A review by mappy
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

I was born to wish for more than I can have... But where did it come from, this wanting disease?

The kind of book that leaves you feeling like you're parting with an old friend, Demon Copperhead is a stunning fictional memoir that is everything a memoir should be: deeply reflective, sensitive and self-aware, examining formative experiences and changing relationships with a painful clarity that feels as honest as it is heartbreaking. 

It's difficult to find a hole in this novel. Demon's voice is the tie that binds, but everything feels fully fleshed out, from his environment to the people within it. There is no end to the characters that make an impact, who are there to fall in love with, from Demon himself to Tommy, June, Amato and Armstrong, Angus and Mr. Dick. 

Though fictional, Demon's story is tethered to lived experiences that will surely resonate with many from a similar background, to whom Kingsolver has dedicated the work. The novel is a love letter to Appalachia and its people, the trials they have faced and the region's shared history, at once troubled and full of heart. 

I was invested in Demon's journey to the end, and it feels bittersweet to be leaving him behind.
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