Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

29 reviews

katelbr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad 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

4.75

I need to chew on this a little longer. 

My initial reaction is that this is a masterpiece and it’s not for everyone. The themes were so dark at times. I’m glad I read it because it gave me a lot of reasons to reflect on my own bias of Appalachian culture and the opioid epidemic. The slow pace of the story was annoying at times but completely necessary. This is a book with proper character development. All of the events and story lead to developing and exposing the main character rather than to climax a story. 

There were a few times I was acutely aware that a 60 year old woman was writing a teenage boys thoughts. But that would be my only complaint.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Drug abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual content, Mental illness, Death of parent, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Abortion, and Cursing

erinsca's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction

Moderate: Sexual content, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Abandonment, Death, Alcoholism, Abortion, Bullying, and Addiction

kirajohnson6's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.0

I felt uncertain as to how much I “enjoyed” this book as I read it, but now that it is over I keep thinking about it. And I think that is a sign of a well-written book. And it is definitely well-written; Barbara Kingsolver is a remarkably talented writer. This book is H E A V Y and deals with very real issues of foster care, poverty, substance abuse, opioid addictions, and death. It is explicit in language and sexual content. And although it is fictional it tells the story of so many Appalachian Americans. 

What struck me most (what I find myself still thinking about even after finishing) is the question of who created this mess? Is it the people making poor decisions? Or is it the system, offering the vulnerable few choices? Capitalism has some positives, but I think this book clearly shows the very dark negatives. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Drug use, Death of parent, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Grief, and Sexual content

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

nikshelby's review against another edition

DNF at 9%.

Abuse of children and women. Alcoholism. Drug use (and overdose). Poverty and despair. 

I should’ve realized when it won the Pulitzer that it would be rife with a bleak outlook, despondent characters, and heartbreaking situations. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Infidelity

sjtowry's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

Moderate: Blood, Classism, Racism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Pregnancy, Violence, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Trafficking, Vomit, Addiction, Abortion, Abandonment, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship

kshertz's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

What a deep read! It’s a deep dive into growing up in the 90s in the south during the Opioid epidemic. It truly explained what it meant to grow up in a small town and why they have continued to struggle to thrive even today. As a city girl, it was very eye opening. What a heartbreaking life. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Classism, Death of parent, Blood, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Gore, Body horror, Bullying, Abortion, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Toxic friendship, Violence, Abandonment, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Child death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Murder, and Alcohol

bobbij94's review

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

justdiana's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Trafficking, Sexual content, Cancer, and Vomit

mobymaize's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad 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? Yes

4.0

Demon Copperhead is a hard read. It isn't hard in terms of the actual language of it not making too much sense, but it's hard because you want Demon to stop doing so much shit. You want him to stop suffering, to get help before he loses everything. It's emotional, it's devastating, and, if anything, it is full of hope. Hope to become better, to recover, to mend oneself and become a person who, while still having traumas, is an actual person. Overall fantastic :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Cancer, Child abuse, Death of parent, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Grief, Medical content, Trafficking, Addiction, Alcohol, Car accident, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Racism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence