The Redemption of Daya Keane by Gia Gordon (review)

Reviewed by: The Redemption of Daya Keane by Gia Gordon Jessie Maimone Gordon, Gia The Redemption of Daya Keane. HarperTeen, 2024 304p Trade ed. ISBN 9780063318373 19. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063318397 10. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 9-12 It's prom season, and Daya has the option of attending either her school's dance or the "pure prom" put on by the mega-church in her town. Neither of the proms would allow her to attend with her crush, a girl named Beckett, and Beckett's parent-pleasing reputation and involvement with the Grace Redeemer Church make Daya unsure if Beckett is even interested in her. Daya goes to the church youth group meetings in an attempt to get to know Beckett better, and she even decides to attend the pure prom, which thrills her religious mother. Daya doesn't want to change who she is or whom she's attracted to, though, and more than anything, she's looking for a way to be her authentic self. Both Daya's believable voice and thoughtful contemplations on where and with whom she fits help to make space for readers contending with their own feelings around queerness and religion. Daya thinks she believes in God, but she can't square that with the way Grace Redeemer's talks about queer folks or anyone who strays from their vision of godliness. The rushed ending is frustrating, but it offers an authentically messy outcome with lots of loose ends and emphasizes the importance of both found families and supportive friend groups for those whose families are unwilling to accept them as they are. Johnson's You Should See Me in a Crown might make a better pick for readers looking for a more romance-focused queer prom story, but fans of realism will appreciate this honest portrayal of religious trauma and the difficulties of growing up queer in close-minded spaces. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois