Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

32 reviews

marypaz13's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Finally finished it!!

I can see why this one the Pulitzer.
Book about addiction. A book about losing hope but at the same time not being able to give up.

Demon is such a lovable character, flaws and all. That poor kid. I didn't necessarily hate the other characters, they were just there. I liked June, definitely eldest sister vibes, the one that grew up to fast. Agnes was that one in a million, the one that was able to make it out. And we all have that Maggot in our lives, the one that's always too childish no matter how old.

When I started this book, I had the misconception that it took place in the the 50's/60's, but once it mentioned some pop culture things, I realized it was definitely 70's to the present (at least the early 2000's) -- I don't remember the book actually mentioning the year.

Love that art is the outlet that was used.

This book served as a history rabbit hole for me. Had no idea about the oxidation clinics, had to google it. Crazy shiitake!! Like, the idea was inconceivable until I read about it. No wonder the whole "war on drugs" was such a big deal.

And the whole hillbilly/redneck thing. The idea that the term alone is derogatory yet people don't realize that it is.

Such a great read. I did a hybrid read; started with the book ended up with the audio. Which I did like the narrator, I felt he encompassed Demon's character to a T.

P.S. I may add more to this review, maybe, idk.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Drug use, and Death

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Abandonment, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, and Classism

Minor: Sexual harassment, Vomit, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

latashman's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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

I couldn't help but cheer for Demon the entire book. This book was heartbreaking. Unfortunately some of the pieces of the story are true or based on truth. I couldn't help but think of all the Demons in the world who we will never know. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Suicide, Drug use, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Miscarriage, Homophobia, Mental illness, Slavery, and Racial slurs

cityiguana's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny 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

4.5

This book is very good but honestly pretty tough to read.

Thank god it had a happy ending or I would have needed to up my Prozac prescription

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Child abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Abandonment, and Death of parent

Moderate: Death

Minor: Racism, Medical content, and Racial slurs

princessblueyes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Death, Addiction, and Death of parent

Moderate: Abandonment, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Sexual assault, Cursing, Abortion, Physical abuse, Cultural appropriation, Suicide, and Racial slurs

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

camillaforte's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

Reading parts of this book feels like army crawling through gravel, but Kingsolver is a master of give and take writing. She always knows just when to ease up a little bit to get you through. Demon Copperhead is heartbreaking, darkly funny and immensely insightful. 
I’m only knocking half a star off for the shallow purpose of marking that this wasn’t enjoyable for me at times, purely for personal reasons having nothing to do with the quality of the book itself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Death of parent, Abandonment, Child abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Abortion, Blood, and Cursing

lduff1's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Alcoholism, Drug use, Death of parent, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Blood, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Sexual content

Minor: Vomit

kelctini's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Medical trauma

Minor: Animal death and Vomit

mrsmooney24's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

I don’t even know where to start exactly, I had heard good things about it, but they didn’t even come close to how much I loved this book. I was just so genuinely moved by it. I laughed out loud, ugly cried, and got so angry I couldn’t even think straight. The Dickens-esque criticism and exploration of complex humanity was perfectly paired with the contemporary southern setting. Kingsolver really just wrote the shit out of this book. I was so sad it was over, but so happy it was over too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Infidelity, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

oliviawhitton's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Death, Gun violence, Drug use, Suicide, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Addiction, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Racism, and Emotional abuse