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mkwoods's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved the narrator’s voice, how well Kingsolver captured young boy. I saw traces of my brothers in it, and even in the darkest moments Demon made me laugh.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Death and Toxic relationship
Minor: Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Child abuse, Violence, Drug use, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Bullying, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Car accident, and Miscarriage
Minor: Abortion
erinsca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction
Moderate: Sexual content, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Abandonment, Death, Alcoholism, Abortion, Bullying, and Addiction
bronzeageholly's review against another edition
4.75
For those who know David Copperfield, it is a close enough interpretation to make you go "oh no! I know where this is going! stop the ride!" at least once a chapter. But, in saying that, it is also a very unique concept, an incredible tale of the care system and opioid crisis in the US.
Each character was so well fleshed out, in particular Demon; his narratorial voice was so strong, moving, and hilarious. His thoughtfulness, his anger, his empathy are heartbreaking. The accounts of each of the characters moved me to tears many times; I wanted desperately to reach into the pages and swoop Demon and the others away to safety.
I found the pacing quite difficult to get into and had to swap from the physical book to an audiobook around 1/5 of the way in. The lack of abstraction throughout meant that when there were descriptions of intense suffering my reading quickened ("I need to keep going to make sure they're okay"), and then would slow dramatically during the 'bildungsroman' areas. Because of this I had an on-again-off-again relationship with the book, however the audiobook helped immensely and I found myself unable to put it down for the last few hours.
The central themes of addiction, judgement, loss, and love are devastating and important, and I would implore every adult to read it. There are so many lines that I will hold with me forever.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Classism, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Bullying, and Kidnapping
annadelph's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Terminal illness
dua_liepard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Addiction, Bullying, Classism, Medical trauma, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Physical abuse, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Car accident, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Gore, Racism, Pregnancy, Medical content, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
am4man's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Drug use, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Grief, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Abortion and Homophobia
lizandlibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Grief, Addiction, Death, Abandonment, Drug use, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
justdiana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Trafficking, Sexual content, Cancer, and Vomit
chloerom's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicide and Animal death