Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

177 reviews

donaldleitch's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

quinn24's review against another edition

3.75

kingsolver certainly had a point to make and she made it well but tied it up a little too neatly for my liking 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Racism, and Pregnancy

glojo57's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

It is a masterpiece. You don’t need to know the story of David Copperfield to understand it, but knowing it will enhance your reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence

siobhankennedy's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

jennmag_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Death of parent

shaleen64's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.25

A beautifully written, but heartbreaking portrayal of addiction, loss, poverty, abuse and stolen childhoods.

The book follows Demon through his early childhood into his late teens/early 20s. Honestly and openly we are taken through the events of his life and the relationships he gains along the way. Every character is fully realised and has a purpose within the story. Tommy couldn’t be more lovable if he tried. I don’t think I’ll forget the grave scene anytime soon.

The book accurately addresses the opioid epidemic that has, and continues to plague America. I have not read the Dickens novel this book is based on and don’t feel you need to, but I imagine it would add a greater depth to this book.

A literary fiction gem that cannot be missed by those who enjoy a character driven novel that draws on nearly every emotion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual content

justmolly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

A great retelling with a poignant reminder of the struggle of the past and current opioid epidemic in the United States. I kept thinking however is this a good book or was the original story just so good that it makes it easier for a retelling to be good too? I am very partial to a tragic tale and thought the characters were easy to grip onto and hard to let go!
Makes me want to reread David Copperfield and compare the two. A longer read for me but very easy to sink my teeth in and definitely a page turner! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

kristelbelle248's review

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Abortion

katievannuys's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Took me what feels like forever to finish this but boy was it worth it. Barbara Kingsolver’s writing style is almost near perfect - reading Demon’s mind through the years was so seamless but yet I felt like he lived a million different lives. The rawness of this books themes — invisibility, poverty, drug addiction, loss and resilience — were heavy at times which is why it took me so long to read. But I think everyone should read this book as it sheds so much light on things we should have never turned away from.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Mental illness and Abandonment

amrydberg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Death of parent