A review by richardrbecker
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
As a character study, Demon Copperhead brilliantly follows the early life of Damon Copperhead, a self-deprecating teen with a drug-addicted mother and abusive father figure (his own father died in a tragic accident), growing up in Virginia's Appalachian mountains. As a result, he frequently finds himself barring the brunt of the system — thrust into foster care homes that are more akin to work camps while his mother tries to get clean (until she ultimately doesn't).
It's easy to like Damon because he desperately tries to be a good kid. He might have even weathered it perfectly if not for being introduced to opioids when painkillers became a cure-all. Taking place before the HHS declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, Demon Copperhead captures how pushing painkillers devasted areas that were once too proud for government dependency.
There is an irony in reading Demon Copperhead in that Kingsolver does a better job covering the plight of blue-collar, rural Americans than the nonfiction book, Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope because Kingsolver doesn't have an agenda. She merely wants to tell the story of a boy growing up in the darker recesses of our country and does so, vividly, over the top of "David Copperfield," by Charles Dickens, as a template. And she can do it because she retains the boy's spirit to illuminate his life and the life of others intact, creating a character we can admire instead of save.
If you enjoy character-driven coming-of-life stories that span years, Demon Copperhead is a fine pick, with the only trouble being how much clarity Kingsolver gives him too soon in his early years. While the book runs a little long, it's a well-crafted, enjoyable read that sheds light on a part of America that is sometimes neglected.
It's easy to like Damon because he desperately tries to be a good kid. He might have even weathered it perfectly if not for being introduced to opioids when painkillers became a cure-all. Taking place before the HHS declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, Demon Copperhead captures how pushing painkillers devasted areas that were once too proud for government dependency.
There is an irony in reading Demon Copperhead in that Kingsolver does a better job covering the plight of blue-collar, rural Americans than the nonfiction book, Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope because Kingsolver doesn't have an agenda. She merely wants to tell the story of a boy growing up in the darker recesses of our country and does so, vividly, over the top of "David Copperfield," by Charles Dickens, as a template. And she can do it because she retains the boy's spirit to illuminate his life and the life of others intact, creating a character we can admire instead of save.
If you enjoy character-driven coming-of-life stories that span years, Demon Copperhead is a fine pick, with the only trouble being how much clarity Kingsolver gives him too soon in his early years. While the book runs a little long, it's a well-crafted, enjoyable read that sheds light on a part of America that is sometimes neglected.