Demon Copperhead (Oprah's Book Club Pick) by Barbara Kingsolver
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Web ID: 15418580A memorable roller coaster ride
This book was tough to get through because of all of the hardships and pitfalls that the main character and the surrounding characters go through as well. This book is very impactful and though it is a fiction book, it seems to encapsulate what may truly be nonfiction for people that live in small towns in different parts of the US. There is no filter in how the characters thoughts or conversations go and you never know where the story is leading or where it will end up. The author keeps you on your feet and the story is one that is unforgettable. Overall, a good read!
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Literary masterpiece
"The wonder is that you could start life with nothing, end with nothing, and lose so much in between." (p.468) In this Pulitzer Prize winner by Kingsolver a boy nicknamed Demon is born in a trailer to a mother with an drug addiction. She dies when he is young, leaving him to grow up an orphan in a rural Appalachia plagued with an opioid crisis. This book follows Demon through the hardships and triumphs of his boyhood. As people come in and out of his life they bring their own hurt or kindness or both, each affecting his trajectory in their own way. This literary fiction is one of the best books I have ever read. The characters are complex with accessible interiorities. I couldn't stop thinking about them for a long time after the book was over. The language is written in a rural Appalachian dialect that remains consistent throughout, yet it is rich with imagery. I cannot say enough about how easy it was for me to completely sink into this book and become lost in the language and characters. It is a heavy read so make sure you are in the right head space before picking it up. This book is the epitome of what literature can be and I would recommend everyone add it to their reading list. I cannot say enough good things about how well done the writing, story, and characters are in this one. Please go out and get it if you haven't already. Kingsolver is a true literary talent.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Hilarious and Heartbreaking
This lovable narrator tells you his story in a way that makes heartbreak hilarious. Inspired by Dickens, Kingsolver turns to rural American poverty and addiction. See why this won the Pulitzer and the Women's Prize for Fiction. Fabulous read.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Narrative of intense candor and self-awareness.
THUNDEROUS. This is an epic story of a young man caught up as a victim of opioids. But that single sentence does little justice to a narrative of intense candor and self-awareness for people victims of addiction both hidden and forgotten among the rural poor. Set in the back hills of Virginia the novel is told through the first person point of view of Demon, a boy caught in poverty, the foster care system and ultimately, addiction. He proves to be the perfect voice for Kingsolver’s passionate social criticism. Someone who knows he’s left behind, yet still has talent, meets few people who help him, learns about survival. Likable, nuanced, humorous, fighting to overcome his circumstances – Demon is similar to Dickens’ “David” from the David Copperfield classic Kingsolver nods to and pushes back on. The novel is a lengthy 500+ page book that feels relentless in demonstrating the tenacity of an opioid’s hold even as Kingsolver gallops and gobbles up large passages of time. As readers, we are as consumed as poor Demon. Masterful. Repost of review on Goodreads.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Compelling Novel!
“For the kids who wake up hungry in those dark places every day, who’ve lost their families to poverty and pain pills, whose caseworkers keep losing their files, who feel invisible, or wish they were: this book is for you.” “Demon Copperhead” is my first Barbara Kingsolver novel. The author vacationed in the home of Charles Dickens and had the occasion to sit at the desk where he wrote David Copperfield. A novel about a boy finding his way out of institutionalized poverty, abuse, hardship, and exploitation. Kingsolver decided to rewrite the story and make it about a boy growing up in the 1990s Appalachia where she is from. “He lets the child tell the story, “She says of Dickens. “Nobody doubts the child.” The author’s political agenda becomes apparent throughout. This novel becomes her platform for exposing the many obstacles faced by the Appalachian poor and opioid-addicted. She makes no attempts to soften their desperate circumstances, their poverty, and the child welfare agencies that fail them. She points her fingers for the opioid epidemic squarely on the shoulders of the pharmaceutical companies for aggressively targeting the poor and desperate. She thrusts you into the midst of real-world circumstances and she compassionately demands that we not look away. For me, the story slowed down about three-quarters of the way through the novel. Before picking up again in the last 5 chapters. It is for that reason that I give it a 4-star rating. Overall, a compelling novel that should be read by all!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not a fan of this read
Not a fan of this book. Starts off pretty good then it just slows down to a crawl. To much repetition of similar situations. Spans this young man’s entire life. Very depressing. He never had a chance from the beginning. I usually find something good in each book I read, not able to do so with this one.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Absolutely Fantastic!!
I am so sorry to be late to the party on this novel. I finished this book last week and I'm still suffering from a book hangover. This book had be from go. I wanted to devour it. At the same time, her writing is so rich and dense with details, I had to put it down after every couple chapters to take it all in. I wanted to savor it, reluctant to finish. When I finally did finish - I wanted more! That description right there describes is THE best books to read. Exactly what you're hoping for with every book you pick up. God Bless Demon Copperhead, this fantastic character Barbara Kingsolver created. He grabbed my heart and didn't let go. I just can't rave about this story enough and the messages we need to take away from it. Shame on those out there who won't read it because of the hype. Seriously? (eye roll) Don't let that be you. Grab a copy today. I promise you won't regret it. Especially if you love a good character driven literary fiction novel. So Good!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Incredible writing of a heart-wrenching story.
This is one of those books that you should OWN. I mean, unless you feel comfortable annotating your library book or simply never returning it….. trust me, you’ll want to. But don’t. Just get it.This one’s worth having because it’s such an intricate story of the beauty, pain and hardship of everyday life for Demon and it STICKS WITH YOU. I keep coming back to it.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com