Reviews with content warning for Torture - Camp Damascus

This was pretty good. A little slow at first but picks up nicely. Good amount of horror (especially body horror). Love to see gay conversation camps get dismantled and bigots getting their due.
Look at trigger/content warnings beforehand! Nothing too too graphic but def could be hard to read.
Would def check out more from the author.

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50shadesofrae's review against another edition

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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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entityj's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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

4.5

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cricket_witch's review against another edition

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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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embee007's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.5

"Beware a curious person whose attention has been piqued."

My first Chuck Tingle book, somehow, & definitely not my last (Bury Your Gays is also on my TBR for the fall).

“The stuff they believed, the messages they pounded into our heads … none of it was that weird. They’re just the thousandth little twist on the exact same book.”

As multiple other people have pointed out, Camp Damascus feels YA, not in a bad way. But if the book was marketed as YA, it would immediately be banned from at least half the country's school libraries, & quite a few public libraries as well.

"It’s hardly the worst thing organized religion has come up with."

This book is uncomfortable, & heavy. Bible quotes are repeated, as well as the cult's tenets. Religious trauma is heavily explored.

“There are things I miss about my old life, like community and family and just … going to church on a day like today. You’ve shown me how someone could find love in that book on their own terms, but too many people around here have used it for hate.”

Representation: Autistic lesbian MC, wlw relationship, gay supporting character.

Warning: Religious trauma, cult, gay conversion camp, gaslighting

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millionsofmax's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

As a queer, non-binary ex-Christian… fuck. This book was painful and hopeful and the vindication that I need against the people who called my identity delusion my entire adolescence.

And thank you, Mr. Tingle, for letting the lesbians kiss.

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randi_jo's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny 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

4.25

This was such a good read. And while it does have some very anxiety inducing scenes, in typical Chuck Tingle form, there are some very poignant themes and thoughts sprinkled throughout the narrative, like: life's balance between knowledge and faith, identity and how mutable it is, real evil is done with intention (sometimes even best intentions), sometimes your family won't choose you but you can always choose your found family, and as always: love and acceptance.

Pros:

🪰 Some of that horror really did make me squeamish, but not because it was "in-your-face" offensive. Just tense and sometimes gross.

🪰 MC is gay and autistic - she displays hyperfocus tendencies and has her own soothing rituals, which honestly sometimes made ME feel better, too lol. Anyway, she is portrayed really well as she struggles with faith, the loss of faith, and coming to terms with her identity.

🪰 A very thoughtful approach to the insidiousness of hatred in institutions (the church in this case). That there is no black and white message that "all religion is evil or good" makes it more compelling to examine your own thoughts and values.

Cons:

🪰 Minor pacing issues, but most of them I think occur in places that don't affect tension buildup for the thriller/spooky stuff.

🪰 Marina was forgotten maybe a bit too soon.

🪰 Had alcohol instead of chocolate milk.

this is a joke and not a real con unless you are very rigid on your tingleverse canon, which would be understandable

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