A review by breezrose
Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass

4.0

Surrender Your Sons tells a multi generational story of coming out and the consequences, with the primary focus of course being on the teenage main character and the kids he meets in a remote conversion camp. The narrative also touches on both the inherited pride and trauma that persists within the queer community. This book is a heavy read as it covers conversion therapy, physical abuse and emotional abuse, so it would definitely need content warnings for young readers. It is a heartfelt exploration of life after coming out when the consequences of that are dire in a small, religious, conservative community. The adult characters embody the various ways one can internalize shame and perpetuate harmful ideas about gender and sexuality. The characters are endearing, resilient and believable. The ordeal the teens go through is quite extreme, and while the ideal endings for all of their storylines are a tad unrealistic, it's still satisfying. While overall it is a heavy read and maybe not for everyone, it tells a familiar story in a unique way.