HIGHLY recommend
5.0 stars

What an amazing book that sounds so simple, but was very complex. There are layers upon layers of information, people, outside influences, and much more that impact this story. It is basically about a 17-year-old Black young woman who travels to Atlanta for an abortion.

But this young woman finds her voice, choices, and herself along with a rich and vibrant Black community in Atlanta. She transforms from a judgmental church-going person to questioning what she was taught and learned in church.

Additionally, the intersectionality of gender, class, race, and LGBT+ communities plays a huge role in this historical novel. The Civil Rights movement and all of the different groups working to make a change are highlighted well in this story.

Such a well-done novel!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7566907798 - posted 5/14/2025
The StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/74b7f325-8e8e-4026-9a1c-cc26080415b2?redirect=true - posted 5/14/2025
booksbydorothea Blog: https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/05/review-these-heathens-earcebook.html - posted 5/14/2025

Loved this premise, potentially more than I liked the execution. Regardless, this was a very engaging story and I would definitely recommend.

Doris is pregnant, poor and a teenage caretaker for her family after her mother falls ill. She finds herself pregnant and goes to her favorite teacher for help. Her teacher is from Atlanta and has always showed Doris a special kindness. It is arranged that Doris will go with the teacher to Atlanta to get an abortion. They go to Atlanta where Doris sees wealthy Black people (a first for her), along with Civil Rights activists (also new to Doris). While on this trip, she learns more about her teacher and her teacher’s friends. The idea here was a good one, but I found the execution to be clunky and the story to be a little unbelievable. Doris’ teacher ends up telling Doris all of this personal information, but there was no foundation for all of this sharing from teacher down to student. There were a lot of characters, but none of them were developed in a way that you cared about them. I had high hopes for this book, but it did not work for me. Obviously, I am in the minority here.

What a surprising delight. Using her grandmother's life for a template, Mia McKenzie tells a story of Doris, a pious, naive girl in rural Georgia in 1960 who finds herself saddled with an unwanted pregnancy. She finds a way to Atlanta to settle the problem, encountering some interesting people that open her eyes to the real world. A bit of a controversy in how that problem is solved, but overall this was so enjoyable and I couldn't help but admire Doris's turn of phrase ("...nary a one of them could've poured piss out a boot, even if the instructions were written on the heel.")

This was the first book that I have thoroughly enjoyed in such a long time. Set in 1960s Georgia, it’s about choices, or lack thereof, available to a pregnant, Black 17-year-old named Doris, but also moves beyond that to the choices all of the characters make to determine their own futures. It’s a coming of age story unlike any other that I’ve read before. I found myself rooting for Doris as she made her way from her small hometown to Atlanta, where she meets a cast of characters, has many eye-opening experiences, and learns so much about herself along the way. The characters and their dialogue are so vibrant, I could see this story being brought to life into an amazing movie. Definitely makes me want to reach for the author’s other works.

Very thankful to NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

This is a compelling piece of historical fiction with an inquisitive protagonist, a meaningful set of themes, and a throughline centered on identity and opportunity, and it is an engaging, efficient read.

It's 1960. Doris is pregnant, and she doesn't want to be. In addition to the challenge of the situation and the time, Doris is also only 17 years old, and she has grown up sheltered and isolated for various reasons. Fortunately, Doris seems to be innately humane, which makes her capable of thinking beyond the confines of her religious teachings and community mores and helps her have a truly memorable few days out of town with the help of a teacher!

Doris's perspective is often riveting. She's in a tough situation personally, but that does not stop her from wondering about the new environment she finds herself in throughout the duration of the novel. I loved how curious she was and how she unapologetically asks questions and finds answers in hilarious ways. In a book filled with serious themes, her approach to the world often cracked me up.

I'm impressed with how many meaningful themes and motifs come up here and how the book never feels didactic in the midst of these focal points. This was an enjoyable read and one I'll recommend.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. Doris is a 17-year-old pregnant Black girl in the 1960s who had to leave school to care for her sick mother and younger brothers. The writing was very good and compelling as a sheltered church girl realizes there is more to choose in the world and starts to make decisions for herself.

in These Heathens, Mia McKenzie manages, again, to intertwine humor and comedy into a serious and deep storytelling. Anytime I read a McKenzie book, I know I will really get to know the character(s) and feel so deeply connected in the journey. This book is no different and I highly recommend the read.

Mia McKenzie’s writing has a certain quality that so easily allows me to be transported into the life of the main character. It’s 1960 and seventeen year old Doris needs to get an abortion. She enlists the help of her English teacher Mrs. Lucas who takes her on a whirlwind weekend trip to Atlanta. There Doris’ mind is blown over and over again as she is unknowingly thrust into the world of the queer Black community, civil rights leaders, student activists, and more.

