Demon Copperhead

Demon Copperhead is a modern retelling of David Copperfield, set in the Appalachian region of West Virginia. We follow Demon from birth to young adult as he navigates the harsh reality of growing up as an orphan in rural Lee County ravaged by Oxy and other drugs. It's an emotional journey filled with turns of luck and misfortune for Demon and his friends. 

I was captivated by the incredible characters and depth. Kingsolver avoids relying on stereotypes or tropes. Instead, she dives into the characters' backgrounds, motivations, and emotions, showing us why each character acts that way. There's a strong critique of class, the artificial divides in society, and the foster care system. We see this exemplified throughout the book and its impact becomes especially poignant when set against the backdrop of the opioid crisis.

As it happens with longer and slow paced books, the plot drags in the middle. There were parts where I powered through as I was hoping for more drama. I definitely enjoyed the ending, but some of the shifts in relationships were too subtle and easily missed. I knew Demon cared for Angus because she always believed in him, but the change to romantic parter left me wondering when did he start seeing her that way?  

Fantastic book, definitely give this a read!