Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

23 reviews

shinypurplepants's review against another edition

Go to review page

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!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

rin_varga's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

Camp Damascus was just the right mix of spooky, ominous, queer & heartfelt that I was looking for in a summer horror book! An ultimately satisfying and liberating jump-scare thriller that will make the questioning question more than they ever bargained for.

 It actually made it spookier for me to go in knowing that the premise was heavily religiously influenced—it gave the story that "cult" feel, especially because the intelligent Rose can tell right away that she's probably being gaslit by the adults who know more than they're telling her.

When things started getting into the characters' personal reasons for having/not having faith, how their faith has influenced not only their sexuality but how they lie to themselves as a person, and how not everything needs to be in black and white, I really appreciated how respectful their little found family could be for one another even when their perspectives didn't always see eye to eye.

This was a book I'd hoped would give me a scare or two, and it did not disappoint: the fear of the unknown and the lurking suspicion of something supernatural waiting just at the corners of a dark hallway summoned by the wandering thoughts in the back of your mind gave me more than a few jump-scares and spine-tingles! The atmosphere of a conservative Minnesota town in the heat of summer creates a particular mood all its own, and I was easily swept up in the madness of everything as Rose navigates a bizarre reality of unnatural flies, overeager friends and family wanting to "help" her overcome a temptation she doesn't even understand, and the tangle of supposed memories
of something (or someone) she's left behind...

The only wish I have for this book was one you might have too if you went in thinking we'd get to see most of the book taking place within the actual brain-washing camp part of Camp Damascus. That expectation led me to crave a little more of Rose's past relationship with Willow, not just through vague flashbacks: how they met, the little moments they shared, how they ultimately fell in love, etc. Many of these memories that were touched on seemed like they'd be super cute and endearing to read about in real time, and I love reading about relationships that form despite the odds stacked against them...but sadly, these events were only foggily glanced over.


Camp Damascus might not be a book for everyone, especially if you're a queer reader and topics of homophobia, organized religion, and family rejection are painful sore spots you'd rather not dig into. However, as I mentioned, I think many queer readers will appreciate the moral exploration that Rose eventually allows herself to consider, the kindness of found family still struggling with their own sexuality vs. religious beliefs, and the room for possibility that lies within morally gray areas. Everyone's journey is their own, and Camp Damascus has never made the power of choice, faith, and fact seem so amazing.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

r3allybadusername's review against another edition

Go to review page

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.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

fkshg8465's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I learned earlier today that the Bible only started using the word “homosexual” and its other forms in 1946. Evidently, the same word was previously translated as masturbator and its various forms. So conversion therapy, I would guess, probably only followed suit after homosexuality became demonized by the Church (otherwise, there’d be no church if they had to convert every masturbator to what exactly????).

Gay people have been around since the beginning of time, because more of us are scientifically gayer than “polite” society wants to admit (sexuality is a range spanning heterosexuality to homosexuality with lots of shades in between). So the idea of conversion camps fascinates me. Why are we trying to homogenize the world? What is the deep fear or desire motivating it? Thus, I had to read this book, and it wasn’t exactly what I expected, but that’s partially because I forgot to read the small print saying it was also a horror book. However, I suppose it is a horrible experience for those forced to undergo it. And I imagine a lot of what’s in the book might be true enough (the cost and the brainwashing).

Mostly, I’m glad there’s a book for questioning young people to read that lets them know there’s nothing wrong with them and that they have the power to resist.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

brioches22's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

emizulu's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

I loved this book. Heartfelt, heartbreaking, and fulfilling. Interesting world building, at just the kind of pace that lets you put together a few of the background pieces yourself. Would definitely recommend!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

princess_marie's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

pacifickat's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging 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? No

4.5

*full review coming...*

"Something is wrong in Neverton, and that something isn't me." -Rose

"Don't worry, Rose. I've got you. I've always got you." -Dad

"Let there be Rose." -Rose

Content Warnings:

Religious abuse,
Demonic possession, Demons, Hell, Eternal conscious torment,
Guilt, Shame, Fear, Thought stopping, Brainwashing, Cults and cult ideologies, Gay conversion therapy, Confinement, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Blood, Death, Homophobia, Injury detail, Kidnapping, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Body horror, Toxic relationships, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Car accident, Child abuse, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Drug use, Amnesia and memory loss

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jordannnnnn's review against another edition

Go to review page

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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

theangrystackrat's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings