4.25 stars: McKenzie managed to introduce us to several multi-dimensional characters, at the same time she introduced her main protagonist Doris to them, in a novel that took place over just a few days. Despite the book covering the very heavy topics of racism, sexism, homophobia, and reproductive rights (before Roe v Wade), it never felt heavy-handed. Intersectionality is not something that a lot of authors can do well, especially in historical fiction, but McKenzie's writing handled it with ease, and in under 300 pages!

I initially thought that the evolution of Doris could have, in no way, happened so quickly, but she is 17 and it was her first experience outside of the little Georgia town and church she was so sheltered in. Her world was cracked open by the women she met on her journey in a way that felt genuine and sincere. I truly appreciated the strong, but nuanced female characters in this story and especially enjoyed the humor with which McKenzie portrayed them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC and for introducing me to a new author that I may have otherwise not picked up!

These Heathens is fantastic... I went into it without reading the description closely, as I was a big fan of Skye Falling and was eager to read whatever the author put out. These Heathens is funny, sharp, and moving, all while still being quick and readable in one long sitting. The protagonist gets help from a former teacher who brings her from rural Georgia to Atlanta for an abortion, where she ends up meeting openly queer people and civil rights activists, while waiting for a maybe-coming doctor to discretely perform the procedure. These Heathens reminds me of Grown Women by Sarai Johnson, a recent favorite, as well as the scene (if you know, you know) in the movie Portrait of a Lady on Fire. There are a lot of heavy themes in this book, but the voice and movement of the story keeps things entertaining, smooth, and intriguing without feeling too heavy or too "much" --- this book is serious, and complicated, but Doris (the pregnant seventeen year old in question) has such a unique, wonderful voice, it all hits a little different, like you're listening to a story told decades later, when you know it all, somehow, worked out.

This novel is a vibrant and deeply gratifying exploration of a young woman's journey of self-discovery against the backdrop of the burgeoning civil rights movement. The premise alone—a pious, small-town teenager seeking an abortion in 1960s Atlanta—is compelling, but the story truly shines in its rich characterizations and nuanced portrayal of a pivotal moment in American history.

Doris Steele's experience is both heartrending and eye-opening. Her encounters with the queer Black community and civil rights activists in Atlanta challenge her preconceived notions and force her to confront her own desires and beliefs. The author skillfully weaves together the personal and the political, showing how Doris' individual struggle for reproductive freedom intersects with the larger fight for racial equality.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to create a vivid sense of time and place. From the clandestine abortion appointment to the electrifying atmosphere of a SNCC conference, the reader is fully immersed in Doris's world. While the story tackles weighty themes, it does so with grace and humor, making it an ultimately uplifting and inspiring read. A must-read that lingers long after the final page.

I love books that are inspired by the author's family and this one is based on the author's grandmother. The protagonist, Doris Steele, is a teenager who finds herself pregnant but doesn't feel she can raise and support a baby at this time. She finds other women with means who help and support her through the journey, not only of getting an abortion, but finding out who she is and what she wants out of life. Doris initially turns to her teacher, Mrs. Lucas, and together they travel from rural Georgia to Atlanta in 1960. In Atlanta, Doris has many experiences that expand her understanding of people outside of her immediate family. She sees the preparations for sit-ins, meets Dr. King, and gets to hang out with some amazing characters who unfortunately have to hid their true selves from the world. Doris has a weekend that completely changes her perspective and alters the course of her life.
There were times in the story where I laughed, gasped, and shook my head at decisions, but in the end, I am so glad to have read this book. It shows how one person can make a difference in someone else's life. It showed that we can learn to find our path once we find our people who support and nurture the friendships. If you like historical fiction that tells human stories with heart and character, I highly recommend this book!!
#TheseHeathens #NetGalley
Thank you Penguin Random House and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a coming of age story that takes place over one weekend in 1960s Atlanta. Doris is seventeen, pregnant, and preparing for a life of caring for her disabled mother in her small town of Millen, Georgia. She turns to her beloved teacher Mrs. Lucas for help getting an abortion. They travel to Atlanta one weekend, as Mrs. Lucas has connections to wealthy and powerful Black people in Collier Heights who can help Doris. During the Civil Rights Movement, Doris is exposed to so many new ideas and people living, traveling, and creating things she never knew possible. She also discovers that Mrs. Lucas and some her friends have a romantic history, and Doris' world is basically cracked wide open. This was a short book, and the writing was excellent. Highly recommend!

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.

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!