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Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Pray the Gay Away by Michael Zakar and Zach Zakar is a memoir, at times sensational and heartbreaking, of Iraqi twins in modern America, two brothers “cursed” to be gay — at least in the eyes of their own mother. How can they admit to themselves that they are gay and how can they make an unmitigated come-out to their classmates, friends and colleagues. Most of all, how can they come out plainly to the woman who gave birth to and raised them while feeling alienated from her? The story was inspired the very night they became convinced that their mother knew they were gay. This memoir takes readers on a rollicking ride with the twins, from the age of sixteen, as they navigate relationships and try to understand who they are. It explores their fears, their uncertainties, and their experience of rejection, even from their mother who looks at them as an abomination, a curse from God.
At sixteen, Michael is in a relationship with Sabrina while Zach is with Lee, and the book begins with disastrous adventures with their relationship partners. The reader will become keen to discover what happens next and the shift in narrative, which alternates the points of views of the twins, creates a gripping sense of suspense which will accompany the reader throughout the narrative. The book is well written, and the first person narrative is done well to capture the flood of emotions that runs through the narrative. The conflict is wonderfully handled and readers will find the internal — psychological — conflict as well as the physical one intriguing. Pray the Gay Away answers the questions: what does it take to be true to one’s self, to embrace one’s sexual preference, and to feel normal with that choice? The story is told with honesty and courage, and it is hard not to feel the pain of the protagonists. It’s riveting, a great read in gay literature.
