cheryllovesbooks 's review for:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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 Demon Copperhead is a remarkable, devastating novel. Barbara Kingsolver takes the framework of Dickens’ David Copperfield and reimagines it in modern-day Appalachia, weaving a story of poverty, resilience, and the opioid crisis. Even without having read the original, I was drawn into Demon’s voice and perspective from the start — raw, vulnerable, and often darkly funny. 

 

This book taught me a great deal about Appalachia and the systemic forces that trap people in cycles of despair. It is a powerful work of social commentary, but also an intimate character study that left me feeling deeply for Demon and those around him. 

 

At the same time, this was not an easy read. It left me sad and uncomfortable, which I believe was part of the point. Kingsolver forces the reader to witness realities that are often ignored, and while that can be painful, it makes the story unforgettable. 

 

For me, it’s a solid five-star read — brilliantly written, ambitious, and deeply moving — even though it broke my heart along the way.