Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

46 reviews

br3nda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.5

This is a 3.5 star read for me. I was disappointed that I did not fall under the "best read of the year" or "a 5 star read". I honestly don't get what all the hype is about.

*****SPOILERS at this point


This book is way longer than it needs to be. So much of Damon's story could have been condensed. It felt like we were reading (I listened to) every day of every week for the few years of his life. It was like reading his daily diary.
I was happy that Damon found a way through all that he was living but there was nothing happy in this story. I understand that life was no picnic for the rural areas of mining country but surely there was something to be happy about? Additionally, this story made every character sound ignorant of any the perils of opioids. 

The story is very predictable... of course a small-town boy that is in the crappy foster system finally finds a good place to stay and then a sport he is suddenly good at and becomes a temporary star because he blows out his knee and gets addicted to drugs and goes downhill from there, but in the end he magically is reformed and finally gets to see the only thing on his bucket list... the ocean (eye roll).

This is my first book from this author but I don't think there will be others. It just was not there for me.

I can definitely give 4 stars to the narrator Charlie Thurston. Excellent job at telling this story. Only thing is you need to practice on the female voices. (shrug)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Abortion

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

haleyanne's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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

4.0

really good and important but incredibly difficult to read because of the heavy subject matter. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Trafficking, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

carrigoitia's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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

5.0

Truly one of the most incredible books I’ve ever read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Cancer, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Medical content, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

puffinthedog's review

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

5.0

An achingly sad but beautifully written novel that touches on the effects of generational trauma, substance use disorders, domestic violence, poverty, and grief. Kingsolver handles difficult and often incredibly stigmatized issues with honesty and respect. Her characters are multi dimensional and handled with care. As someone with almost a decade in recovery from an opiate use disorder, this book brought me back to the fear and bodily sensations that so often accompany active addiction in a way that no other book has. Realistic and devastating but without being trauma or inspiration porn. 

It was a book that I was sad to finish and maybe for that reason I do wish she had spent more time covering the pain of early recovery and realizing all of what you had been numbing, but this book is such a masterpiece as it is that maybe adding anything else would have only lessened the work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

adairkm's review

inspiring reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

ceejayvee's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Car accident, and Abortion

carleigh95's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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

4.5

A very great read that will challenge the way you look at struggle and privilege. This book pulls at your heart and has you rooting for different characters throughout. 
It is written through the point of view of a young boy growing up in the backcountry and I found the tone and language a bit difficult to get used to at first. Also, it is a very long read which may deter some readers, but the story itself is so beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

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

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

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

mkwoods's review

challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

It’s as amazing as they say if you stick with it.

I loved the narrator’s voice, how well Kingsolver captured young boy. I saw traces of my brothers in it, and even in the darkest moments Demon made me laugh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Death and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

rinku's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Abortion