Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

67 reviews

bookbih42069's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring 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

This book is excellent. The voice of the narrator is strong and salient, Kingsolver handled complex issues deftly through rich characters who develop over the course of their lives in ways that force us to reflect on similar figures in our own lives. There is so much empathy in this work, it is surely a new American classic. 

The main character is easy to root for, flaws, challenges, and all. As a reader, it is easy to be caught in the wave of events with him with a growth in understanding. I think everything was intentional, which I mention because I read some other reviews before posting this to cover my take on some themes in the reviews. I would say this book is HEAVY so totally get the “not in the mood” notes. The ending felt satisfying, and truthfully I saw the hints dropped throughout the story so I personally think it made perfect sense and I appreciate where things were left. As a reader, you  really get dragged through the harsh events of Damon’s life right along with him. His perspective is the  perspective of the book , so his mentions of past events made sense to me, as people we reflect on  formative moments. Finally, this does cover topics many of us are familiar with intellectually, but the beauty of fiction is the opportunity to insert oneself into a world in a way more geared towards empathy enrichment than what non-fiction can do, or maybe it’s just Kingsolver. 

TL;DR- amazing book you should definitely read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Drug use

Minor: Trafficking and Suicide

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

terrywho's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

David Copperfield in the time of the Oxy epidemic.

The only way I can think of describing this book is by calling it full of heart. This story was at the same time heartfelt and heartbreaking, and it made you unable to stop reading all the while dreading every new paragraph. 
This is a book about pain, grief and unimaginable hurt and yet it manages to never stew in that pain, even during the longest stretches of it in the narrative. It’s not a sad story for the sake of being sad, but it’s sadness serves a propose and highlights the cruelty of the world in such a way that sticks you even when you’ve closed the book. 

To summarize all my thoughts I’m just going to say that I’ve never read a book quite like it and I’m not sure I ever will.

**Added at the end because if mild spoilers**
A little personal note, and definitely not the most important thing about this book but my favorite part of it: I’m a comic book artist, and seeing the art form I love most in the world made to be the thing that opens up a kid’s words, a life-line that and allows him to see the first glimpse of what life could be, a way to understand a life that seems beyond your understanding, and a universal language to talk about you, your world, your comunity and your history never once failed to make me smile and love comics even more that I already did, which is something I didn’t think possible. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Self harm, Death, Addiction, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Alcohol

Moderate: Miscarriage

lolo_lew's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

3.75

Incredibly well-written, tackles tough and complex topics in an approachable and meaningful way. Highly recommend but contains content that might be sensitive to some.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Death, Child abuse, Classism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Vomit, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Abortion, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence

abi_dutton's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Addiction, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Mental illness, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, and Grief

ljo_15's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective 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

5.0

One of the best books I’ve read in awhile. I loved it!! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction and Sexual violence

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

misformarie's review against another edition

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 against another edition

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 against another edition

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