Demon Copperhead

Description

Born in a trailer in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead enters the world with very little working in his favour. He grows up surrounded by poverty, instability, and people struggling to make ends meet, losing his mother at a young age and being forced to navigate a series of difficult homes and relationships. Despite everything, Demon has a sharp sense of humour and a remarkable ability to keep moving forward.

As he grows older, he encounters people who influence his life in very different ways from teachers and foster families to friends and those who introduce him to the world of professional sports. But beneath the promise of a better life are the realities of poverty, neglect, exploitation, addiction, and the devastating impact of the opioid crisis. Told in Demon’s distinctive voice, the novel balances humour with some genuinely heartbreaking moments. His story isn’t simply about the hardships he experiences; it is also about friendship, resilience, ambition, survival, love, and the possibility of building a future despite where you began. Barbara Kingsolver reimagines Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield through a contemporary Appalachian setting, creating a story that feels both rooted in a classic literary tradition and completely relevant to the modern world.