Demon Copperhead Audiobook By Barbara Kingsolver cover art

Demon Copperhead

A Novel

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Demon Copperhead

By: Barbara Kingsolver
Narrated by: Charlie Thurston
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About this listen

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
Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Small Town & Rural Heartfelt Village Emotionally Gripping Tearjerking Funny Thought-Provoking Suspenseful
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Featured Article: Best of the Year—The 15 Best Fiction Listens of 2022


To say it’s a challenge to select the top fiction listens of the year (and this year especially!) is an understatement. But as hard as it is, it’s an even greater honor for our team to be able to listen deeply to so many amazing stories and then highlight the best of the best to you. Fiction is a big category—one that includes everything from epic family sagas to clever short stories, from historical fiction to near-future speculative works.

Powerful Coming-of-age Story • Vivid Character Development • Authentic Appalachian Portrayal • Heartbreaking Yet Hopeful
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The last few BK books have not been to my taste, so I hesitated on this one. Boy was I wrong! This book is a masterpiece. It’s right up there with Poisonwood Bible. Some people say it’s too sad. What they mean is it’s too realistic. I have family in these mountains. I know this landscape, the physical and emotional. Kingsolver hits both perfectly bringing you the story in a raw but tender way. And this narration is a solid gold 10/10. Kudos to both author and narrator. I laughed. I cried. I got angry. It was everything promised and a lot more.

Wow! It’s a Masterpiece

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Because Barbara Kingsolver tells a story with soul and authenticity. Because for most readers this will take them to a world as alien to them as Mars. And because this boy will remain in your heart forever. The narrator is perfection at bringing the characters to life but, especially, Charlie Thurston inhabits Demon. Don’t miss this chance to walk in his shoes. It’s worth the heartache.

A Must Read for so many reasons

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Mark my words, this book will be slated for Best Book of the Year on Goodreads and Audible. Not only is the story compelling, but the narration is perfect.

Winner!

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Barbara Kingsolver - master of storytelling with multiple levels of meaning, multiple voices, generous with detail. Really cares about her characters. The Dickens tie-ins are enriching and fun, too. For me it brings back reading David Copperfield at 14 yrs old… the first book I really fell in love with. These characters resonate.

And… It flows so beautifully

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Loved every minute of it. The main character’s courage and innate intelligence carries the listener through thick and thin. This will become a classic.

Great story, great listen

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Wow! I grew up in this region and watched friends who didn’t leave home fall into this gregarious trap of the capitalistic opioid grinder. I’m lucky I never had to go through the climb out of addiction. The reality of it’s trap has changed the landscape of the place I call home. Kingsolver did not pull punches with this book and I think everyone who reads it will be better for the experience.

The harsh reality of Appalachian beauty

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This book is a modern epic classic. Strong characters, thought provoking subject matter, plenty of twists and narrated with perfect voice for the story. I couldn’t stop listening.

I bought the hard copy for my library so I’ll always have it.

What a Book!

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I was as engaged in this book as I was when I read Poisonwood Bible. At times very hard to read, emotionally, but obviously I knew this going in since it is a modern David Copperfield.
I’m taking it as my book club gift exchange book. I highly recommend it.

Engaging

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performance and content was 1000% the best I've ever heard and I've been listening for a couple decades

best I've ever had

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Such a tragic story that is so beautifully written. The story provides great insights into the terrible opioid crisis that this nation is facing.

Painfully beautiful

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