A boy's journey.

The first sentence: "First, I got myself born", grabbed me and didn’t let me go until I reached the last page.

Damon, born to a druggie mother who hired a trailer home on the property of Mr Peg and Mrs Peggot, spent his early years trying to keep his mother sober and drug-free so that she could work to put food on the table. There was not much money for anything else. The Peggot's grandson (Matt aka Maggot) lived with them while his mother was in jail for manslaughter. A similar age, the boys form a lasting close friendship. Damon's life is reasonable and manageable (his name quickly changed to Demon Copperhead once he reached school age because of his red hair, inherited from his father, a Melungeon from the Appalachian district), until the day his mother comes home with a new man – claiming that Stoner is going to be a wonderful stepdad and all-round support to them. This quickly turns into a toxic relationship and ends with his mother overdosing and Demon being taken into care.

It's a harrowing tale of Demon being trapped in a system of social workers who are overloaded with cases and foster parents who lie to take on children so that they can be exploited.

The book shocked me with the revelations about how easy prescriptions drugs can turn into an addiction very quickly. Unless the addict is incredibly lucky, they don’t stand the chance to get the help they need to turn their lives around.

Barbara Kingsolver got the idea to author this book, based on David Copperfield, after staying at Charles Dickens home, now a guest house. The storyline is riveting with hope at the end of the 633 pages that Demon can survive.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

Born to a young single mother and a dead father in Southern Appalachia, Demon has very little to his name. Throughout his life, he will experience a string of foster homes, backbreaking labour, sporting success, addiction and endless amounts of heartache. Told in his distinct voice, we experience a full complete life that will haunt you long after finishing the last page. I haven’t read David Copperfield and I don’t know too much about it. However, I was thoroughly taken in by Demon’s story. The book is hugely immersive and paints a portrait of a life plagued by tragedy. It is incredibly bleak, which is how it manages to retain the Dickensian vibe that inspired it. However, there are some moments of humour and some lovely authentic friendships. I loved watching Demon’s friendship with Angus grow and I was thrilled when he reconnected with Tommy. Demon is certainly a hero that you want good things for because he has been through so much at no fault of his own. There is also such a strong sense of place in this novel. Kingsolver does an amazing job of illustrating Lee County and it’s obvious that it’s a place very dear to her heart. I was completely transported by Demon’s story and I’d love to see if I enjoy Kingsolver’s backlist as much.

A fascinating choice of one of my favourite Dickens' novels, David Copperfield, to reimagine the narrative in an Appalachian Mountain setting. Very clever use of the original plot and characters, transposing eternal themes of poverty and loss into the contemporary situation. I found the story involving and absorbing and, as usual from the excellent Barbara Kingsolver, beautifully written. Well worth perservering with the unfamiliar style, which might be initially off-putting. Highly recommended.

What an epic read. I will admit it took me a while as I’m used to easy reading stories but I persevered and it was worth it.

I got sucked in by the writing and, having read David Copperfield in my youth, I can confirm this is better (apologies if that’s sacrilege!) but it is.

Once you get used to the authors way, you appreciate the beauty and it really is one of those books you could go back to parts of it just to remind yourself how wonderful it was.

This is a big chunky book. I didn't realise how long it was as I read the e book version. It's really nice to have a long story that unfolds slowly. It means that you get to know about Demons life in detail. The people he knows and meets, his family, friends. Even the place its set. All are clearly written so you.feel like you're there.
The book is similar to David Copperfield by Dickens. (I've only seen the film). If you're familiar with any Dickens though you'll recognise the themes here. Poverty, death, children in tight spots.
The story follows Demon from birth to around 20ish I think. As with all books by Barbara Kingsolver it's well written. It also made me think and I feel like I learned things that i didn't know before.

I am just destined to not like all new books by my favourite authors this year. Maybe it’s because I don’t like Dickens novel either and she sticks a lot closer than I expected to the source.

I hadn't read anything about this book before I started so it took me a while to realise that 'Demon Copperhead' is an Appalachian version of 'David Copperfield'. (Yes, I realise the title should've made it obvious.)

And Victorian England translates surprisingly well to 90s small-town Appalachia. Poverty, injustice and hopelessness permeates a lot of this novel, thought evil that is stands out as the most insidious is the opioid crisis and the cynical exploitation of prescription drug addiction. But in the midst of all this the author evokes the setting with compassion and affection, and challenges the 'red neck' stereotypes associated with the area.

