hannahsheil 's review for:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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: Yes

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Devastatingly heartbreaking, painful, and raw, but so important and real. Demon can be frustrating because you want to root for him to make the right decisions, but you’re also able to understand why he consistently runs away; when your whole life has been continuous disappointments and people leaving, no where feels safe. The opioid epidemic — and all the drug use in general — is also weaved in so naturally, and it’s eye-opening to see how when something is a fact-of-life, it becomes natural to just do it. 

Altogether Barbara Kingsolver does an amazing job at giving voice to a population of young people who have been forgotten or mocked by larger culture & society. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Abortion

Minor: Animal death, Gun violence