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bigolscrewup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Good people don’t give up on the ones they love
4/5 ⭐
I've always wanted to read Barbara Kingsolver's works before and there were times where I've tried to get "The Poisonwood Bible", only for it to be sold out in almost every place I could get it in my place. So when I got my hands on this book, I thought "Finally!!".
I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book, which was heartbreaking at times, exploring Demon's life from the beginning, which was one hardship after another. I loved the way Peggots took care of him and his mother, the trips to cities, trying to teach him things he wasn't willing to listen, living with Angus. It was fascinating to learn about the lives of people living in the mountains of southern Appalachia region. Reading about the struggles of addiction and the long torturous road to sobriety depicted in the story was a deeply moving experience, it offers a poignant reflection on the struggles faced by people grappling with substance abuse, as well as the importance of support and compassion in the journey towards recovery. It sickens me that various pharma companies used the ignorance of people in those times to exploit and profit off of their pain. It makes me wonder this could be happening still in small communities.
I found myself losing interest in the middle, especially his teenage years, which were filled with lots of people and lots of problems and lots of stupid decisions. There were times I wondered where the story is going. Also, there were times, I couldn't understand why different people in the story were making these ridiculous decisions at various points in the story, but maybe that's the difference between people who are addicted to something and people who aren't, that they are not aware that there's another way. Thankfully the story picked up momentum at the end, which honestly redeemed my opinion of this book.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Addiction, Miscarriage, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
rinku's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Child abuse, Violence, Drug use, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Bullying, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Car accident, and Miscarriage
Minor: Abortion
cg07's review
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment and Addiction
Moderate: Misogyny, Suicide, Alcohol, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Sexism, Drug use, Classism, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Death
katrinarose's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Classism, Drug abuse, Grief, Drug use, Medical trauma, and Death
Moderate: Cursing and Misogyny
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Racism, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts
nikshelby's review
Abuse of children and women. Alcoholism. Drug use (and overdose). Poverty and despair.
I should’ve realized when it won the Pulitzer that it would be rife with a bleak outlook, despondent characters, and heartbreaking situations.
Graphic: Violence, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Infidelity
esther_floraa's review
- 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
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Trafficking, Violence, Emotional abuse, Racism, Cancer, Death, Child abuse, Classism, Drug use, Death of parent, Misogyny, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
amaribph's review
- 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
I was very moved by Demon's plight. Even though it was very emotionally difficult to read, I feel grateful to have learned so much through Kingsolver's gorgeous writing about that part of our country, the terrible faultiness of our foster care system, and the opioid crisis.
It was long, but I felt it was well-paced, well-edited, and not at all too complicated or technically challenging. I can't say it's an "easy read" because the subject matter is dark and sad, but the writing itself is very well organized and easy to follow.
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Rape, Bullying, Cursing, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, Grief, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
alexisgarcia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Classism, Child death, Death of parent, Racism, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Suicide, Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Drug abuse
sjtowry's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Blood, Classism, Racism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Pregnancy, Violence, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Trafficking, Vomit, Addiction, Abortion, Abandonment, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship
lawebz's review against another edition
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny