Boys of Alabama was a very intense and tough read for me. I must admit it was not what I expected alas the reason I probably couldn’t really get into it. But I truly loved the writing style, the unique way of not using „-“ when the people talk and the vivid characters. Max’s and Pan’s magic, although heartbreaking love story kept me reading though. Unfortunately that whole religious cult with the Judge/church and the brainwashed football team wasn’t my cup of tea. It was handled well though and it felt like this is a thing that could happen there for real. The ending was very abrupt and I still have so many questions.

Boys of Alabama was a strange yet interesting read. I loved the way it was written and I felt as through I was right there in Alabama living a small town southern life. The characters seemed like fully visualized people. The first two thirds of the book were truly captivating and I really empathized with what the main character was going through. The last third was part fascinating and part bordering on Christian propaganda (although it might just be the protagonist's dire need to belong in his new home). While the book was a good read as a whole, the ending left a lot to be desired.

I devoured this book in one sitting. I enjoyed that the author sets it in the backdrop of an ultra religious small southern town, in which our protagonist has just moved from Germany...talk about culture shock.
I went into it expecting a sweet LGBT coming of age story, but instead the author mixes in lots of supernatural elements. Around the middle of the book it shifts into almost a revenge plot, as we learn that the town’s religious tendencies may be of a more sinister nature,

Boys of Alabama is a well-told, literary, and smart. A book I would gladly recommend for realistic Southern fiction. The characters are vivid and the story works well.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

TW: death, brainwashing, rape, homophobia, internalized and not, poisoning, violence towards people and animals

I was really excited to read this book and so happy my wish came true! Boys of Alabama is a very intense novel, a coming-of-age story.
Max's family moved from Germany to Alabama for his father's job and the sixteen years old boy has to adapt to the life here. It was interesting reading about how, slowly because of the linguistic barrier, Max starts to understand common sayings, how to fit in, or try to, with the football team he's part of, since he's a very good runner, how to make friends and so on.
A sensitive and shy boy, Max hides a secret and a painful loss and right away he finds himself attracted to the city's "witch", Pan, who is sensitive and weird, who wears lipstick, dresses and makeup. As they start an intense relationship, falling hard in love with each other, Pan discovers Max's secret and everything changes.

Boy of Alabama is a very peculiar novel. The writing style is a bit unique (For example: How can you understand? Max asked) without any inverted commas, so, it took me a while to get into the story, but, once in it, it captured me. It's a beautiful and intense novel with so many important themes, from immigration, faith, love, sexism, homophobia. It shows how Max was pressured, how any adolescent can be pressured, into accepting some things and thoughts. Living in a religious city, surrounded by religious classmates, Max finds himself involved, almost pushed, into their faith.

Interesting and cruel figure is the Judge and how, through God's word, or what he thinks it's God's word, he's violent and abusive, expecially towards his son and ideas that don't conform with his ones.
In this situation, Max is almost torn in two, between the pull of the charismatic Judge, the want to be part of the community, of the football team, and his desire and love for Pan, who is an outsider in the school and with their friends, proud of his ideas, his clothes, his sexuality.
The relationship between Pan and Max is intense and complicated by past lovers, strange powers and Max's inability to choose between Pan and the Judge's charismatic figure. Their bond is really complex and it's clear Max's attraction for Pan, his love for him, how they care for each other.
Max's coming of age, his growing, is seen, too, through snippet of conversations between his parents and his mother and aunt. His mother, suffering from the move and her inability to adapt and accept their new life, sees his changes and she's worried, while his father is open to Max experimenting things, having friends, changing his diet and so on.

It's clear, in some parts, how deep was the Judge's brainwashing in the football team (and in the city), how he was believed and followed, how they believed his lies and manipulations, above all with the poisoning and what they believe sin was and how to banish it.
There is in Lorne an internalized homophobia and his relationship with Pan, Max and his father was really interesting and I wanted to know more.

This book deals with a lot of important themes, seeing them through Max's eyes. Being from Germany, Max has to endure "Nazi" jokes, his inability, at first, to comprehend the inner meanings of the language. It shows how he adapts to his life, while struggling with a magical power, its characteristics complex and that scared him, his being gay, falling in love and how to fit his sexuality in a religious city.
I found the ending a bit abrupt and it left me wanting for more and this novel is beautiful, intense and really unique.