Review of Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

This first novel by Robin Brande (whose book jacket biographical blurb makes her sound like a pretty interesting person) addresses the conflict that teens encounter when literalist Christianity challenges the teaching of scientific theory (you know, evolution is "just a theory") in the high school classroom. Protagonist Mena Reece comes from a very restrictive church and home background, and for reasons that are not fully revealed until well into the novel, she is further restricted as punishment for some major betrayal of the church and her parents. While Mena's own struggles to reconcile her genuine love of God and her sense of justice and integrity and her curiosity about the world are depicted well, the evil, hypocritical church members are pretty two-dimensional villains, and Mena's parents make a last-minute about-face to separate themselves from the narrow-minded persecutors of gay teens, science teachers, and any church member that doesn't toe the line.

The delightful part of this novel is Mena's developing friendship and romance with a marvellous, inviting family, the Connors. She is talked into visiting their home by her partner on the science project, Casey, and as soon as she enters his relaxed home full of Lab puppies and furniture designed by his mother, she is hooked by the atmosphere of love and mutual support she finds in this single-parent household. She is a bit overwhelmed by Casey's big sister Kayla, who edits the school newspaper, blogs, and is headed for an activist career, quietly shadowed by her very big, very smart boyfriend, a silent computer geek who designs and sells custom tee shirts. Kayla is on the hunt for information about the protest against the teaching of evolution that Mena's former friends are staging in Mena and Casey's biology class, so she pumps Mena for information and, eventually, gets her writing a column as Bible Grrrl, a thoughtful re-examiner of Biblical stories for less literal explanations of nature than those advanced by her church's pastor in support of intelligent design.

Forbidden to date or even to spend time with boys--to spend time with anyone unless it's on schoolwork--Mena's involvement with this pleasant family ensnares her in a web of deceit from the outset, as she allows Kayla to persuade them that the "Casey" Mena has referred to is "KC," Mena's older mentor. In order to spend time with the puppies, which she loves, and Casey, whom she thinks she's falling for against her will, Mena goes along with the outrageous stories Kayla cooks up. Of course the lies are bound to be exposed--but when the crisis comes, Mena fesses up, building a bridge to a new relationship with her parents.

The best part of this novel, though, is the way that Mena enters new, freer relationships than the church-group-restricted ones she's had in the past. Instead of being part of a crowd indulging in group-think--a social life that led to the persecution of a gay teen, followed by Mena's effort to apologize, the act that got her in hot water at church and home--Mena discovers the pleasures of spending time with a talkative, intellectually curious, mutually supportive family, and she begins thinking for herself. Thinking for herself does not mean total rejection of her upbringing. She has to think about the possibilities of reconciling her Christian beliefs with the science she's learning. She also has to think about the people she's met and decide for herself whether they are good people or not--since they don't come with the church group imprimatur.

Mena is a likable protagonist, Casey and his family are likable characters, and when the attraction between girl and boy becomes undeniable, Mena's feelings are portrayed in a thoroughly sympathetic way. This is, all in all, a very likable book, and for those who believe that only science--and not religious agendas--should be taught in the classroom and that tolerance is one of the best lessons young people can learn, it is a feel-good read.