Wow. Chuck Tingle has written a deeply introspective, poignant, harrowing, empowering, and truly terrifying novel. Yes, you heard me. CHUCK TINGLE WROWow. Chuck Tingle has written a deeply introspective, poignant, harrowing, empowering, and truly terrifying novel. Yes, you heard me. CHUCK TINGLE WROTE THIS AND IT'S AMAZING! Essentially, it's about a religious organization in a small town that has a conversion camp for gay people that has a 100% success rate. How do they have such a perfect success rate? (especially since conversion therapy has been scientifically proven to be extremely harmful) Why, the cult summons demons to terrify its patients into compliance of course! While the actual demons are absolutely terrifying, the true horrors in this book reside in the toxic community that allows it to happen! Despite the dark nature of this book, I actually found it to be extremely comforting, cathartic, and empowering. This book has moved me to tears on multiple occasions. Why? Because the protagonist chooses to live her life according to her own terms and attempts to burn the whole toxic system to the ground.
Despite the extreme violence that is perpetrated by the religious community in this book, I also really love that Tingle doesn't condemn religion as a whole or bash everyone who believes. That would be a simple answer to what's going on in this story, but instead he gives us even more to consider. One of the strongest characters in this book is Rose's friend and fellow campmate, Saul, who decides that despite everything that was still done to him, he chooses to continue to believe in God because he doesn't want the toxic believers to taint what he believes is the actual message of God - which is love, not punishment. Wow.
I really loved and enjoyed reading about Rose's journey, and found this book to be absolutely illuminating, thought provoking, and just a really enjoyable time.
If you have experienced religious trauma of any kind, or have deconstructed from your faith, or are in the PROCESS of deconstructing your faith, this book will be extremely triggering - but in a cathartic way, if that makes sense. Be kind to yourself while reading.
A few of my favorite quotes:
"Slowly disconnecting from your community - from your family - is difficult, and while it seems like unearthing their sinister motives and dark secrets might make the process easier, it will never entirely quell the pain."
***
"The point is, I was doing all these things because God said it was right. My whole life, that was always the motivation, but is that real genuine good? Is something righteous if you're doing it because you're worried about getting punished? I want to do something good. Not out of fear of punishment, or because someone else told me it was the right thing. I want to do something good for goodness' sake."
***
"According to the congregation, my sin outweighs any discomfort about demonic collaboration, and while this might seem like impossible mental gymnastics to outsiders, it makes perfect sense to me. It's hardly the worst thing organized religion has come up with."
***
"They may be ruthless and single minded, but they're not doing this out of hate," Saul continues. "At least, they don't think they are. They're doing it out of a sick, ass-backward love."
"Either way, I don't wanna be a part of it," I proclaim.
Saul just nods, smiling to himself. "I'm just not okay with letting them define God's love. This is my little way of doing something about it....more
This book was unbelievably poignant and incredible. Not only does it have a perfect pace and intriguing yet flawed characters, it also has just some hThis book was unbelievably poignant and incredible. Not only does it have a perfect pace and intriguing yet flawed characters, it also has just some hands down fantastic writing!
A few quotes that took my breath away:
"Charon County was founded in blood and darkness. Literally and figuratively. Blood and tears. Violence and mayhem. Love and hate. These were the rocks upon which the South was built. They were the foundation upon which Charon County stood."
"The congregation of Holy Rock didn't wear hoods and they hadn't burned a cross in anyone's yard, but Titus had no illusions about their thoughts about him and people like him. It came off them in waves, like the rot from a gangrenous wound. A putrefaction of the soul."
"Titus loved his father, he truly did, but it had been a long time since he really thought he knew what he was talking about when it came to the heavenly hosts. The night his mother has finally, mercifully died was when the blinders had come off for Titus. He still loved the man, but it was in those painful moments that he realized adults didn't really know more than kids. That everyone was making it up as they went along and religion was just another crutch, like liquor or weed."...more
Wow. I'm floored. Still can't believe how much I loved this one! Eagerly anticipating the next book!Wow. I'm floored. Still can't believe how much I loved this one! Eagerly anticipating the next book!...more
Okay...this cover is awful! But it's certainly one of the most fun Arthurian retellings I've ever read!Okay...this cover is awful! But it's certainly one of the most fun Arthurian retellings I've ever read!...more
Branwen Sedai *of the Brown Ajah*
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