Adrienne
I struggled with the structure and themes of this book. Maybe I'm just reading it years too late, when the horrors of conversion practices are already clear.
I'm not sure why this was written (a) out of chronological order or (b) tied so closely to Conley's perspective at the time, without more reflection on either the lingering damage or the healing done since (whichever is more true for him).
The prose sometimes feels overwritten, pretty or lyrical or metaphorical to draw attention to itself, rather than more clearly depict what happened.
The story seems eager to exonerate the author's parents in a way that I don't think is warranted. OTOH, they're not my parents and mine have never been that horrible to me. He gets to pick his own relationship with them, going forward.
In my book club, I was asked if I would recommend this book to teenagers. I wouldn't. I didn't know what they would get out of it. Maybe if we manage to go a generation without conversation practices and this becomes a vital historical document. Right now I feel like the info is better presented elsewhere and the prose doesn't make it interesting enough on its own.
I struggled with the structure and themes of this book. Maybe I'm just reading it years too late, when the horrors of conversion practices are already clear.
I'm not sure why this was written (a) out of chronological order or (b) tied so closely to Conley's perspective at the time, without more reflection on either the lingering damage or the healing done since (whichever is more true for him).
The prose sometimes feels overwritten, pretty or lyrical or metaphorical to draw attention to itself, rather than more clearly depict what happened.
The story seems eager to exonerate the author's parents in a way that I don't think is warranted. OTOH, they're not my parents and mine have never been that horrible to me. He gets to pick his own relationship with them, going forward.
In my book club, I was asked if I would recommend this book to teenagers. I wouldn't. I didn't know what they would get out of it. Maybe if we manage to go a generation without conversation practices and this becomes a vital historical document. Right now I feel like the info is better presented elsewhere and the prose doesn't make it interesting enough on its own.