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arlingtonchamberofgay's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
In Yes, Daddy, Jonah dances the line between rags and riches, climbing the ladder of wealth the only way that many of us working class queers can: through our bodies. Parks-Ramage does a brilliant job conveying just how quickly survivors start reasoning away the abuse in an effort to stay sane and hold on to their life. The constant internal dialogue of “i’m doing this to survive” and “this isn’t fucking normal”, back and forth, over and over again, that damaging spiral of mental turmoil that just chips away at your mental health. He also explores the way that evangelical christianity is woven into our culture and often follows us long after we’ve left, even sometimes calling us back before falling out again.
As a trans, queer, sexual assault survivor with religious trauma and a plethora of daddy issues, this book got to me in a way I wasn’t fully expecting. But it brought words to the things that I’ve only ever kept to myself or told few friends. So thank you. Here’s to my fellow survivors. Let’s knock ‘em dead.
As a trans, queer, sexual assault survivor with religious trauma and a plethora of daddy issues, this book got to me in a way I wasn’t fully expecting. But it brought words to the things that I’ve only ever kept to myself or told few friends. So thank you. Here’s to my fellow survivors. Let’s knock ‘em dead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Homophobia, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Child abuse
lucyblackbirdreads's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This one is going to be a complicated review for me that I'm going to try to make spoiler-free.
I really loved this book a lot at first. The psychological manipulation, the realistic view of certain situations that have been (and very much still is) a focal point, the aftermath, the mob mentality.... If you've read it, hopefully you know what I mean.
And then, it switched. The ending took a turn that I didn't expect, and leaned heavily on something I guess I wasn't ready for. During this switch, a situation happens that was honestly done really well and kind of gave me some hope that the tone didn't completely change, but then it went harder and that's where it lost me.
We know early on that Jonah comes from a very religious background, and aspects of that come back into his life. I want to stress that I don't have anything against religion in books, but I felt the way it was done in the last part felt uncomfortably awkward. It felt almost forced. Religious trauma is part of the story, and maybe it is more realistic than I realize, and if so I hope someone will converse to give me another view, but for me it just really was a let down after such a strong story previously.
And then, I saw the acknowledgments, and that it was already being made into a (show? movie?) and I felt like that explained a lot of why the ending was the way it was. This book has not been out lo g at all, and it already is being made into a video adaptation? So was this written for a novel? A show? Or was this written by someone who wanted to cash in on as many entertainment areas as possible no matter what?
I realize I'm making assumptions, however when I then look back, I can see moments that go from subtly lacking detail to "oh, this was written for a visual consumption", and it changed the way I viewed it.
I would still recommend this book, but for me it ended up lacking once I went back and thought about it. I still want to hold Mace though. He was the best and most heartbreaking in the entire story.
I really loved this book a lot at first. The psychological manipulation, the realistic view of certain situations that have been (and very much still is) a focal point, the aftermath, the mob mentality.... If you've read it, hopefully you know what I mean.
And then, it switched. The ending took a turn that I didn't expect, and leaned heavily on something I guess I wasn't ready for. During this switch, a situation happens that was honestly done really well and kind of gave me some hope that the tone didn't completely change, but then it went harder and that's where it lost me.
We know early on that Jonah comes from a very religious background, and aspects of that come back into his life. I want to stress that I don't have anything against religion in books, but I felt the way it was done in the last part felt uncomfortably awkward. It felt almost forced. Religious trauma is part of the story, and maybe it is more realistic than I realize, and if so I hope someone will converse to give me another view, but for me it just really was a let down after such a strong story previously.
And then, I saw the acknowledgments, and that it was already being made into a (show? movie?) and I felt like that explained a lot of why the ending was the way it was. This book has not been out lo g at all, and it already is being made into a video adaptation? So was this written for a novel? A show? Or was this written by someone who wanted to cash in on as many entertainment areas as possible no matter what?
I realize I'm making assumptions, however when I then look back, I can see moments that go from subtly lacking detail to "oh, this was written for a visual consumption", and it changed the way I viewed it.
I would still recommend this book, but for me it ended up lacking once I went back and thought about it. I still want to hold Mace though. He was the best and most heartbreaking in the entire story.
mannnishboy's review
It was a little triggering. A pretty intense SA scene and I had to stop
Reading. Felt it was well written and a very fast read up until that point. Also interesting subject. Wish it was a little more closed door with the scenes. Maybe that is the one and only. I just didn’t want to keep reading to find out.
Reading. Felt it was well written and a very fast read up until that point. Also interesting subject. Wish it was a little more closed door with the scenes. Maybe that is the one and only. I just didn’t want to keep reading to find out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, and Sexual content
hart_ley's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, Sexual harassment, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Stalking
adsread's review
4.0
The title seemed kinda cheesy, and I had my doubts, but wow, reading this was quite a journey. The unexpected twists, the unraveling traumas, and the main character who makes you question everything. A heads-up before diving in: this book includes a scene of sexual assault and deals explicitly with homophobia.
leejd0905's review
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
laelyn's review
3.0
I was intrigued by the concept of this book when it was recommended to me as a story that is similar to "My Dark Vanessa". In a way, it is, and "Yes Daddy" got me hooked from the very first page.
