Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

271 reviews

alexceleratedreader's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Grief

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Violence, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

revmomeis's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

This is a brilliant novel that has been on my  bookshelf for quite a while, and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. I was immediately drawn in by Demon's story and couldn't wait to find out how it played out. It's a tough novel to read - not a happy-go-lucky book - and at times I got impatient while things in Demon's life continued to be difficult. But I really enjoyed the read and was sad when it was over. It makes me want to read David Copperfield!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Drug abuse

Moderate: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

catlover_801'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment

chloelmills's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted 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

5.0

My god, this book is breathtakingly beautiful, sad, funny, tragic, full of hope, joy, loss and pain, and just when you think you get it, it veers you in another direction, the story never takes you where you think it’s going, sometimes in the best ways and sometimes in the saddest. Such brilliant writing. Plainly put, this book is exceptional. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Moderate: Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

emilygilmore's review

It was far too sad and hopeless

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Death of parent

winter_b's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

A heartbreaking and unvarnished telling of Demon Copperhead's life story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Violence, Vomit, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

For those who need to know if there is a "happy" ending for Demon:

the story ends with Demon being 3 years sober and things genuinely looking up for him /

twonky's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

tsedorable's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

The major plot points were predictable but the writing and prose were top tier.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, and Violence

christaleebee90's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

Wow. I’m still a little awe struck by this book. 
I purposefully gave it time. I didn’t rush through it. And I’m so glad. 
Every moment of this book deserves time and attention. Analysis and introspection. Empathy and compassion. Horror and respect. 
It’s a tragically beautiful story about the parts of our country and world we’d rather ignore. 
Everyone should read this. No Dickens schema required. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Violence, and Death of parent

sha's review

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

Demon Copperhead is a fully realised character study that immerses the reader in the life of its narrator, a boy growing up in rural Appalachia. As a modern retelling of David Copperfield, the novel explores themes of poverty, resilience, and systemic injustice, all while maintaining a deeply personal and emotionally engaging perspective.

Much like Shuggie Bain, Demon Copperhead sensitively portrays a young boy’s struggle to survive in a world that seems determined to break him. Kingsolver doesn’t shy away from the horrors of addiction, neglect, and exploitation—particularly in her searing depiction of the opioid crisis—but she does so with compassion, never reducing her characters to mere symbols of suffering. Instead, she gives them depth, agency, and moments of unexpected grace.

The novel’s immersive prose brings Demon’s voice to life with humor, grit, and unflinching honesty. Kingsolver captures both the harsh realities and the small joys of his world, making his journey all the more compelling. The result is a story that is both devastating and hopeful, a testament to the enduring power of storytelling and survival.

This is a type of story I don’t normally enjoy, but surprisingly it kept my attention in the form of an audiobook! Although, some parts in the middle dragged on, and became repetitive.

Torn between 3.5-4/5 ⭐️

Just as an aside - I greatly enjoyed the detailed writing on farming in Demon’s first temporary foster placement.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy