him. Symbolisms, the unsaid truths of the Bible, and the meaning behind God’s love all come together to show Mark that being gay and Catholic is okay. This graphic novel paints that very picture of unwavering love from God and the love that needs to be for yourself.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel and felt it did a good job exploring ideas of faith, religion, the Catholic Church, and queer identity. The artwork was gorgeous, the characters are really relatable (in their questions, frustrations, and wants), and it’s a message of love that folks need to hear. It thoughtfully creates space for those trying to understand and question the community in which they were raised, their identity, queer representation (and erasure), and how it all fits together. Well worth a read.

*3.5 stars
This has me a bit conflicted, but I'm overall glad that it exists for queer youth brought up in the Christian, specifically Catholic, faith. It's not perfect and definitely speeds over some important topics, but it's quick and heartfelt. As a disclaimer, I grew up Christian, but I have not identified as a Christian for <i>years</i>; someone who still identifies as a Christian <i>may</i> take something more out of this book.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: April 15, 2025

This graphic novel revolves around Mark, a devout Catholic coming to terms with being gay, and figuring out how those two things intersect.

Listen, I think this will be a great resource for any queer person trying to find space for religion in their life. So many kids could use this to help them process their feelings and feel understood, especially at a time when the world is so religiously hostile.

I also had some strong feelings and reactions to this as a queer person who left the Catholic Church over 25 years ago. As a current agnostic atheist, I struggled because some of the stories and messaging felt like religious propaganda which gave me the ick. I think this is strongly aimed toward current questioning Catholics, and not those who are comfortable in their faith (or lack thereof).

3 Stars!

I loved the art style of this! The illustrations and use of colour really helped to highlight key points throughout the storytelling. It added to the overall feeling i had whilst reading! Which was reflective and thought-provoking. This also had some genuine funny moments. As well as, some deep and really personal conversations - which were so essential for Mark to continue on his journey to self-discovery.

I found the language in this wasn't overly heavy but educational. I also appreciated the way different characters spoke about religion, queerness and identity. The representations and interpretations of religious figures throughout history was also great! As someone who isn't religious, i actually found this educational. In the sense of it allowing me to think about some of these figures that i vaguely remember learning about, in a completely new way.

The actual story wasn't necessarily for me. But i do think they'll be someone out there who'll find great comfort reading about religion and sexuality and discovering that sometimes you don't need to chose between the two.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for an ARC of this in return for an honest review!

one of the things i keep coming back to as a reader of primarily queer books, is that man... if these things had been around when i was a kid, i would be an entirely different human being now.

this is the kind of book that would have changed my life. i was never hardcore with my religion, but i went to a church school and for the first decade of my life i think i really did believe in something, but i remember the exact moment i stopped believing. i read a passage in the bible that told me i should fear the lord, followed by a bunch of things i shouldn't do and things i should frown on as a believer. it felt so sour to me, because i thought i was supposed to love god and he would love me no matter what i did or said or felt. it was a confusing time for me, and i had noone to talk to about it because all the people in my life were atheists or rigid believers, so i just quietly left god behind. much like jojo in this book, it wasn't that i didn't have space in my life for the church, but that it wouldn't make room for me.

i've always had a vivid sense of justice (thanks autism) but nothing hurts my heart more than seeing a religion that always seemed to focus so much on love turned sour by the people who choose to criticise others for the way they lead their lives and the things they think and feel.

i think this book is an incredibly important read, for all ages and all religions and all perspectives. it opens up a conversation that we rarely see and even more rarely have, and paints it in a non-biased but merely loving and welcoming way. i especially think this will be an important read for parents, as well as for children.

i loved this. wholly and completely. thank you for putting this in the world, and for giving me a chance to read it.

ARC Review
4 ⭐️ Stars

Mark struggles with accepting himself and processes the complexity of being Catholic and queer. Similar thought processes can happen to those outside of the religious community, especially those with friends or family in it.

It's a complex relationship of self acceptance as a teen but added conflicting pressures can add to how a teen comes into self acceptance. This is graphic novel for someone over 14.


I think this is an important topic but some of the flippant ways certain historical aspects are approached was off-putting.

The coming out scene was tough but the way the parents flipped like a light switch when Mark stood up for himself was odd. Parents, especially parents who are deeply into religions like Catholicism, they're likely going to struggle with acceptance of their child. I get that this is a YA book but the flippant was off-putting knowing that this is just the start of that struggle for Mark.

I really liked this book and the characters.
The idea was very good.
I do think there should of been more depth and background to the main character and his family though.
I loved it was a graphic novel.
It definitely worked well in that format.

This was great! An exploration of sexuality and religion and how the two intersect. Mark is Catholic, and his family is very active in the church community. He also has feelings for his openly gay friend, which leads to a lot of internalised homophobia as Mark battles with his feelings. Along the way he hears different perspectives of homosexuality and gender identity within the church from friends, acquaintances, and even a priest. There are some tough topics broached here, but there is a lot of humour as well which makes it a good balance overall. Perfect for the teen reader! 4.25/5

Thanks to #NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic graphic novel about being gay and queer while growing Catholic, the feelings and thoughts that arise and how to live with both identities!

First, thank you to @OniPress for giving me the ARC! This graphic novel was gorgeous and impactful. I grew up in a religious family and had heard the same things the main character was told. This comic seemed made for me.

That being said, this graphic novel very much was aimed at currently practicing Catholics who are queer. I feel like I would have appreciated this story when I was younger and struggling deeply with my sexuality and belief system. I loved how Mark found solace in different saints throughout time and also in non-religious queer people in his life.

I had two things that made me pause. The first was, this reminded me so much of religious publishings and comics the church themselves put out from when I was younger. I suspect this is by design, making the story more relatable to those still in the religion. For some reason this got under my skin after a bit, even though the art was gorgeous. The second is I felt the end was a bit rushed. Everything wrapped up perfectly, it was a bit too perfect. I don’t want to spoil the ending but I was a bit surprised.

I'm always looking for new LGBTQ graphic novels and this definitely didn't disappoint! I loved the art style and the pacing of the ARC and I feel like repression of queerness in religion is something that needs more representation which this author did really well!

I really liked how it makes you to think about your own beliefs without forcing anything on you. Even if you're not religious it’s easy to connect with the characters and the struggles they are going through.
Don’t think i was the target audience since I’ve never been religious and gone through these experiences but i did really enjoy the look at queerness in history and Catholicism.

Overall i found it reflective and thought provoking and i definitely think it’s worth reading even if you aren’t religious or queer.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e copy!

I was genuinely surprised by how earnest the graphic novel is because my only worry was that it would be too dictatorial in its message about the journey to make peace with your sexual identity from a religious perspective. I love how the journey becomes physically metaphorical, taking both Mark and the readers to dive into a historical expedition that shows that Catholic queerness has always been there and thriving instead of a singular phenomenon that only emerges in modern times; Wheeler discusses the lores behind famous figures and alleged stories in excellent tone that humanize these records into something that the main character and readers can relate in their struggle of faith and identity. It isn't flawless, but this is an immaculate option to read for a crash course and a comfort book.

The intersection between Catholicism and Queerness is a scary line to walk. When you grow up with a parent who is so devoutly Catholic coming out can be incredibly hard. It can make you feel like everyone is out to get you and it can make you feel like you will never belong. Hey, Mary was a beautiful dive into how to be both Catholic and Queer. You don’t have to give up one to be the other.

History is full of queer people, and yet still society and the church tell us that queerness is wrong, that it's a sin. Historians over time have said that people who were queer and had a close same-sex relationship, weren't actually queer. They were just close friends. That's just not true. Queer people have always existed, and always will.
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I think if I was religious, I might have felt more of an emotional impact from this book. But as it is, I think there is still things that I could take from it regardless.
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Another important point that's made with this graphic novel is that the church isn't wholly against queerness. Some aspects still don't accept it, and some people within the church don't accept queer people. But that isn't everyone.
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I think for someone who's queer and Christian this might really have an impact, which is the purpose.
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Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley abd Oni press for the EArc in exchange for my honest review. Hey, Mary! Is coming April 15 2025.

This is a 3.75 ⭐️ read for me. While I don’t absolutely agree with the novel, it didn’t really influence my rating and me enjoying the book. And i think that speaks of how good it was. This was my first encounter with the author and will most definitely be keeping an eye on them.
This is a book about a boy coming to terms with his identity and his religion. I am not using the word faith because while i dont follow a religion and don’t believe in them. I am absolutely have faith in a being far more greater than i am, who is full of love and acceptance. I could go on and on about religion. Mark was struggling and couldn’t come to terms with who he is, what is expecting of him and how he was raised/his religion. I loved all those different apparition that he has throughout the novel, of well known people. Who ate helping him out and trying to make him understand. I hated everything that happened that was expected to happen. Some made me cried and i was hurting with Mark. While i never factor religion in my coming to terms with my sexuality i did factor my parents. My catholic mother who’s praying 24/7. And it always hurts to know someone who default setting should be loving unconditionally would not understand you/not accepting you. I am very ok with the bible being only stories written up by people a long time ago for their own profit. But it is a book still used by religion to oppress people like me, to harass us. I am happy for Mark that he at the end did know who he is and what je wants. It felt a little short to me. Or loose ending. I wanted more. How will he mange his religion a d his queerness? How will the boy who is so opposed to religion fit with him?
I tried my best not let my views taint the review of this book and hopefully i was successful. Here’s to hoping.

Fav quote: “We assume everyone is straight because straight is the normal. But there have always been queer people since before we had the language for it.Since before people had the confidence and support and the confindence to stand up and tell the world their truth”

Fav characters: Jojo,

Fav moments: The apparition of Joan of Arc/ The drag bible stories.

Song: Pray by Sam Smith

This was definitely an interesting read. I grew up somewhere on the edge of Catholic. We didn’t go to church, but there were many times that my mother would talk about faith… she also talked about witchcraft. It’s a testament to my mother at how all over the place she was. In middle school, I was enrolled in a private Christian school where we went to mass every Wednesday and had Bible class.

To say that I turned my back on the faith is an understatement. I loved the sense of community and friendship I received… while I wasn’t out. But those things can change when you aren’t the same as everyone else. That can be said about many walks of life, but I found myself without the church and I’m happy with who I am.

Hey, Mary! has honest talks and thoughts coming from a teenage boy who is battling with realizing that he is gay and that’s okay. There is no one way to be queer and Christian. There is no one way to be queer or Christian either. You find what’s right for you.

I think that this is a really important story to tell.