Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family by Garrard Conley

33 reviews

lefthandedlooney's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Outing, Mental illness, Homophobia, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, and Lesbophobia

buer's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

4.0

Garrard Conley's searing memoir Boy Erased is a beautifully written look at a painful series of chapters in his life. Conley finds his gay identity in direct conflict with his Baptist upbringing and his loving family, which leads him to enter the "Love In Action" (LIA) program, which aims to help him get rid of his "sin" of gay attraction and be pure once again.

Conley describes his experience with Love In Action, illustrating the inexperience and hostility of the staff, the likelihood of lengthened stays in the program, and the way that participants are taught to police each other throughout the program. He also wrestles with his love for a family that cannot accept his queer identity, his desire for a god that loves him, and his struggle to reconcile who he knows he is with who he wants to be. This is an incredibly nuanced look at a young man struggling to find himself and Conley tells the story beautifully.

I read this as an audiobook, which I would recommend. Although it is not read by the author, I found that it was easier to navigate the sometimes spiraling visual cues that lead to internal monologues that, in turn, lead to distant memories that then circled back to the past.

I would recommend this book for Christians and people in the LGBTQ community who want a deeper understanding of programs like LIA can do to a person and for people who like really visual, introspective storytelling.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Rape, and Sexual content

brassmonkey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.25

Less of a memoir, more of a series of disjointed essays that fail to deliver a cohesive narrative. Still a beautifully written and gut wrenching piece. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Homophobia, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Racism

Minor: Cursing, Pedophilia, Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse

An instance of bestialiy was described.

07x20's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, and Religious bigotry

taliynmarie's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

A heart-breaking memoir that also brings hope for the future. The author's voice is very evident and I felt so much of my own story as I read his. It is so important to write and publish stories like this - both so others know they are not alone, but also so others understand what their actions do.
I couldn't put this down.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Pedophilia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

religious trauma

lee_noel's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Eating disorder and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, Outing, Alcoholism, Blood, Miscarriage, and Addiction

peach_pit's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Outing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Rape

Moderate: Eating disorder, Addiction, Mental illness, Outing, and Rape

Minor: Child abuse and Animal cruelty

doramag's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, and Homophobia

jams_is_rad's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

the book is heavy and raw and if you have experiences with being queer and being rejected by your religion it will make you cry but also feel seen

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Rape

lisamsalgado's review against another edition

dark emotional informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Rape