Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

5 reviews

bronzeageholly's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

Tackling this book felt like an immense task but I'm so so glad I completed it. 

For those who know David Copperfield, it is a close enough interpretation to make you go "oh no! I know where this is going! stop the ride!" at least once a chapter. But, in saying that, it is also a very unique concept, an incredible tale of the care system and opioid crisis in the US.

Each character was so well fleshed out, in particular Demon; his narratorial voice was so strong, moving, and hilarious. His thoughtfulness, his anger, his empathy are heartbreaking. The accounts of each of the characters moved me to tears many times; I wanted desperately to reach into the pages and swoop Demon and the others away to safety. 

I found the pacing quite difficult to get into and had to swap from the physical book to an audiobook around 1/5 of the way in. The lack of abstraction throughout meant that when there were descriptions of intense suffering my reading quickened ("I need to keep going to make sure they're okay"), and then would slow dramatically during the 'bildungsroman' areas. Because of this I had an on-again-off-again relationship with the book, however the audiobook helped immensely and I found myself unable to put it down for the last few hours.

The central themes of addiction, judgement, loss, and love are devastating and important, and I would implore every adult to read it. There are so many lines that I will hold with me forever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Classism, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Bullying, and Kidnapping

soyboysimon's review against another edition

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

am4man's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Drug use, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Grief, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Rape

Minor: Abortion and Homophobia

abscott's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Death, Cursing, Bullying, Violence, Physical abuse, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism and Abandonment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Sexual violence, Racism, Self harm, Trafficking, Abortion, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Medical content, Sexism, Sexual assault, Child death, Chronic illness, Gore, Grief, and Gun violence

fn2902's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual violence, Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Racism, Violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Colonisation

Minor: Gun violence, Ableism, Vomit, and Abortion