Barbara Kingsolver is a great writer. The blurb on the back of the book sums up the story perfectly,”Suffused with truth, anger and compassion, Demon Copperhead is an epic tale of love, loss and everything in-between.”
I found it really interesting as to why, and how, Barbara wrote this book;
Why- the book is set in the area of the USA where the author grew up, in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. The people in this area have often been referred to as “hillbillies”. Through Demon’s story, we, the readers, begin to understand how these people have been misrepresented and taken advantage of, resulting in poverty, limited opportunities and an opioid epidemic.
How- The book is based on the retelling of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, where he uses his book to protest against the immense poverty of children of his time. So, following the storyline of David Copperfield, we follow the story of Demon Copperhead-a boy also “born on the wrong side of luck”.
I loved this book.
-Dominique, Holbrook Library
