Believe Me
Killham, NinaThe world seen through the eyes of teenager Nic Delano, is full of questions, especially the biggest one of all - what is the meaning of life? Nic's search for something to believe in, brings him into conflict with his astrophysicist and atheist mother Lucy. As Nic is drawn to a group of devout Christians, tragedy strikes, causing Nic and Lucy to embark on a journey confronting and exploring faith and love. A powerful and moving read, whatever your age.
Comments from Groups
An interesting mix of those who enjoyed the book and those who didn't....It did stimulate one of the most interesting discussions we have had. Paihia 003Provoked interesting discussion. There was no real climax. Auckland 255Overall enjoyed the book. Interesting discussion about religion. Would recommend it. Christchurch 143We loved this book, the dialogue especially. Dunedin 015An easy read, cleverly written with lots of different themes interwoven right throughout the novel. Dunedin 067
Pages
291
291
Year
2009
2009
Reviews
06-07-2023
This one was popular with all, and provided a good discussion.
23-04-2020
'Believe Me' was enjoyed by everyone in the group, because of its newness and freshness, its humour, its contemporary feel and its acute characterisation. It engendered lively but amicable discussion in a group with mixed beliefs. All found the publisher's notes and questions, particularly the questions, both pertinent and helpful.
23-04-2020
The group was very divided. A minority liked the simplicity of language, the angle from an adolescent's perspective, and the issues it raised. The majority derided the poverty and inconsistency of the language, the stereotyping of characters, the unbelievability of various scenes, and the way one minor form of Christianity (fundamentalist evangelical) was presented as what religion is about...
23-04-2020
We all found it to be a "good read". We felt it started very well; showed lots of promise but didn't finish as well as it began.
23-04-2020
We all enjoyed it though it is definitely young adult fiction. Amusing characters that were well drawn.
23-04-2020
Good notes. Very in depth discussion of what was initially deemed a 'lightweight' book! Provoked an examination of belief, truth, success, family, religion and more.
23-04-2020
Mixed response - good discussion. Some found Nic's voice/character hilarious, while others found him unconvincing.
23-04-2020
Enjoyed by all. Some good writing, and lots to talk about!
23-04-2020
All enjoyed this book. Well put together and the different topics were all dealt with in a believable way.
23-04-2020
It sparked a very good discussion - as convenor, I was very careful to ask that speakers not be interrupted for the general "What did you think of the book" round that we start with, to protect and respect each person's religious position - which enabled a very positive discussion amongst a varied belief group.
23-04-2020
Enjoyed by all. Good discussion with many contributions about religion, and having different views to your children, or thinking about your own childhood, and how religion was presented to you.
23-04-2020
Some people loved the humour, others felt it was too contrived and issues-driven.
22-04-2020
The group was a bit lukewarm about the book, but found the questions stimulating. We all admired Lucy's gumption. She and her husband were ill-matched, having different goals in life. But Nic was a lively narrator and a believable teen. Other characters however, were too much like "straw men", their characteristics being very stereotypical. However, many of us admitted to laughing out loud as we read.