Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

112 reviews

lisacanteven's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Such a wonderfully brilliant metaphor for hatred and homophobia. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

sezillee's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

elysianbud's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

itsmeemily's review

dark tense

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, Torture, and Religious bigotry

jupitermaybe's review

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

An incredible triumph, terrifying and darkly funny at times. Puts words to important experiences of religious trauma and heterosexual.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Gun violence and Torture

Similar level of gore/violence/torture to Stranger Things.

_readerfromtheblacklagoon_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

fkshg8465's review against another edition

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.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

river23's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

aspiring_reader's review

adventurous hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Hate crime, Misogyny, Torture, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

tarot's review

dark hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

Having an queer, autistic, analytically driven hero in a YA horror ticked my bones in the best way!

There is everything from lost love, found family, demons to fight and a church to bring down! 

Already being a Chuck Tingle fan, I knew I'd like whatever surprises were instore and felt confident that I would recieve the heart warming end I've become accustomed to in Chuck's unique style. However, be warned the homophobic/ religious bigotry/ family trauma aspects we're harder to get through than the spooky parts. I should have checked tw haha.

You might find it cathartic but just in case, be warned my queer lovelies ✨️❤️‍🔥🫡

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Torture and Forced institutionalization