Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

40 reviews

50shadesofrae's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The good Dr. Tingle proves love is real yet again. It’s nice to see someone dive into the deep horror of a mega church in an evangelical small town. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

cricket_witch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I feel grateful every day that I avoided conversion therapy, and this book really highlights the way in which it is a nightmare. While fictional, this story touches on the fears that LGBTQ+ folks live with in the United States. The horror it evokes is real, deeply seated in the homophobia and transphobia that runs rampant through religious and conservative communities. It ends with a hope that we can move into a world that respects us queer folk and keeps space for queer faith.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Blood, Vomit, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Car accident, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Confinement, Hate crime, and Torture

alaris's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Biphobia and Homophobia

sheriffrockyraccoon's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The premise of this book interested me, as well as its popularity online. While I was expecting a humorous horror novel about queerness and Christianity, I was thrilled to also discover how strong Chuck Tingle’s writing is.

My main issue with the book comes from the time jumps. There are a few places where Rose talks about weeks of research she’s done, but we never get to see it. Especially considering how intelligent she is, I would have loved to spend more time seeing what her research process is like and discovering new information. There were a few times I felt I was being told what happened, rather than getting to experience it. I also found the themes of this book to be incredibly heavy-handed, I didn’t need to be told conversion therapy is wrong and would rather see the repercussions of these beliefs without being pulled out of it by somewhat condescending phrases. Trust your readers, Chuck!

My complaints aside, I did really enjoy this book. There are several passages that were incredibly visual and exciting, from monster descriptions to the sunset. I also loved how Tingle built suspense, I felt like I was reading a marathon with how excited I felt. The premise of this book is also a brilliant idea and I enjoyed going on this journey with Rose.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of sci-fi horror. While there are definitely religious themes, it’s the scientific procedure of the characters that really moves the story along.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

These are definitely graphic trigger warnings, be aware!

shinypurplepants's review against another edition

4.0

Gross, horrific and romantic! Long, long list of content warnings and the biggest one isn't even recognized by Storygraph: do not read this if you cannot handle bugs, body horror and religious abuse.

Otherwise, this Tingle title is a visceral romp from abuse to self actualization. As a queer person raised in a religious household I felt seen. It is a cathartic and horrifying feeling. 8/10 highly recommended!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

jessawilson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

It was okay. I loved Bury Your Gays so I wanted to read this but this was a little more religious based than I liked. It's horrible what happens to the characters but it wasn't what I thought it would be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

oliviajreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, and Gaslighting

spaghettii's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this (in a good way). When I was able to predict something, it would be only shortly before it was revealed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

r3allybadusername's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book was great! My only complaint would be that I wish the ending felt a little unfinished.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Gaslighting

irrationaltide's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I went into this expecting a Friday the 13th level queer camp horror. What I got instead was an escape from a cult with so much religious trauma, it was hard not to relate to. This book was fantastic and a thrilling ride to the end. Highly recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting