It’s heartbreaking but the moments of humor help. A close friend works with kids whose lives mirror Damon’s and she couldn’t finish the book because it hit too close to home.

I’m a Kingsolver fan and just couldn’t get into this one. So dark. I’m glad some of you have the same issues with it. Ron Charles, the Washington Post’s fiction reviewer, named it his favorite book of 2022. I was feeling like I just wasn’t giving it enough of a chance.

OP here - I'm pressing on, not lightening up yet. Just makes me sick to see this kid getting beat down over and over. Just about everything bad that can happen has. But I also feel a bit of a responsibility to read it. I fear there are too many kids who experience this.

it gets better

not all roses etc, but the dark dark of the early pages does go away

I love her writing but also got to the part in the very beginning where after pretty dark events the main character says something like if you thought it couldn't get worse, you were mistaken. Had to ask myself do I want to continue reading it and no, I put it away. Was wondering if it gets a bit less violent and depressing later on but sounds like not.

I listened to it and liked it. I also liked his point of view.

Very depressing and I wish I hadn't chosen it. I listened on Audible. Ugh. Just not good and I want all that time back.

Anonymous wrote:Personally I thought the book was terrible and really overplayed WV stereotypes. I felt like she was an armchair anthropologist telling me what people from there are like.

Southwest Virginia. - not West Virginia.

I haven't read it, but Kingsolver channeling Dickens is not going to be an uplifting book.

I listened on Audible. I have an hour left and am just going to finish. Does it get more positive? Not really. I think this will be my last Kingsolver book.

Personally I thought the book was terrible and really overplayed WV stereotypes. I felt like she was an armchair anthropologist telling me what people from there are like.

I thought it wsa one of the best books I have read int he last 5 years. And I read a lot (96 books last year alone). I just felt the character development/voice of Demon was so clear, insightful and real

I finished it a week ago. I listened to it on Audible. At first I loved it and I thought the darkness was balanced with some humor and some hope. However, about halfway through I felt like it started to drag. I took a break from it for a few days and picked it up again on my commute after the holidays. Definitely a "meh" in terms of rating it. For such a predictable ending it was a really long book.

I think if you're uncomfortable now, you should stop reading it. I can't get thru any Barbara Kingsolver book, to be honest so I can't comment on how this one evolves, but just going by gut, if it's bad at the start its not going to get better (the violence).

I’m not sure if I want to continue on with this book. Has anyone read it and if so does it get less dark? I really hate reading about domestic violence and drug addiction. The first 75 pages or so are filled with it.

I would normally just set it aside but I really respect Kingsolver’s writing and do appreciate what she’s doing with the book and especially the narrative voice.