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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
lyndle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, and Addiction
Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Miscarriage, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Racism, and Classism
Minor: Violence, Car accident, and Toxic friendship
soyboysimon'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
4.5
I won't say that it was easy to read(it took me a month), but it was definitely fun to read. Who cares about sentences making sense and following grammar rules? Not Demon.
Great book! Hits some hard topics but in a way that shines light on the problems and makes me feel more knowledgable about them. My takeaway from it is that no matter where life starts you out, there are always choices to be made and consequences to be had. Maybe sins are most of the time passed down from the generations, but maybe they don't have to be. The cycle can be broken. Ain't no hill for a climber.
Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing, Excrement, Vomit, Animal death, Alcohol, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Abortion, and Alcoholism
Minor: Suicide, Stalking, and Car accident
accidentalfolklore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Trafficking, Bullying, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Rape and Pregnancy
winglesswarrior's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Death of parent, Excrement, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Classism, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Confinement, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, and Domestic abuse
seanzie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Murder, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Addiction, Child death, Classism, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death, Alcoholism, and Grief
reneek's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Classism, and Cursing
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cancer, Eating disorder, Vomit, and Abortion
brogan7's review against another edition
4.5
There were parts I thought Kingsolver missed, tonally, like she didn't seem to understand what he might feel when
And also his shame during the addiction part, that seemed to be on "light," and also the Emmy part, it's like she knew all the facts but she didn't know how to line them up emotionally, which, thank god or it would have been unreadable...<\spoiler>
I am still processing this book. It is so... gentle, painted with the lightest touch, I can't exactly say which audience it's most meant for, being it's such a harsh story, and then told with such hope, a hope I think most within those experiences would not believe in. <Spoiler> To think that all of them survived? Emmy, Maggot, Tommy and Demon? Who would believe that? Not to mention Angus, whose threats were all vague and unrealized...I don't buy that for a second...<\spoiler>
The part I most appreciated was the Black teacher in the school, the explicit teaching of the book, the rage and the reclamation of the Hillbilly identity.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Grief, Homophobia, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Excrement, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Classism