Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

7 reviews

lisajha's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

infinitezest's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This is a really heartbreaking and evocative coming-of-age story that sets the reader squarely in the center of the opioid epidemic, rural poverty, and a broken child welfare system. I felt a LOT of emotions following along with Damon's story. I would rate the first half or so of the book 5 million stars, but the second half was so depressing and I felt it difficult, emotionally, to keep going at times. The ending felt like too quick of a wrap-up, like it was trying to meet a deadline for the book and spent too much time on the early years. I would still recommend it but with all the trigger warnings, and it's NOT a vacation book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

jeggert10's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Excrement, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Abortion, Outing, Gaslighting, and War

hsieh's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad 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

Kingsolver writes a masterpiece here, a pointed critique of how capitalism fails America and its poorest, through the lens of the struggles of its foster children, the opioid crisis, and how so many people stereotype the rural people of America's forgotten heartland. But Kingsolver is never piteous, never condescending: her characters seek only to be met face to face, understood as full people.

Speaking of, Kingsolver writes characters that could jump off the pages. I cherish, hate and mourn for them like they're my own friends. They're so real I had to double check this wasn't an autobiography. I feel empty now without them.

One of the things I appreciate most about this book, however, is that it never feels like tragedy porn -- a trap I felt books like "A Little Life" sometimes fell into. Each tragedy is crushing, but not without hope; there's always characters on the margins rooting for the protagonist, and his community, to succeed. I only wish their analogues in real life could find the same support.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Ableism, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Abortion, and Murder

grboph's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

This was a really amazing book. It was such a compelling story that touches on so many important issues that affect the world today, and kind of made me want to read the original David Copperfield!! Kingsolver is such an excellent writer and I would recommend this book to literally anyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Outing

Minor: Dementia and Abortion

tigertheory's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

A really tough read but worth it. Sucks you right in, punches you in the gut and throws you out on the other side with a whole new set of emotions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Dementia, and Gaslighting

Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, Outing, Sexual harassment, and War

e11lla's review against another edition

emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Loved it!!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism