Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

69 reviews

misformarie's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

The author is able to layer / knit together a social, political, economic, ecological, and racial commentary so beautifully. None of the commentary feels contrived or out of place. The story is about a boy growing up in Appalachia during the opioid epidemic. And it's also about 100 other things. It's so great. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

mercurysflame's review

dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

well written but it really had pacing issues after the first third of the book. also, it just felt like tragedy tourism/poverty porn and was meant to shock people into being upset while also entertaining them. also i just do not find it fun to read about people in active addiction but this was a book club book and i couldn’t show up unprepared. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

eonthebeat's review

challenging 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Homophobia

kgb0003's review

funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Pregnancy, Grief, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Death of parent, Abortion, Child abuse, and Self harm

reneek's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

A tremendously difficult book and also more than can be put into words on whatever you call the other part of that, the half that's about redemption and healing and understanding the human heart.
There were parts I thought Kingsolver missed, tonally, like she didn't seem to understand what he might feel when

Dori died, besides "bad," "felt awful,"--she invested so much in his resignation she missed some of the despair.
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.

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Content Warnings

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

sjanke2's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

This is a challenging book, both in the sense of Demon's stream-of-consciousness voice and the trials he endures. But after 50 pages, one's brain adapts to Kingsolver's writing style. The audiobook narrator helped in developing a stride. Demon goes through so much, and there's a balance of both good and bad influences in the side characters. I also appreciated Kingsolver's strong stance on the war wreaked upon Appalachians by land grabbers, mining companies, and Big Pharma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Self harm, Animal death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Blood, Emotional abuse, Rape, Medical content, and Physical abuse

Minor: Gun violence, Trafficking, War, Abortion, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence

bex4dayz's review

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Classism, Death, Drug use, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

bobbij94's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional

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

2.75

Mixed feelings about this one...I was very much immersed in this novel and honestly couldn't get enough. I personally enjoy this style of narration. I appreciate that this book sheds light on issues of poverty, trauma, and addiction.
I knock down some stars because something in this gives me the ick. Lots of stereotypes that goes from bad to worse. Very sad story that is the reality of thousands of Americans. 

Sad. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Animal death, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Drug abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, and Racial slurs

sineadlgull's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? No

4.25

Enjoyable listen. Slow pace but never found myself bored. Interesting story and great character development of the main character. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Classism, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Racism, Toxic relationship, and Suicide

Minor: Trafficking and Sexual violence