Mia McKenzie's These Heathens was my perfect start-of-summer read this year. And it may very well be my favorite read of this summer, even though I'll be going through lots of books in the next few months.

These Heathens is set in Georgia in 1960: in the small town where Doris, the central character, lives and in Atlanta, where she travels to end a pregnancy accompanied by one of her former teachers. The "former" here is important. Doris left school a year of two ago because she was needed at home. Her mother has been facing a debilitating illness and Doris, the oldest, has to take on caring for her two younger brothers, along with cooking and cleaning and all the work that keeps a family functioning. Doris comes from a church-going family and is a firm believer. Much of her day is shaped by the "rules" her faith has given her to live by.

But when Doris realizes she's pregnant, she's certain that Jesus doesn't want her to become a mother.
Doris turns to the most trusted adult in her life who is not affiliated with her family's church: her former teacher Mrs. Lucas. Mrs. Lucas promises she will help and arranges through a childhood friend to bring Doris to Atlanta for an abortion.

It's at this point that things begin to get complicated. Doris is meeting people unlike any she's known. These are city people with incomes well beyond those earned by the Black folk living in her home town. There's Mrs. Lucas' childhood friend, who appears to prefer women over men. Doris has been warned about the dangers of inversion, but she is every bit as fascinated as she is perturbed. And she also meets several young men who are introduce her to SNCC, sit-ins, and even a bit of the Nation of Islam. She's also meeting people she's only read about in Jet or Ebony: the Kings, Bayard Rustin, and Black entertainers.

Watching Doris, who is our narrator, enter these new worlds, explain them to herself, and make her own way through them is a delight. As a sampling:

• On the possible futures—all involving marriage—for young women in her home town: "Even if you had better-than-middling luck, the best you could expect to get was a good, dumb one. Or you might land a handsome but evil somebody. Or a smart one with a face like a possum's ass. Or worse, a face like a possum's face. And, depending on what any particular woman liked, and of those options might be fine. But none of them would be something to get your ass beat or let your mascara run over in the street."

• On fashion among Atlanta's Black upper class: "her hair was pressed straighter than the righteous path to Jesus" and "a fur stole so luxurious, looked like the mink wasn't all the way dead yet."

• A Prayer: "Jesus, my Savior, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, please keep her talking long enough for me to hear about some of the wicked things women do in bed together. Amen"

• Look toward the future: "I had so many questions—about theater and sex and Negroes living in France.

And there's the novel's opening line: "One things needs clearing up right off: Reverend King was not the father. That was a rumor, started by crazy people and repeated by heathens."

Track down a copy of this book. Read it. I'm confident These Heathens will wind up on your list of favorites.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! It was compelling and made me want to keep reading. I gave this 5 stars. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book. The author took a very serious subject and made it heart warming and funny, without taking away from the important messages in the novel. I would highly recommend this thought provoking and engaging book!

I received this ebook as a widget and I am so glad that I did. It was a truly wonderful book about a young black girl in Georgia during the 1960s. It was interesting look at the civil rights movement that was going on and how more rural areas didn't know all that was happening. Doris, a 17 year old black girl finds herself in trouble and reaches out for help. Doris with the help of her teacher goes in a wealthy black neighbor in Atlanta. There she meets a cast of characters that changes the course of her life. Doris has spent her life going to church and devoting herself to family. That weekend in Atlanta changed her perspective on the world and on what her life could look like it she chose a different path. She met celebrities and Dr. and Mrs. King, activist that were just a few years older than her and people living life much different than her little town accepted.

This book was beautifully written and was very relatable. I would recommend that anyone read this to get a better understanding of that time from a black girls view. I was not alive during the civil rights movement but I am glad that this view was from that of a black person and not a white southerner.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for the ARC of this ebook. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was really intrigued by the description and cover of this book. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to read this one!

Set in rural and Atlanta Georgia in 1960, the character, 17-year-old Doris finds her life completely changed in just a few days. Doris is deeply entrenched in the Jim Crow South, a black female teenager with few options… but as she learns, she may have more choice than she initially thought or was brave enough to admit.

