Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Demon Copperhead: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver

14 reviews

bobbij94's review against another edition

2.75

adventurous dark emotional

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Mixed feelings about this one...I was very much immersed in this novel and honestly couldn't get enough. I personally enjoy this style of narration. I appreciate that this book sheds light on issues of poverty, trauma, and addiction.
I knock down some stars because something in this gives me the ick. Lots of stereotypes that goes from bad to worse. Very sad story that is the reality of thousands of Americans. 

Sad. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol

macykey's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

This book was excellent. The writing was gorgeous, the story was engrossing. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but the writing style seemed to change as Demon got older. It made me think the writing was reflecting his aging, which I thought was smart. There were a couple things that didn’t sit right with me or rubbed me the wrong way. I felt the ending was wrapped up too quickly. I saw the interpersonal development coming, but I wish it’d been done sooner. I also felt that some of the traumatic things that happened to Demon were a little more detailed than necessary. And I get people having nicknames, but sometimes they all just got lost in the story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Miscarriage, Suicide, Car accident, Abortion

crossinthepnw's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Oh man…where to even start with this one. Demon Copperhead is easily one of my top three reads for 2023, and will always hold a special place in my heart. To be clear - this is my first Kingsolver work I’ve read (and now I will be reading more of her stories!), and I’ve never read David Copperfield by Charles Dickens…but now I am curious to read the source behind the inspiration for her novel.

Demon Copperhead will piss you off. It will make you cry. You will try to remind yourself that this is a work of fiction, but is clearly based in reality, which will in turn make you even more upset that this kind of shit is still happening. If you didn’t hate Big Pharma before (which if you already don’t…come on), you will after reading this novel. It also made me think about the joke of the war on drugs and the opioid crisis. How our foster care system is screwed. How some folks are just fucked before they even get a start in life.

But the novel isn’t all doom and gloom, I promise. There is hope, love, joy, and laughs along the way. It’s also a coming of age story about a boy who many people wouldn’t give a second thought about on account of where he grew up. The first person narrative of Demon took this tale to another level; Kingsolver has a way of transporting you to his world and his life.

 I am so happy that Kingsolver took the time to tell this story, about the “rednecks”, “hillbillies”, or “trailer trash” folks don't seem to give a shit about, and how the opioid epidemic has done so much damage in Appalachia. Please, read this one; I read it in five days because I could not put it down!

 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Abandonment

bethbarron's review against another edition

5.0

---

This is brilliant and BLEAK and true and awful. Kingsolver did such a wonderful job. Well deserving of her pulitzer.

It took me probably a month to read this - it is brutally dark and full of trauma. Do not read this expecting happiness at all. But, damn, a story that needed to be told (do we have another novel this compelling about the opioid crisis?), and what a way to do it with a retelling of David Copperfield.

I haven't read Dickens since high school and I'm sure having some distance from Copperfield helped this feel original for me. I had my doubts about a retelling, but I think Kingsolver created a masterpiece and (further) cemented herself as a great Southern author. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment

Minor: Rape, Abortion