Demon Copperhead

A Novel

By: Barbara Kingsolver

Narrated by: Charlie Thurston

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION

New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century • An Oprah’s Book Club Selection • An Instant New York Times Bestseller • An Instant Wall Street Journal Bestseller • A #1 Washington Post Bestseller • A New York Times ""Ten Best Books of the Year""

""Demon is a voice for the ages—akin to Huck Finn or Holden Caulfield—only even more resilient.” —Beth Macy, author of Dopesick

""May be the best novel of [the year]. . . . Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, this is the story of an irrepressible boy nobody wants, but readers will love.” —Ron Charles, Washington Post

From the acclaimed author of The Poisonwood Bible and The Bean Trees and the recipient of the National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, a brilliant novel that enthralls, compels, and captures the heart as it evokes a young hero’s unforgettable journey to maturity

Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.

Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for listeners of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.

©2022 Barbara Kingsolver (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Depressing!!!!!

I usually read or listen to books to learn something or as an escape. This book didn’t really teach me anything, and it was just depressing. Being fairly familiar with rural Appalachia, I believe the story was plausible and sadly accurate. It’s rare for me to make it through a book and think, “thank goodness that’s over.” This was that kind of book. If you were moved by the poverty portrayed in this book, I recommend that you volunteer to work with or donate to the Appalachia Service Project.

Riveting Story perfectly Narrated!

how was the Narrator?

the narrator was absolutely perfect & truly Becomes the voice of Damon. What a novel & what a production!

thank you!

For a wonderful, gut wrenching, trip. I laughed and cried and scared the cat, loving every moment.

Amazing

This story is heart wrenching and gut wrenching and real. I loved it and thought the narrator was perfect.

Authentic and timely

I grew up in this part of the country back in the 60s and 70s. Narrated expertly by someone who must truly be from Appalachia, this book captures the experience of these proud, eccentric, and vulnerable people. The damage done first by coal companies and then by Purdue Pharma kept them down and is still keeping them down. But this story provides hope, with Demon’s escape from an environment populated with temptations and bad luck, rescued by the people who care for him and see through his hard outer shell to the big heart inside. His tangible attachment to the beauty of the land and the friends known since childhood paint an enduring image of the possibility for change. Bravo Barbara Kingsolver for your insightful knowledge and authentic storytelling of this part of America—its beauty and its people. Thank you.

Once again, she nailed it!

A painful story true to the core of our failure as an entire country to take care of our children. All of them.
I both loved the story and hated it.
For the damn truth.

a masterpiece

David Copperfield in the holler, Kingsolver got so deeply into the characters, the land, the economy, the drug blight that I felt I lived it.

Stumbled onto this story

Not what I expected but glad I stumbled onto this story - kept me interested all the way through- well written and a good story with a wealth of characters- should listen to this story

Fantastic Story and Performance

I have listened to hundreds of books on audible.com and have given very few five star ratings. This book deserves five stars for performance and story. The grit of the story of a young man growing up during the opioid crisis but also paralleling David Copperfield is pretty brilliant. It’s a must read.

True Kingsolver style

I enjoyed it immensely. Not her best work, but absolutely worth the 21 hours of listening. Fantastic narrator.