Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

111 reviews

thekeytotheend's review

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.5

Not as scary as i was expecting, but I wouldn’t consider that a bad thing per say. I was expecting more haunting but the demons are fun too. I enjoyed the introduction to the world and the idea that both science and religion fit into this story, that no point is dismissed. I do find it surprising that the main character lets go of her faith so quickly throughout the book, but I don’t mind, considering what she went through Also i am a huge fan of the character being autistic and well written at that, not just quirky or weird for the sake of weirdness but actually well written autism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Car accident, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism

machewson's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

Wow!  I consider myself to be a fairly slow reader, but I started and finished this book in one day.  It's not particularly long and I could not put it down.  The journey we go on in this book of self acceptance and love is absolutely incredible.  If you only read one book this year or even this decade make it this one.  I don't want to get into any spoilers, but if you are a queer person I can't recommend this book highly enough.  It feels cathartic, loving and incredible from start to finish.  The mystery and suspense absolutely keep you glued to this book until the last sentence.  I know this is rambling but my god this book has me feeling all kinds of ways.  This is very easily going in my top five all time reads.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Biphobia, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Transphobia, Car accident, Confinement, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Blood, and Gore

Moderate: Murder

hexentart's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

*internal screaming*

Absolutely. Horrifying. Evil.

Oh, and demons too.

A gripping story of an evil cult masquerading as a church, the torture and abuse of young queer folk in the name of salvation, and
the power of love.

This book was A LOT and definitely not an easy read (mind your squicks), but it was all worth it. 

The ending was simply poetic and very satisfying. 😏

This was my first read of this author, but I'll definitely be looking into their other horror novels as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Violence, Torture, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Stalking, Blood, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Slavery, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Car accident

multiplyoctopi's review

fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Vomit, Torture, Medical content, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

vyralvyris's review

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.75

Such a fun book, really fun view on what is and is not a sin to the eyes of demons and people.  Always love a cult story.  The only thing keeping it front a 5 is the pacing is a bit of a drag at the beginning. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Kidnapping

Minor: Deadnaming, Car accident, Religious bigotry, Confinement, and Gun violence

If you don't like bugs in horror, I wouldn't fully recommend. It isn't super graphic, but if insects in people is a trigger, fully do not recommend reading this however good it is.

ella_babin's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Child abuse, Car accident, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, and Homophobia

vixenreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

A call to love in the face of self-righteousness and wilful ignorance, this book is horrifying, entertaining, and incredibly loving to those who need it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Homophobia, Sexism, Outing, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Gore, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Blood, Body horror, Violence, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Car accident, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, and Misogyny

Be aware of people vomiting bugs out of their mouths, gay conversion therapy, using religion for hate and oppression, and demon imagery.

l0v3lu's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Car accident, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Torture, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Drug use

emstring's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Car accident, Violence, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, and Homophobia

aceofknaves88's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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

When I heard a while back on a Stephen King podcast I listen to that Chuck Tingle was the guest I was surprised. The guy who, for about a decade, has been something of an online celebrity and joke for writing bizarre gay erotica with titles like "Pounded In The Butt By My Book 'Pounded In The Butt By My Own Butt'" did not seem like a guy who had a lot to say about King to me.

Boy was I wrong. And ol' Chuck had a lot of interesting things to say about horror in general and about queer culture.

Enter his 2022 debut horror novel, "Camp Damascus", a riveting, horrifying book about religious trauma, bigotry, neuro-divergence, found family, gay conversion camp and demons.

Great horror, great social commentary, and a main character you are behind and root for all the way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Lesbophobia, Car accident, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Death