It's not a cheerful book, but you can't help but be swept away in Demon's story - an epic, heartbreaking read.

This one of the best book i read in 2022, the first I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
This story is a retelling of David Cofferfield and as I read Copperfield once long ago it was like reading a new and exciting story.
There's a a cast of realistic and well plotted characters, there's a plot that kept in thrall and the masterful storytelling
There's a lot of wonderful moments and a great story.
Loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

i guess the problem here is simply that we all know more or less how this retelling of David Copperfield is going to go; she even tells us at the opening - so we read along, enjoying her prose, with some skimming involved partially to see how it will adhere to Dickens' novel - like what new issue will be metaphorically applied to his - opiods, alcoholism or in early part of his career, the drug curing shop his dad consigns him to - but, as ever, the writing and the people are great - all modern issues effectively supplanting those earlier ones - it's all just as it was for poverty level people .. i only wish i had not known the end, because it distracted me a lot with side issues of comparison to Dickens. ah well - she's a terrific writer

Barbara Kingsolver, Demon Copperhead, Faber and Faber 2022.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Barbara Kingsolver has been one of my favourite authors since reading The Poisonwood Bible. However, this has not been consistent – some of her books I have really enjoyed; others I have admired; and yet others have disappointed. I came to Demon Copperhead with this history so was prepared for any of my three reactions. I am left wondering, perhaps the most honest I can be is that my reaction is a mixture of the three.

The story is a poignant opening up of the life led by a person born into neglect and poverty, where love is often misunderstood, or not even recognised, leading to confusion, intemperate behaviour and drug dependence. While understanding Demon Copperhead’s reasons for his behaviour the reader is also given the imprimatur to sympathise with those he in turn abuses. At the same time, there is no forgiveness expected for a social welfare system that utterly fails this young person in need.

Is Demon Copperhead really a reiteration of David Copperfield? In some ways, I can see this- a child born into circumstances in which he appears to have no opportunity to improve his situation – and when good fortune arrives, there is little chance for him to move forward without more disaster impacting on him. The social welfare system may as well be as absent as in David Copperfield’s time – files go missing, staff are overwhelmed, lack the of understanding and inability to deal with a person’s needs are monumental.

I was thoroughly engrossed in the setting for this book – the southern Appalachians make an intriguing background, particularly for readers with no knowledge of this part of America. Kingsolver is adept in bringing the special aspects of the setting to bear on Demon Copperhead’s situation, at the same time as presenting a story that could be set in any number of locations. This weaving of the Appalachian setting and a universal story was, for me, one of the most impressive aspects of this novel.

Demon Copperhead’s simple desire to see the ocean, thwarted throughout the novel, is a strong image. His disappointment, and preparedness for disappointment, draw us into his story, perhaps more so than the more familiar devastating events that occur. Kingsolver is adept at using images that demand something from the reader, this is one such image. Together with the simple, easily understood torments suffered by Demon Copperhead, and some of the other protagonists in this story, Kingsolver again adeptly weaves together the demanding and the familiar.

So many reviewers loved this novel, and I am disappointed that I did not. With the provisos noted, it just was not for me.

This adaptation of David Copperfield for the modern age is a masterpiece. The familiar Dickens characters are all there but subtly disguised in the poverty stricken territory of Appalachia.

The current opioid crisis with its effect on family life makes this a riveting read and it is the author’s crowning triumph.

Demon Copperhead is a hefty tome, inspired by David Copperfield, but adapted for modern times. It had somewhat of the feel of A Little Life, in that tragedy begat tragedy. The writing is exquisite and the story of Demon is captivating as well as heart-breaking. Exploring themes of abuse, neglect and alienation, trauma and addiction, this is not an easy read. But it is a beautiful story that does leave the reader with a sense of optimism and hope.

This is good. This is great. This is clever.

Demon Copperhead is Barbara Kingsolver's modern day retelling of David Copperfield, set in modern day opioid addicted communities of south Virginia.

The main character, Demon, is intriguing and interesting, his start in life sets him up to fail and to struggle, and so we see him head into addiction to painkillers. His girlfriend, Dori, is no better off and she pulls him further into the spiral of dependency. All the characters of the novel are strongly written and interesting, many to love, many to despise.

All the characters of David Copperfield are held within this narrative, although it's no less a great story if you don't know the Dickens original. I loved the extra detail at the end where Barbara Kingsolver tells you how and where the story came to her.

