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Camp Damascus
256 pages
A dread-soaked but deeply earnest horror story that transforms the very real trauma of conversion camps into a literal, fiery battle against demons.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like waking up from a long, suffocating nightmare only to realize the monsters are real and then deciding to fight them anyway. It moves at a propulsive, cinematic clip, pulling you through a claustrophobic atmosphere of gaslighting and religious hypocrisy before erupting into pure, righteous horror. Despite the heavy, dread-soaked subject matter, the narrative voice remains incredibly earnest and tender, wrapping its queer characters in a fierce, protective empathy. The prose is straightforward and accessible, designed to keep the tension high and the emotional stakes crystal clear. It is a deeply cathartic experience, perfect for readers who want to see marginalized kids find their truth, face down literal and metaphorical demons, and burn the toxic institutions of their past to the ground.
- Mood
- claustrophobic
- creepy
- cathartic
- dread-soaked
- Tone
- earnest
- righteous
- suspenseful
- tender
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- religious trauma · queer survival · unmasking hypocrisy · the power of truth · reclaiming identity
- The writing
- The prose is accessible, earnest, and sharply focused, prioritizing emotional clarity and mounting tension over ornate descriptions.
- The arc
- The journey begins in a fog of gaslit confusion and creeping dread, steadily building into a roaring, righteous catharsis.
- Who it's for
- Readers seeking a fast-paced, deeply empathetic horror story where queer youth confront and dismantle the monstrous institutions built to break them.
Content notes
- conversion therapy
- religious trauma
- homophobia
- gaslighting
- body horror
- vomit
About the book
From beloved Internet icon Chuck Tingle comes a searing and earnest horror debut about the demons the queer community faces in America, the price of keeping secrets, and finding the courage to burn it all down.
Welcome to Neverton, Montana: home to a God-fearing community with a heart of gold.
Nestled high up in the mountains is Camp Damascus, the self-proclaimed “most effective” gay conversion camp in the country. Here, a life free from sin awaits. But the secret behind that success is anything but holy.
They'll scare you straight to hell.
Description from Open Library.
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