It was so rewarding watching Doris’ evolution over the course of the story. Even though she is in town to get an abortion, she starts out by using religion to inform how she should think about the queer people she is meeting. But she begins to open her mind and learn to look beyond what others might think of as being right or wrong. Doris’ journey is so much about figuring out what she wants to choose for the rest of her life.

While there are big, serious things happening in the story it’s also just a lot of fun to read. It’s entertaining to see how Doris’ time in Atlanta is crossing over with all these famous historical figures. And it’s fascinating to see a book that’s centering and highlighting women and queer people’s roles in the civil rights movement.

Definitely check this book out if it sounds interesting to you! I think it should be a must read for people who enjoy queer historical fiction.

Doris Steele is a Black teenager from a small town in Georgia in 1960. She left school when her mother became ill so she could help take care of the family. When she finds out she's pregnant, she knows she's not ready for that responsibility, and she enlists the help of her former teacher, Mrs. Lucas, to get an abortion. Mrs. Lucas calls on an old friend in Atlanta, and the two of them travel there together. While there, Doris meets several famous Black activists and learns valuable lessons about life outside her small town. These Heathens is funny and insightful and was a pleasure to read. Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam Books for the ARC.

The story was okay but not one of my favorites. It honestly felt rushed and slow at the same time, which was weird. It just wasn't gelling with me, a lot of the dialogue felt forced in a way.

Mia McKenzie is a wizard at building a cast of characters that you know and love from the onset. This was a true tale of the trials and tribulations that came in the 60s, specifically to black women. While I will never be able to understand these difficulties, reading this allowed me the perspective into the lives of women facing not only racism during the civil rights movement, but identity, faith and so much more. A somewhat short story that packs a huge punch.

This was great! It would be a fabulous older YA novel that introduces young people to major elements of the CRM. I love that it’s a love letter to abortion and all that abortion makes possible.

This is the story of a poor teenage Black girl living in rural Georgia in the 1950's, who finds herself pregnant. This was a time when the Civil Rights movement was heating up and Doris finds herself right in the middle of it. This is a great story made even better by the writing skills of Ms. McKenzie. She has such a way with a turn of phrase that her dialog fairly jumps off the page. I highly recommend this book based on the life of the author's grandmother. It is moving and funny and definitely inspirational.

I loved this one so much! Set in Georgia in the 1960’s, Doris is a very religious teen who needs to have an abortion and turns to her favorite teacher for help. The duo embark on a weekend trip to Atlanta for the procedure, which gets delayed. While waiting, Doris meets a cast of characters who completely change her worldview and broaden her life choices.

This is definitely going to be a favorite read this year, the writing and storytelling were magnificent!

WOW. This book was honestly incredible. The story was so mesmerizing, the character growth/coming of age story was really engaging, and the prose was so beautifully written. I loved how three dimensional all of the characters felt, and the fact that most of the events took place over just one weekend kept the pace of the book up. There were many conversations between characters that were very revealing of culture without seeming forced critiques or observations. The dialogue all felt really natural. The storytelling in this book was fantastic. Highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC of this!

An absolute delight to read, These Heathens is a lighthearted exploration of some
of the most controversial forces shaping American society - race, gender, sexuality, and class - to answer the question of what it means to be truly free.

The novel is narrated by a plucky 17 year old protagonist who has had life's deck of cards stacked against her. As a poor black girl in rural GA forced to drop out of school to care for an ailing mother, Doris's life is upended by an unexpected pregnancy. She's aided by a former teacher who smuggles young Doris to affluent Atlanta to abort the pregnancy. During her short time in the city, Doris covers a lot of ground, gaining exposure to the civil rights movement, atheists and lesbians! Doris is simultaneously thoughtful and laugh out loud funny, and I felt lucky to experience her coming of age alongside her. This book feels especially well-suited for book clubs looking for both entertainment value and deep discussion,

As the rights of women, queer and black people continue to erode, the world needs more stories like this.

I’m grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me an advance copy of this fabulous book.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Netgally for this ARC.

These Heathens had me hooting and hollering! Mia McKenzie has managed to write a thought provoking book with plenty of humor and lol moments while also speaking on racism, sexism, activism and religion. There were definitely moments when I paused to research certain facts that I did not know and that is always a sign of a good book for me.

Doris our FMC has a way with words and knows how to turn a phrase. Her initial outrage at the weekend events going on around her then her realization that not everything is always black and white really makes you root for her.

I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait to get a physical copy. Publish date 6/17/25 📅.

What a surprising delight. Using her grandmother's life for a template, Mia McKenzie tells a story of Doris, a pious, naive girl in rural Georgia in 1960 who finds herself saddled with an unwanted pregnancy. She finds a way to Atlanta to settle the problem, encountering some interesting people that open her eyes to the real world. A bit of a controversy in how that problem is solved, but overall this was so enjoyable and I couldn't help but admire Doris's turn of phrase ("...nary a one of them could've poured piss out a boot, even if the instructions were written on the heel.")

short but super strong and really well-written. a moment in time and yet every moment at the same time. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.