The deeply religious Doris finds herself at crossroads. She’s pregnant and knows she’s not ready to bring a child into the world. She’s already charged with taking care of her younger siblings, Dad and sick Mom. Doris had to leave school to take on this work, which really left her devastated.

Doris finds herself leaving her rural town in Georgia with her old Teacher, Mrs. Lucas, embarking on a trip to Atlanta to terminate her pregnancy. What Doris finds are a group of people she’s never been exposed to, celebrities, civil rights leaders, gays, queers… HEATHENS! (in her narrow mind.) Over the course of this unbelievable weekend Doris’ eyes are opened. She learns there is beauty in all kinds of people.

I am recommending this book to so many of my friends. I think it has wide appeal, especially in that McKenzie’s storytelling is incredible and I think it has something for everyone to take away from it. It was full of wit and humor. I found myself grinning a few times during my time with it. I read this book in just two days. Fact about me: I never read anything that fast. It flew through it - the story was engaging and I was excited to find out what happened next.

I do not dive into the realm of historical fiction often, when I do I am particular about what I consume. I often find the original stories are just as good if not better than ones which are created in an authors mind about certain time periods. However, that could not be further from the truth about the story and the layers which Mia created with These Heathens.

She has created a complex and beautiful tapestry which looks at the world in 1960's Southern America through the eyes of a Black woman who, while experiencing an traumatic/life changing moment, would be party to the a community which existed in the shadows and nooks and crannies of society at the time. The humans who impacted and changed the world to become what we currently know it to be, but were forced to hide themselves expect around those they trusted to be their full authentic selves. Doris is a main character ne is able to not only relate with but cheer for in the way they would cheer on their younger selves as they are exploring the world beyond their lived experience, without judgement and openness. Mia created Doris with a wit and charm which is able to felt on every page and with every interaction she has on the page.

You will find yourselves cheering for the characters in this book, for them as characters, for their mission in the world and for the outcome of the story until the end. 5 glorious stars.

In this historical novella, if you aren’t god fearing, you’re a heathen. But this fearing teenager Doris learns the hard way that she isn’t so different from them at all. Traveling to the rich household of one of these heathens over a quick weekend, Doris finds her new take on the world.

It’s interesting how delusional and judgmental people can be taught. By Doris’s own views she would be sinful herself, but calls other people names as if she’s the righteous one. As if she is not a sinner herself. It was different for me, how many religious conversations Doris found herself engaged in, with complete strangers, challenging her beliefs.

The friendship and dialogue between Mrs Lucas and Mrs Broussard was enjoyable, reading as they volleyed off each other with ease. Some character contradictions in dialogue that stuck with me a little too much, as it came back down to where certain characters would nitpick where to be judgmental of others on. The writer and the story feels like it finds its groove about 30% of the way in and was hard to put down from there.

There is a lot packed in this story deep conversation wise that would have benefitted from being a little longer. Also, I think a little subtlety would have helped, instead of knowing the development before the story got there. The reader isn’t the naive 17 year old Doris. I do realize, I really don’t enjoy the main point of view of that of someone who relies so heavily on religion. The pov of someone who casts judgment on others sins but forgives their own.

Set in 1960s rural Georgia, Doris is a 17 year old who’s been forced to drop out of school to take care of her sick mother, and has found herself unhappily pregnant. The book is mostly set over the course of a weekend as her former teacher takes her to Atlanta to try and arrange an abortion. Along the way, Doris (who has led a very sheltered small-town life up to this point) has her eyes opened to a much wider range of possibilities for herself, as well as experiencing a glimpse of the queer culture of the era and the civil rights movement. Even though the protagonist is not explicitly queer, there are really significant side characters that are and the book gives a lot of space to the queer culture of the time. Despite the subject matter, it was a light and entertaining read, and the cameos from the civil rights activists and references to real life events helped ground the story firmly in the era. As with a lot of books set in a very limited window of time, you do sometimes find yourself wondering if everything that happens would realistically fit in, but that didn’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the book. A solid recommendation.

