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A review by proudtobeabookaholic
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
dark
emotional
informative
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
4.0
Demon Copperhead has all odds against him at birth: still in the amniotic sac when he slides out of his 18-year-old, drug addict of a mother, on the floor of a trailer. The only things the future has to offer are foster care, rawness and addiction. But Demon has a strong survival instinct and a dream: to one day see the ocean.
Barbara Kingsolver has been inspired by Dickens' "David Copperfield" and she does a great job with changing the setting to our modern world. "Demon Copperhead" won both the Pulitzer Prize and Women's Prize for Fiction in 2023, as well as being chosen for Oprah's Book Club. I didn't pick it up for any of those reasons, but because I'm going to talk about this book (amongst others) at an event at work next week. I've been listening to the English version, but also read quite a lot from the Swedish edition I have at home (courtesy of the publisher).
To begin with I was wondering what I had gotten myself into, because it certainly isn't an encouraging read. It's heartbreaking and dense, but then we get tiny rays of hope, thankfully. In addition, Kingsolver has found the exact right tone for us to sympathize with the main character, even though he doesn't always do as you wish. Despite being given a bad hand - that sometimes lead to bad decisions - it's very clear that Demon Copperhead is a good person. He also has two talents; American football and drawing. One will ruin him, the other gives him a future.
Don't let the amount of pages/hours stand in your way - this is a book worth reading. Now that I've finished it I wish I could have had more time with Demon!
Barbara Kingsolver has been inspired by Dickens' "David Copperfield" and she does a great job with changing the setting to our modern world. "Demon Copperhead" won both the Pulitzer Prize and Women's Prize for Fiction in 2023, as well as being chosen for Oprah's Book Club. I didn't pick it up for any of those reasons, but because I'm going to talk about this book (amongst others) at an event at work next week. I've been listening to the English version, but also read quite a lot from the Swedish edition I have at home (courtesy of the publisher).
To begin with I was wondering what I had gotten myself into, because it certainly isn't an encouraging read. It's heartbreaking and dense, but then we get tiny rays of hope, thankfully. In addition, Kingsolver has found the exact right tone for us to sympathize with the main character, even though he doesn't always do as you wish. Despite being given a bad hand - that sometimes lead to bad decisions - it's very clear that Demon Copperhead is a good person. He also has two talents; American football and drawing. One will ruin him, the other gives him a future.
Don't let the amount of pages/hours stand in your way - this is a book worth reading. Now that I've finished it I wish I could have had more time with Demon!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy