SuitabookCaught in the crossfire
Juliann Rich
- Reading
- Consider checking in after the storm-related crisis and the public decision. Let your reader lead any discussion of faith or identity, and make space for differing responses.
- Themes
- Faith and attraction: Jonathan struggles between his belief in God and his feelings for Ian. The conflict is central, but the story's ultimate stance on how Jonathan should reconcile these parts of himself is not established.
- Religious language about being gay: Ian openly challenges phrases such as “pray the gay away” at the camp. Ian's challenge is explicit; how other characters and the narrative treat the phrase or the views behind it remains unclear.
- Storm and public decision: After a storm hits and Ian is lost in it, Jonathan is forced to make a public decision that changes his life. The synopsis presents this as a turning point, but neither the nature of the decision nor its outcome is disclosed.
- Worth knowing
- Jonathan faces uncertainty about faith and attraction, while Ian challenges the phrase “pray the gay away”. A storm also puts Ian in danger; how these moments are handled is unclear.