Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

10 reviews

bree_h_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

5.0

This book really cemented for me that I need to read more Chuck Tingle books.

I wasn’t super sure what to expect from the book just from the blurb, but I really enjoyed it. I love how it explored sexuality and religious trauma. Rose’s personal journey of realising what her feelings were and that confusion around that was deeply relatable. It made me take to her as a MC quickly. Not just the realisation of her sexuality, but the complex feelings around religion and realising how it hurt her. I liked the variety in how characters felt about religion, each had complex but still valid feelings on it. I especially liked the contrast between Rose and Saul. While both suffered at the camp, Rose turned away from religion while Saul embraced it in a more accepting way. I appreciated that neither was depicted as wrong, it was a level of nuance I hadn’t expected.

The characters as a whole were also so well done. Each felt like a real person with complicated feelings and motivations. They all felt consistent and I understood why they were doing what they did. I was pleasantly surprised by how many characters were given depth and complexity too. It was nice that even the less that stellar characters were still people.

The book’s atmosphere and descriptions were also great. Things were described in delightfully disgusting ways. It just made everything properly creepy. Not to mention how well the book did with atmosphere and tension building. There was a deep underlying sense of dread to the book and most scenes that I really enjoyed.

The only flaw that really bothered me was how heavy handed the book could be at times. However, a lot of topics the book discussed are really complex. I think it can be helpful to clearly state what you mean when talking about such layered topics.

Overall it was an amazing read and I highly recommend it. Even if you usually a horror reader, I think it’s worth checking out.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, Medical content, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, and Grief

lisacanteven's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

Such a wonderfully brilliant metaphor for hatred and homophobia. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

swiftpool's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Thoroughly disturbing and intriguing. The writing was really good and had a distinct voice. The family dynamic and conversations were so real I had to stop a few times. I didn’t know much about the plot when I went into the audiobook, but it immediately hooked me in.The audiobook is definitely the way to go, it really brings everything to life. 

Even before it was revealed the MC is indeed autistic I was identifying with her and wondering if she was neurodivergent. I really enjoy her friendship with Saul despite their differences and her conflicting feelings for her family, it’s all portrayed really well.  The descriptions of the demons and videos were so well written it made my stomach twist, but admittedly I don’t read many books with written descriptions of things like that so others may not think the same.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Ableism and Vomit

jordannnnnn's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

samferree's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

There is not a shred of doubt that Conversion Therapy advocates would do this if they could.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, and Lesbophobia

vixenreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

A call to love in the face of self-righteousness and wilful ignorance, this book is horrifying, entertaining, and incredibly loving to those who need it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, and Abandonment

Minor: Drug use, Misogyny, and Alcohol

Be aware of people vomiting bugs out of their mouths, gay conversion therapy, using religion for hate and oppression, and demon imagery.

elishasbookreview's review against another edition

I found the characters' extreme religious beliefs to be triggering for me. I grew up in the Christian church and I've been treated badly by people I called my church family. I tried to ignore it, but it started affected me.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Murder

justmehayleyb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Gaslighting

shannonbauchat's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Mental illness