Demon Copperhead

Here’s the thing about Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I was immediately drawn into the story and became invested in the imperfect lives of the downtrodden characters. Halfway through, for some reason, I started to lose interest in the escapades of the  David Copperfield-esque main character. Now that I’ve finished reading the book, I miss hanging out with Demon, Maggot, Angus, Fast Forward, and all their other larger-than-life associates.

The book shines a light on some thorny societal issues including poverty, foster care and children’s services, and substance abuse. This can sometimes feel preachy and heavy-handed, but by far what kept me reading was the characterization, especially the distinctive voice of the wise-beyond-his-years protagonist, Demon.