Reviews

Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass

the_gare_bear's review against another edition

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3.0

Frightening. The current climate of the world makes this even scarier, because there is truth to the story that cannot be denied. While some of it may seem a little over the top in terms of how some of the violence plays out, it's not inconceivable for this situation to happen.

This reminds me of those great thriller movies/books from the 90's (Kiss the Girls, Don't Say a Word, Double Jeopardy, The Game, and so on). While it doesn't have as strong of a detective sort of vibe, I think that with a bit more build up and back story it would have really just hit it out of the park. Great story. Worth reading for sure.

jsncnrd's review

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5.0

I've now read all of Adam Sass's books, and it is just so evidently clear that he is one of the most talented YA authors in the game right now. His writing style is clever & filled with wit, but it's also emotionally engaging & affecting.

With Surrender Your Sons, we get a story that is absolutely horrifying -- one that shakes you to your core. When I say I could not put this book down, I mean it. I sat in the same spot for 4 hours as I finished it. Some of the turns were alluded to early on, but there were plenty of twists and plot points that I had absolutely no idea were coming.

Connor is the heart of our story, and he was a wonderful protagonist. He was resourceful, resilient, and so likable. Adam has the ability to create incredibly & realistic characters that you can form a bond with for the duration of the book, and that is exactly what he has done here.

When all was said and done, I had laughed, I had cried, and I had reflected on where our society is both at AND where it is going. And that territory is often frightening.

Adam Sass is an auto-buy author for me at this point.

Are you seeking a thrilling, suspenseful novel that manages to celebrate queer liberation and individuality? This one's for you.

booklifter's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

brinsay's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

sharshey's review against another edition

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3.0

I feel like I went into this a little blind - it was recommended to me as a thriller with queer main characters - and I think I kinda took that and ran with it. I did NOT expect the confronting murder-y conversion camp story that I got, even after the content warning at the start (which, let’s be honest, really undersold just how upsetting the first part of this book was).
That being said, once I got into it, I actually enjoyed it a fair bit. The characters were great and it definitely did what it said on the tin with the spookier aspects of the whole ordeal. I did find that at times the story, particularly the timelines, felt a bit jilted, and I think it would have worked a lot better if it had taken place over the week-long period they talked about so much at the start. There were some gaps in character motivations as well, especially with the Reverend, and I would have loved to see that fleshed out a bit more as I think it could have created a really great conflict that was kind of attempted in places but not fully pulled off. There were also a couple of moments in the end that should have been really emotional, but the writing fell flat here which did take away from the grandness of the end of it all.
Overall, I think the concept for this book was great, and it was a quick enough one to read that I absolutely don’t regret it, but it read more like something that was still a couple of rounds of editing away from a final product. 3.5 rounded down to 3!

dhishfish's review against another edition

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4.0

Ok jeez this book was so terrifying and just intense at the same time.
The book is about a boy named Connor who gets sent to a conversion therapy camp... and that's not the worst of it.
The book was so well written. I was just in shock at what happens in conversion therapy and all the other twists and turn in the book.
It was quite a thrilling book and unlike anything I've read before but it was some incredible writing.

jdk_andes's review against another edition

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3.0

This is a dark, violent, and disturbing book inspired by (and often sensationalizing) real life horrors. It is a book with a clear, and important message, but also a book which builds entertainment from tragedy. I sense that for many people, this story will inspire them into action, or to reconsider their stances. And I genuinely hope that this book finds its way to its intended audience. At the same time I am very much aware that I was not the intended audience.

The actual quality of the writing here is very good. The characters are especially compelling, and there is a central mystery which has plenty of twists and turns. Unfortunately, the second half of the book feels somewhat less "realistic" than the first, as so many over-the-top and disturbing things happen so quickly. This has the perhaps unintended consequence of making the villains (who are based on an actual kind of person) feel cartoonish and unrealistic. Yet I was still engaged in seeing the story through to the end, and I felt the message stayed consistent and clear.

bethany6788's review

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challenging dark tense medium-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

Holy cannoli this book was a WILD ride. I had no idea what it was about but I’m firmly on my Adam Sass train so I had to get my hands on it. Borrowed from the library and stayed up til 4AM finishing cause why not??

This book is about Connor, who recently came out to his mom after his boyfriend encouraged him to. One night, he’s kidnapped (with his mom’s permission) and taken to Costa Rica where he’s in a conversion camp with other teens of various ages. 

When I tell you I had no idea what way the story was gonna turn!!! Finding out things as Connor went along (my suspicions about the reverend were mostly on point!), and seeing how he grew up overnight was amazing. The love and care these kids showed each other after less than 24 hours was incredible and I was practically chewing my nails during the final 25% of the book. Also I’d LOVE a sequel where they reunite and take down Miss Manners!!

This book was so well written and it’s so different from any YA I’ve ever read. Adam Sass is fantastic at building a world within a novel that contains queer trauma (he says this in his acknowledgements) but also so many moments of queer joy were underlying there. Really glad I read this one!

alexandramtrawick's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

fourthleafluck's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense medium-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