I read The Poisonwood Bible many years ago which was an epic novel that has remained as one of my favourites. Barbara Kingsolver’s latest novel Demon Copperhead is another brilliantly written epic novel.
The novel is an impressive portrait of American underclass in southern Appalachia. Damon Copperhead (also known as Demon) father dies before he is born and is brought by his mother, a drug addict whose in and out of rehab. His mother marries Stoner, a monster who controls and abuses Demon and his mother. When his mother dies from an overdose he is taken into care. Demon is resilient as he suffers much cruelty and just hopes one day to seethe sea.
The novel is an exploration of poverty, broken families and the care system, and also corporate greed and how it exploits and keeps the poor in their place.
Another great Barbara Kingsolver novel.

A beautiful retelling of Charles Dickens' David Copperfield - and you've got it all, the young, drug-addict mum, the awful step dad, the poverty, the rural setting which hasn't quite upgraded to post-industrial life, the care system. Demon (Damon) is thrown from one family to the next, sometimes lucky, usually not, and ultimately the fall into prescribed drugs when the main character, Demon, becomes a star football player who suffers an injury. I loved this story about a boy in the care system who tries his best to survive (and thrive), drawing comics and playing football and it made me smile to see the many echoes to the original book by Dickens, but this one is its own story and I liked the main characters for themselves.. Angus is a particular favourite, smart and ambiguous, clever and determined, just a really lovely teenager written absolutely perfectly. It was at times fu,nny and heartbreaking, but very real and although I am not as familiar with the US system, I would say Kingsolver probably did a great job at describing what the foster-care system is like overall - a lottery and a really injust and sad system overall.

Demon Copperhead is one of the year's best books and should be a contender for literary prizes.
I was a third of the way through before I was aware of any connection to David Copperfield (which I haven't read). This didn't detract at all from my enjoyment of what may be Barbara Kingsolver's best writing since The Lacuna.
It's easy to lose yourself in the life and struggles of Damon whose coming-of-age story reflects that of many folks from rural America. His young voice rings so true that it is possible to completely forget that he was created by a woman in her 60s.
Damon's loss of innocence is heartbreaking but his endearing, plucky spirit, and the humour in the writing lift this story out of dispair. Kingsolver draws awareness to how easy it is for disadvantaged kids to become marginalized, neglected and to fall through the cracks of society. Poverty and neglect perpetuate but what a difference can be made to these lives by a network of supportive friends, teachers and competent social workers.
The main issues which the novel deals with - the impacts of the opioid crisis and the link to big pharma - are handled very well and without the didactic tones which somewhat marred Kingsolver's last novel Unsheltered. There's an essay at the end of the book explaining how Kingsolver came to rewrite David Copperfield and which reinforces what a stunningly clever book this is.
Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Barbara Kingsolver channels Dickens in her latest heart-breaking novel. We meet her protagonist, Demon Copperhead, as a child, the son of a drug addicted and alcoholic mother who simply cannot cope with motherhood. He becomes a victim of the inadequate American foster-care system. Deprivation is the key feature of Demon’s life. No one wants him and yet somehow his irrepressible nature helps him make it through. Kingsolver was fuelled by anger at the opioid crisis in America and the resulting child poverty and neglect, and uses Demon to demonstrate what can happen to a child caught in this trap. He’s not based on any one child but Demon is representative of so many children living in the US today. Kingsolver states that everything that happens to Demon and those around him has happened to someone she knows and her indignation comes over loud and clear. Not that the book is simply a diatribe. On the contrary it’s a compelling coming-of-age story, one which would be irredeemably bleak if it weren’t for Demon’s strong character, his wit and his way with words. The novel manages to educate and inform as well as entertain and I found it a compelling and immersive read.

I've enjoyed all her novels and this was no exception, I loved it. Although inspired by David Copperfield, this story stands very much on its own, dealing with discrimination, drug addiction, corruption and the inadequacies of the care system. But Demon's voice shines the whole way and you find yourself hoping things will work out. I think the author has done for Lee County what Dickens did for Victorian London in highlighting the issues that lead people to lead such desperate lives.

This took me a while to read - not because it's hard work but because I wanted to savour every page of this great retelling of David Copperfield.
Demon's account of his life was gripping, devastating and heartwarming - set against a backdrop of opiod addiction in rural America it cleverly retells the Dickens story without making you feel it's a copy.
I have enjoyed all of Barbara Kingsolver novels and this is another to add to my list of favourite books I've read this year. Brilliant!

Absolutely brilliant. Her best book since The Poisonwood Bible without a doubt. Couldn't put it down.