Kerr treats the often controversial topic of unorthodox religions openly and with sensitivity. With no hint of persuasion, criticism, or leveling of moral judgment, she presents aspects of the Fundamentalist church and its attendant phenomena such as speaking or singing in tongues, holy rolling, dancing in the spirit, experiencing The Rapture, slain in the spirit and the like as natural concomitants of the religion and without sensationalism. The same matter-of-fact treatment is given to TV evangelism. In the context of the story, Opal's ambition to achieve The Rapture is natural both for her salvation and as a means for defining herself in the sight of her peers. Jesse's indifference to religion is understandable in light of his past experiences. The ambition of Opal, in principle, is representative of the types of ambitions held by teenagers. Kerr's success in presenting these aspects of religious life is aptly...