Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

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

4 reviews

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

mandi4886's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Outing

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Miscarriage, Addiction, Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Ableism, Abandonment, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

zaraha's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Outing

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

phkodee's review

challenging emotional informative reflective tense slow-paced

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Addiction, Car accident, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt