A positive review of No Going Back was published in today’s issue of The Daily Utah Chronicle, the newspaper of the University of Utah.
The reviewer, Devin Richey, wrote in part:
“No Going Back is a coming-of-age story, but it manages to not fall into the formulaic pitfalls of that genre. Langford handles the characters with an authenticity that might baffle those who have already made firm assumptions about either of the groups. Although there are many characters who retain a strict us-versus-them attitude, they mainly serve as acknowledgement of the closedmindedness of some people….
“Although the story is well-written, it is unlikely that it will hold much interest with people who are not involved in either side of the subjective conflict. People who do hold opinions one way or the other, however, will find allies in the book and might be surprised when ideological opponents defy their generalized and expected behaviors.
“Regarding the effects he desires for the book to have on readers, Langford said he hopes No Going Back ‘might help (Mormons) to see same-sex attraction not as something utterly alien, but rather as simply a challenge some people struggle with.’
“He said that he hopes non-LDS people will gain understanding of how someone could make the decision not to act on orientations because of religious beliefs.”
Tags: Daily Utah Chronicle, homosexuality, Mormon, Reviews of No Going Back, University of Utah