Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

11 reviews

asha_m's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

beklovesbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad

4.0

I can see why it won a Pulitzer. Remarkable imagery, authentic voice, themes mostly came around to neat closure. 
Unfortunately, there were excessive graphic descriptions of drug use and sex. Every imaginable locker room crude sexual innuendo. It’s too bad the very good descriptive capabilities of the author was applied to trash you don’t want in your mind as well as nature and life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abortion

mdwsn27's review against another edition

Janet Fitch's White Oleander manages to resonate like- and accomplish what- Demon Copperhead doesn't.

Maybe because this story is too familiar after working day-to-day with kids in DCFS custody, or since I haven't read David Copperfield (and no longer plan to), I didn't finish--having stopped at page 246. A shame considering how long I had this on my to-read list/waited for it to become available.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

putzkid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

omged. the writting style was beautiful. the story was so goddamn depressing but so important, informative and entrapping. im both relieved it ended where it did and wanting more. but this was an amazing book. i love how she writes, very witty and odd and random and disturbing and messy and unstable but absolutely perfect for the plot. 
take away .25ths cause it was really upsetting and disturbing, but that still matters, just not my favourite thing, personally. 
please check all trigger/content warnings to be prepared :):). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism

latashman's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I couldn't help but cheer for Demon the entire book. This book was heartbreaking. Unfortunately some of the pieces of the story are true or based on truth. I couldn't help but think of all the Demons in the world who we will never know. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, and Slavery

sjanke2's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

This is a challenging book, both in the sense of Demon's stream-of-consciousness voice and the trials he endures. But after 50 pages, one's brain adapts to Kingsolver's writing style. The audiobook narrator helped in developing a stride. Demon goes through so much, and there's a balance of both good and bad influences in the side characters. I also appreciated Kingsolver's strong stance on the war wreaked upon Appalachians by land grabbers, mining companies, and Big Pharma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Gun violence, Sexual violence, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Abortion, Pregnancy, and War

madthemme's review against another edition

It was way too heavy on the unmitigated traumas tragedy for me. I dreaded picking up the book so let myself off the hook for this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Slavery, and Death of parent

hadsadley's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad 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

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Slavery

jaswoahreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Slavery

laura_cat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

4.75

Took me about 100 pages to adjust to the voice. This is a difficult book to read: you’ll be immersed in loss, injustice, and systemic oppression. Though there is humor throughout the book, too. And Kingsolver does a great job of helping readers understand the severity of the opioid crisis. Read with caution, especially if you are sensitive to child abuse, being orphaned as a child, and drug addiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexism, Slavery, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Toxic friendship