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issie_emma's review against another edition
5.0
Trigger Warning: religious trauma, homophobia, lesbophobia, suicide threats, harassment, shame, guilt
I’m not a fan of reviewing autobiography’s or memoirs, it just feels weird to try and rate someone’s personal experience. However this is an easy 5 stars in terms of saying what just needs to be said.
The book looks at Stacey Chomiak’s personal experience of growing up as both Christian and gay. The book covers 2 decades of her struggle with her identity. Stacey’s experience of homophobia and lesbophobia was horrible to listen to but is something that happens over the planet for queer people who are religious. Stacey does an incredible job of explaining her struggles through life and battling her identity for so many years.
This book is so important for queer teens but it does need to come with trigger warnings due to the topics it covers and how emotional the book is!
Some of the writing is a tad repetitive but that might be due to recalling past memories and experiences. I’m also gutted that I missed out on all the incredible illustrations due to this copy being an audiobook, but the story itself was amazing so I still understood everything.
Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for a copy of an e-arc of Still Stace in exchange for an honest review!
I’m not a fan of reviewing autobiography’s or memoirs, it just feels weird to try and rate someone’s personal experience. However this is an easy 5 stars in terms of saying what just needs to be said.
The book looks at Stacey Chomiak’s personal experience of growing up as both Christian and gay. The book covers 2 decades of her struggle with her identity. Stacey’s experience of homophobia and lesbophobia was horrible to listen to but is something that happens over the planet for queer people who are religious. Stacey does an incredible job of explaining her struggles through life and battling her identity for so many years.
This book is so important for queer teens but it does need to come with trigger warnings due to the topics it covers and how emotional the book is!
Some of the writing is a tad repetitive but that might be due to recalling past memories and experiences. I’m also gutted that I missed out on all the incredible illustrations due to this copy being an audiobook, but the story itself was amazing so I still understood everything.
Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for a copy of an e-arc of Still Stace in exchange for an honest review!
corriespondent's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
The cover made me think it was a graphic novel, but it’s an illustrated novel about Stacey’s personal story of discovering she “liked girls,” the tension and pain that caused with her conservative Christian upbringing, beliefs, and parents, and her fifteen year journey to try to become “ex-gay” before (spoiler alert) experiencing a divine moment of acceptance that helped her to accept her sexuality and her relationship with the woman who would become her wife. This book is vulnerable, brutal, unflinchingly honest, and beautiful, especially as Stacey shares snippets from her anguished prayer journal entries throughout her decade and a half of wrestling with her sexuality and begging God to change her. It feels like a privilege to have this kind of access to someone’s heart in this way.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia and Sexual content
lrnash's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a beautiful story that represents that struggle of many LGBTQ individuals who still hold firm to their faith but we’re raised in non-affirming churches and families. While I no longer wrestle with this anymore, I’m glad to have this book as a resource for the young people currently in my life and who may come into my life as a counselor so I can share Stace’s story with them and help them feel less alone
simoneclark's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you, Netgalley and the author/publisher, for the opportunity to read (listen to) and review an advanced reader's copy of this book. This in no way affects my review, all opinions are my own.
I was surprised how open Stacey was about her story, and that is something I really like. There are so many Christian out there who struggle with reconciling they sexuality with their Christian beliefs. It was great to dive into the thoughts and feelings of someone who went through all those struggles. With that being said, I once again have to point out that it is not our place as fellow Christians to judge anyone, we are to love them regardless of who they are, what they look like, what they do, etc. Only God has the power and authority to judge! I wholeheartedly believe in this command. We have to love people while still leading a life based on the principle "be in the world, but not of the world."
I was surprised how open Stacey was about her story, and that is something I really like. There are so many Christian out there who struggle with reconciling they sexuality with their Christian beliefs. It was great to dive into the thoughts and feelings of someone who went through all those struggles. With that being said, I once again have to point out that it is not our place as fellow Christians to judge anyone, we are to love them regardless of who they are, what they look like, what they do, etc. Only God has the power and authority to judge! I wholeheartedly believe in this command. We have to love people while still leading a life based on the principle "be in the world, but not of the world."
crankyisgood's review against another edition
5.0
Strongly recommend. Stacey’s a deeply honest and loving person, which comes through in every page. I am not steeped in church so it’s unfathomable to me how hurtful many of her friends and family can be (the question, “Is it possible to be gay and Christian?” just seems stupid to me. Duh! What does one have to do with the other? I like my bubble, thanks.) I enjoy learning about religious thought, and the concepts of being “perfectly loved” and living in service. It confuses me in a good way.
Thanks to my friends of faith, scholars of theology and religious studies, who always are okay with my weird, blurted-out questions.
Thanks to my friends of faith, scholars of theology and religious studies, who always are okay with my weird, blurted-out questions.
ashwolff's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. I don’t usually like to review or even rate memoirs. How can you assign a star rating to someone’s life experience? Sure some resonate more, or are written better than others, but I just really feel uncomfortable doing it. This book though.
I have never identified more with anything I’ve read. Ever. This was my life. Right down to the details. The worship songs, the CCM music artists, Brio magazine, the uncomfortable time with my parents when Rosie O’Donnell came out. My parents denial. My parents pushing me to date a freaking PEDOPHILE because he was a “Christian” man. My parents were also heavily involved in Exodus, the ex gay “ministry”. I never had the guilt and shame that Stacey experienced so profoundly, but I can understand it.
Besides the fact that I identified so intensely with Stacey and her journey, it was such a beautifully written and illustrated memoir. I felt so much for her, and was yearning for everything to work out. Thank you Stacey for writing such a profoundly moving book.
I have never identified more with anything I’ve read. Ever. This was my life. Right down to the details. The worship songs, the CCM music artists, Brio magazine, the uncomfortable time with my parents when Rosie O’Donnell came out. My parents denial. My parents pushing me to date a freaking PEDOPHILE because he was a “Christian” man. My parents were also heavily involved in Exodus, the ex gay “ministry”. I never had the guilt and shame that Stacey experienced so profoundly, but I can understand it.
Besides the fact that I identified so intensely with Stacey and her journey, it was such a beautifully written and illustrated memoir. I felt so much for her, and was yearning for everything to work out. Thank you Stacey for writing such a profoundly moving book.
rubadubindabathtub's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Lesbophobia and Homophobia