Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

183 reviews

kirip's review

challenging 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Death of parent, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

meggend's review

dark funny sad slow-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

4.0

Modeled after David Copperfield, the book is nearly 600 pages long. No matter the plot, this is a looooong one.

The reader follows Damon, a kid growing up in Appalachia in the '90s with a junkie mom, a deceased (and largely unknown) dad, and a cast of recurring characters as friends and chosen family. His story is not generally a happy one. This makes the 600 pages dense reading. However, the character's voice and outlook on life make his narrative an enjoyable one, despite the heaviness of the subject.

Big trigger warning: opioid addiction and other drug use. It's pervasive, and unfortunately this is reality for so many. Secondary warning: foster and orphan care and "the system."

Though I haven't read David Copperfield, I could see how a similar story could have been written 200 years ago, set in a similar inescapable cycle of poverty. Don't think I'll be picking that one up anytime real soon, though it's on my shelf (and also 600 pages).

This book was really good, but note that it's a commitment. And like with any commitment, you have to buy in or else you're not going to make it. If you have the time to give, allow yourself to get to know Appalachia and the cast of characters who call it home. Kingsolver does a beautiful job of painting the picture of a life without means or hope for change. The characters are swept along the river of country life, heading toward a predestined path. Only those with advocates and outside connections who care about them enough to help are able to defy the current and strike a different path for themselves.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Physical abuse

dua_liepard's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

katrinarose's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

I struggle to rate this book, because I loved the writing style and the voice of Demon was so incredibly strong and authentic and believable, but I also wasn’t that excited to pick this book up, and it took me a while to finish. I thought the theme of the overlooked rural parts of the U.S. was interesting and thought-provoking, but at times almost turned into more of a history/sociopolitical lesson that felt out of context and forced. I wish the author had explained these concepts a little less and given the reader some more credit for being able to read in between the lines/use the story as a jumping off point for more of their own research. Overall it was a really good book just not one that sucked me in and made me love it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Classism, Drug abuse, Grief, Drug use, Medical trauma, and Death

Moderate: Cursing and Misogyny

Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Racism, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts

purduerx's review

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Addiction

rmlknisely's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Alcohol, Classism, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Addiction, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Racism, Child abuse, Death, and Emotional abuse

pfiffsay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

One of the best books I've ever read. Thoughtful examination of a life often unseen. Tragic, but also with some hope.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Cursing, Violence, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, and Addiction

Moderate: Miscarriage

ellieswilliams's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Classism, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Drug use, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Drug abuse

Minor: Car accident, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Racism, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Abortion, Self harm, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Vomit, and Violence

pndafce's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Addiction, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Grief

soyboysimon's review

adventurous emotional funny sad 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

4.5

Knew from the first line that it was going to be a good read. "First, I got myself born." Demon is clever and witty and full of heart from that first sentence to the last. This book will make you cry, laugh, cringe, and shout for joy, sometimes all on the same page.

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.

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Content Warnings

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