Oh WOW These Heathens is one of my new favorite books. It left me almost breathless and wordless as I try to summarize it and its impact. Suffice it to say that Mia McKenzie has done it again! In These Heathens, we follow 17-year-old Doris as she navigates an unexpected pregnancy in the small rural town of Millen, GA. As she seeks help from her former teacher, and embarks on a “menses-returning” mission to Atlanta, we are thrown into the front seat of her rollercoaster-ride of a journey as she discovers truths she’d hidden from or been shielded from all her life. She comes face to face with homosexuality and the biases she’d been taught through her church; abortion and the importance and struggle of safe access to reproductive healthcare; the growing civil-rights movement and the role of student activists in its power; violence vs. nonviolence as political tactics; and her own judgment and exploration of sexuality, love, and desire.

We are on this journey alongside Doris, who’s recounting the tale of her predicament and subsequent trip to Atlanta with the lovely, steadfast Mrs. Lucas. It’s told from Doris’ perspective many decades later as she addresses an insatiable rumor about who got her pregnant in the first place. We meet Coretta Scott and Martin Luther King, Jr. alongside spunky, complicated wealthy Black women dealing with the harsh realities of homophobia while finding community in their queerness. The story is positioned against the backdrop of increasing unrest as the civil-rights movement gained more and more visibility, and we travel alongside Doris for one weekend as she explores a new city, new people, new ideas, and new, unearthed pieces of herself.

I loved the premise of the book. I loved the queer rep. I loved the timeline and the way it calls us to reflect on power and justice. I adored the characters, and I couldn’t put down These Heathens, even when it would have been smart to just go to sleep!

I LOUDLY recommend this book to…anyone. It’s a fast paced, enthralling, poignant coming-of-age story with a powerful infusion of social justice and history. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for sharing this e-arc with me!

A gloriously funny civil-rights-era bildungsroman, with a hilarious, witty, irrepressible protagonist that it is a delight to follow. This was a great story and a fascinating, unique take (including queer perspectives) on an eventful period of time.

1960s Georgia. Doris is 17. Her world is small. Her future is limited. She’s black, pregnant, and wanting something else for her life than what is presented to her. With few options, she turns to a trusted teacher, Mrs. Lucas, who agrees to help Doris get an abortion. What follows is a weekend that opens young Doris’s eyes to a world she was taught to be sinful: where women love women, young folks fight for equality, and choices aren’t as few and far between as she was raised to believe.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the advance copy.

THESE HEATHENS is out today!

As Roxanne Gay said, this book is "deliciously Black and queer." Not sure if anyone needs to know more about the book than that, but I'll tell you a bit more anyway and why I loved it so much! Doris is a young Black woman who is pregnant and does not want her baby. Living in a very small Georgia town in the 1960s, she really doesn't have a lot of options. Thankfully, a teacher is there to help her. What follows is a great story of a young naive girl finding herself in the larger world of Atlanta. It is a great view of an age when women, especially Black women, didn't have a lot of options or freedoms. I loved how those around her saw the possibilities in Doris and helped her find herself! Need an uplifting humorous read? This is the one for you!

These Heathens, set over a weekend in 1960s Georgia, packs so much into a novel. It touches upon abortion, Jim Crow South, religion, LGBTQIAP+ topics and much more. What really made this book a standout for me was the voice of the main protagonist Doris, who narrates. She is a 17-year-old Black young woman, who has dropped out of school to help care for her family when her mother becomes ill. Going to an Atlanta suburb with her teacher opens her eyes to what else is available to her, away from her home of Millen, Georgia. The appearance of several historical figures was also well done as Doris bumps into them while in Atlanta.
Mia McKenzie is a new author to me, but I really enjoyed her writing, and I feel like this novel will be a breakout hit.
I highly recommend this to readers who love historical fiction that covers difficult topics with a unique voice. Sensitive readers should research triggers in this book.
Many thanks to #RandomHouse for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review, as well as #AnneBogel Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide, for putting this on my radar.

Doris is a pregnant teen in search of an abortion in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. When she journeys to Atlanta, she encounters a cast of characters—a who’s who of the Civil Rights movement—as she confronts her own understanding of sex, sexuality, faith, Black liberation, and her destiny. Mia McKenzie’s THESE HEATHENS is a thoughtful meditation on what it meant for Black women to explore their bodies, loves, and futures, and the limits of their choices.

This is my second McKenzie novel, and without a doubt, my favorite so far. What I love about her writing is how she tackles difficult, often heavy subject matter—with humor, insight, and so much heart. I laughed way more than I expected to, and completely fell for Doris— her tenacity, curiosity, and unapologetic honesty made her one of the most memorable protagonists I’ve read in a while.

Though it’s deeply character driven and touches on topics like reproductive rights, faith, and identity within the Black queer community, These Heathens never feels weighed down. McKenzie’s quick wit, sharp storytelling, and layered characters keep things moving. I flew through this book (it’s fantastic both in print and audio, which is narrated by one of my favorites—Bahni Turpin).

It was not at all what I expected, and I mean that in the best possible way. It’s both tender and sharp, thoughtful and laugh-out-loud funny. I’ll be thinking about Doris and her story for a long time and I can’t wait to read more from McKenzie.

4.5 🌟

I wasn't sure what to expect from Mia McKenzie's These Heathens, but wow - I loved this book! It's a coming-of-age tale that explores themes of abortion, civil rights, and the Black queer community. Even with these heavy topics, it doesn't feel bogged down and heavy. McKenzie has a way of writing that makes you feel like you're right there with Doris as she grapples with what she wants out of life and how that aligns with or diverges from the religious mold she was taught. It's simply a beautiful story.

I'm only sad it wasn't longer. I would absolutely read a sequel that revisits Doris as an adult.

Recommended for readers of historical fiction who enjoy Black LGBT+ representation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Doris is a 17 year old in small town Georgia in the 1960s who finds herself pregnant and needs a solution. She recruits the help of her former teacher, and ends up in Atlanta, right in the middle of a completely different world than the one she lives in. She meets other black people unlike the people she's known her whole life. They have money, they're right in the middle of the civil rights movement, and some of them are queer, which is probably the most surprising. She finds out these people aren't so different from her and starts to consider that world is much bigger and more interesting than her hometown and maybe she could be a part of that bigger world.

I think this book did an amazing of job of creating a really strong character in Doris. She had a distinct and realistic voice, and I was immediately rooting for her. It was also a great portrayal of how seeing others like you do things you never dreamed were possible can make you believe you might be able to achieve more. The ending was maybe a little cheesy and neatly tied with a bow, but I think it still works for a young/new adult age range. Would definitely recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the eARC for review!

These Heathens is sharp, funny, and quietly powerful. Mia McKenzie captures that dizzying moment when your world suddenly cracks open — for Doris, it’s one weekend in 1960 Atlanta filled with queer joy, civil rights activism, and people who live boldly in ways she’s never seen. The writing balances humor and tenderness while exploring tough questions about autonomy, identity, and the weight of expectations. A coming-of-age story that feels both intimate and electric.

As a piece of YA fiction, I thought this was a really great read. I whipped through it because it's super digestible, but also because McKenzie hooked me from the beginning. I would have enjoyed reading this a lot in high school, rather than a lot of the already mandated Jim Crow fiction.

I will say, I was much more interested in the story of Cate and Sylvia, but I am biased towards queer women and their stories.

Overall, I enjoyed!

A layered, thought-provoking, and delightful book set in the midst of 1960s queer, feminist, and Black history. I loved Mia McKenzie's SKYE FALLING, and while this book was completely different in many ways, it has a similarly warm and engaging narrative voice and cheeky sense of humor. Who knew a book about a teenager trying to get an abortion in 1960 could be such fun?