It's the story of young ambitious but financially poor Jonah who aspires to be a playwright but has to settle for being a waiter for now. Until he learns of famous playwright Richard Shriver, twice his age, incredibly successful, very obviously interested in young pretty guys. So he decides to become the new young pretty guy at his side, and he suceeds too.
But this is not simply the story of a young guy dating an older man in order to become successful - Jonah is no Maurice Swift. There is a lot more to him and his desire to be with Richard, and the book dives deep into these issues: Religion, conversion therapy, troubles with his father, a deeply instilled shame of who he is paired with a hunger to love and be loved. Jonah is a traumatised young man even if he doesn't really understand it for a long time, and the trauma of his past in addition to the constant loneliness he feels makes him vulnerable.
This vulnerability is then abused by much older, much more experienced Richard in all the worst ways. The emotional and sexual abuse Jonah is put through by the man he thinks he loves, and the creepy friends of said man too, is tough to read and I had to put down the book multiple times. It's heartbreaking and written in a very graphic way. I admit that at some points I thought the plot to be too gruesome, too horrible to be realistic anymore - but then I remembered that yes, our world can be just as cruel.
The aftermath of the abuse is just as heartbreaking, and "Yes, Daddy" - so much can be said without giving away too much - is not a story that ends with a happily-ever-after for anyone involved. Which makes it all the more realistic.
"Yes, Daddy" has flaws, too, it is not a perfect book. The writing did remind me of smutty fanfiction at times, especially during the sex scenes (though that is not a flaw in itself, it simply didn't entirely fit the rest of the writing). Richard and his friends are often times portrayed in a very "story-book villain" kind of way which made them seem less realistic and thus influenced the emotional impact they had on me. Jonah's characterization was a little inconsistent at times, too. And there are some plot points that I feel were entirely unnecessary and were only in the book for their shock value (without giving away spoilers: that one Matt scene really threw me off because it didn't make sense in the story and seemed to have no value beyond "shocking! more suffering!"). And the book wants to say a lot about very different, very important topics: It deals with homosexuality and religion, it deals with (internalized) homophobia and self-acceptance, it deals with rape and abuse, it deals with trauma and pain and regret, it deals with the "Me Too"-movement and social media, it deals, to a lesser degree, with the criminal justice system when it comes to dealing with rapists in court. That is a lot and I'm not sure if I would have preferred the story to focus on one or two of these subjects instead of spreading out so much.
Still, this is a dark, disturbing, depressing, yet also powerful and raw and important story that I hope a lot of people will read despite the title that might make it look like a different kind of book to some.
3,5 stars.
many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the arc!
It's the story of young ambitious but financially poor Jonah who aspires to be a playwright but has to settle for being a waiter for now. Until he learns of famous playwright Richard Shriver, twice his age, incredibly successful, very obviously interested in young pretty guys. So he decides to become the new young pretty guy at his side, and he suceeds too.
But this is not simply the story of a young guy dating an older man in order to become successful - Jonah is no Maurice Swift. There is a lot more to him and his desire to be with Richard, and the book dives deep into these issues: Religion, conversion therapy, troubles with his father, a deeply instilled shame of who he is paired with a hunger to love and be loved. Jonah is a traumatised young man even if he doesn't really understand it for a long time, and the trauma of his past in addition to the constant loneliness he feels makes him vulnerable.
This vulnerability is then abused by much older, much more experienced Richard in all the worst ways. The emotional and sexual abuse Jonah is put through by the man he thinks he loves, and the creepy friends of said man too, is tough to read and I had to put down the book multiple times. It's heartbreaking and written in a very graphic way. I admit that at some points I thought the plot to be too gruesome, too horrible to be realistic anymore - but then I remembered that yes, our world can be just as cruel.
The aftermath of the abuse is just as heartbreaking, and "Yes, Daddy" - so much can be said without giving away too much - is not a story that ends with a happily-ever-after for anyone involved. Which makes it all the more realistic.
"Yes, Daddy" has flaws, too, it is not a perfect book. The writing did remind me of smutty fanfiction at times, especially during the sex scenes (though that is not a flaw in itself, it simply didn't entirely fit the rest of the writing). Richard and his friends are often times portrayed in a very "story-book villain" kind of way which made them seem less realistic and thus influenced the emotional impact they had on me. Jonah's characterization was a little inconsistent at times, too. And there are some plot points that I feel were entirely unnecessary and were only in the book for their shock value (without giving away spoilers: that one Matt scene really threw me off because it didn't make sense in the story and seemed to have no value beyond "shocking! more suffering!"). And the book wants to say a lot about very different, very important topics: It deals with homosexuality and religion, it deals with (internalized) homophobia and self-acceptance, it deals with rape and abuse, it deals with trauma and pain and regret, it deals with the "Me Too"-movement and social media, it deals, to a lesser degree, with the criminal justice system when it comes to dealing with rapists in court. That is a lot and I'm not sure if I would have preferred the story to focus on one or two of these subjects instead of spreading out so much.
Still, this is a dark, disturbing, depressing, yet also powerful and raw and important story that I hope a lot of people will read despite the title that might make it look like a different kind of book to some.
3,5 stars.
many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the arc!