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Demon Copperhead
The SelectBooks team and staff of The Ford Family Foundation simply could not put this book down as we pored through the pages of Demon’s recounting of his life, childhood, challenges, hopes and community. Although set in rural Appalachia, those of us who call rural Oregon home found parallels to our own lives and the lives of those around us. The many complex, deep and heart wrenching challenges that Demon faces are the challenges of our times as advocates for rural child well-being and opportunity. The adults surrounding Demon and his friends, the power of friendship, and tenacity and strength of character resound as windows into the positive influences on rural children and youth.
As you read, we invite you to make notes, reflect and discuss the themes and characters with those around you. We’ll host an online discussion on Facebook and Instagram which you can join by following us @fordfamilyfound and #SelectBooksCommunity. Your book will come with a printed discussion guide (download PDF) with a preview of the discussion prompts.
Content advisory: This book contains many adult themes not suitable for young readers including drug use, child abuse and sexual abuse, strong language and more.
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Year of Publishing: 2022
Number of Pages: 560
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Reviews
Jenny Nunn (verified owner) –
This book is filled with heartache and trial and the battle to overcome all the hard things that he faced in his life. His humor and ability to rise above it all leave you laughing and feeling hopeful!
nunnj (verified owner) –
Loved it so much! Can’t wait to share it with friends!
Cara Davis-Jacobson (verified owner) –
This is a challenging and at times heart-breaking read. But the strength of the characters and Demon’s journey is evident. Hard to recommend, but so worthy of discussion. Kingsolver is a master.
Arlyne Ball (verified owner) –
Worth reading this book. It took me 2chapters to get into it but I enjoyed the authors insight n characters.
Jamie Willard (verified owner) –
Incredible book and so grateful to get a recent Pulitzer winner for free from this amazing program.
Hilary Mankofsky (verified owner) –
Complex characters with relatable interiors. Rooted in Appalachia, with a strong dialect which makes it easier to slip into a new world. It’s a heavy read, but well worth it, just make sure you are in the right head space for it.
Emily Coatney (verified owner) –
I’ve been wanting to read this book for a long time! Barbara Kingsolver is a fantastic writer, I’ve read and loved several of her other novels (Prodigal Summer, Flight Behavior, and Unsheltered) but this might be my favorite! Looking forward to the book study in September on FB!
Karen Tolley (verified owner) –
Barbara Kingsolver knows how to use words. Vivid images were in my head as I read each page. She is an extraordinary storyteller. I felt connected to Demon from the beginning. The life events he experienced made me weep and made me laugh. They made me both forlorn and hopeful. This book made me feel all of my feelings. I’m glad I read it. I still think about the characters daily.
Lola Cornish (verified owner) –
I love everything the author has written and this book does not disappoint!
Johnny (verified owner) –
Such a great read!
alyssakornbrath (verified owner) –
Barbara Kingsolver is a wonderful author!
Blibertad (verified owner) –
Powerful content from a beautiful writer.
julieethompson (verified owner) –
Loved it! Thanks
Debra Dreiling (verified owner) –
I would leave a review but never received the book
GSGreene (verified owner) –
This book was both heartbreaking, but also mind-opening. It points out that we don’t always know about others upbringing or why they act the way they do. There were times I laughed, and times I almost cried when reading this. Absolutely worth it!
Deanna English (verified owner) –
It was a compelling read, a bit overwhelming at times, i loved the writing, the flow. We discussed it in book club, and there were several that found it too depressing. unfortunately it has much to say about our modern times, foster care, drugs, addiction etc. I read it rapidly and loved it
kellymaia8 (verified owner) –
This book was so good. I couldn’t put it down. The author wrote about the challenges and disparities facing rural communities. It was a somber book yet the pacing, characters, and message really pushes you along to the end. I highly recommend this SelectBooks offering and will be reading more of Kingsolver’s books in the future.
Paula Thompson (verified owner) –
This book is heartbreaking at times, but his perseverance and humorous storytelling make it a fun read.
Ashley Johnson (verified owner) –
A gift of a story. Powerfully great read.
Karalyn Jenkins (verified owner) –
Really great book. I read it for book club and grateful for this program!
garciac113 (verified owner) –
Sharing with others. Challenging to read at times but worth it
stokesfolks (verified owner) –
As a fan of both Charles Dickens and Barbara Kingsolver, this book was right up my alley. I hope to get my book club friends to read it too.
stormiautumn (verified owner) –
Very eye opening and insightful story
Heather Gomez (verified owner) –
Barbara Kingsolver continues to be one of my favorite authors
Jane Padgett (verified owner) –
This was an entertaining work of fiction yet felt very real in some ways. The story of big pharma taking advantage of poor, rural people, as well as the foster care component combined with human resiliency kept me reading to the end. Thank you for offering it in Select Books!
AmyB (verified owner) –
A thought provoking book that is also very accessible and entertaining.
Jess_Note (verified owner) –
I never received this book
DotB (verified owner) –
This can be a difficult book to read because of the sadness but it also can be an inspiring book because of someone, Demon Copperhead, who overcomes terrible circumstances. It’s the story of this young man who lives with a mother more interested in drugs than her young son. Neighbors help out sometimes by spending time with him, taking him on outings, but when his mother dies he is under the care of the state and the foster care system in Appalachia, where he lives. The story talks about the dreadful life he had with a foster parent who used him and other young children to work on his property for their stay, who fed them inadequately and housed them in unsafe living conditions. The book talks about the opioid epidemic and how easy it is to get addicted. Demon hoped to be a football star but got injured and easily turned to drugs, provided initially by his doctor. Demon is fascinated by the ocean even though he has never seen it and expresses himself through comics. This is a book that shows how friendships can help someone survive a horrible life.
Leanne Puga (verified owner) –
Wonderful book
mingomom (verified owner) –
Once you start this book, I warn you: You wont be able to put it down. The trials and tribulations that this book takes you through is similar to an emotional rollercoaster. I ended up starting this book in the afternoon and not realizing it was 3am before taking a break.
Some parts aren’t suitable for younger readers, or sensitive readers. However, I left this book feeling like I wanted more and I still wish I could continue reading. Definitely one of those you get lost in.
pauljohnsonbend (verified owner) –
Great, great read.
Paige Seehawer (verified owner) –
Demon copperhead was a beautiful read!
Linda Jennings (verified owner) –
Barbara Kingsolver never disappoints.
Evelyn (verified owner) –
Received today. Very much looking forward to reading and discussing with friends!
Amy Taylor (verified owner) –
Fantastic portrayal of the insidious effects of poverty. Demon and his family had tiny glimpses of hope but in order to hold on to the future the reader wants for him the obstacles are huge, realistic and common. Beautifully told sad story of an American life.
Holly Ryan (verified owner) –
Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors. She didn’t disappoint with this book. Thought-provoking, a great read!
allison verdries (verified owner) –
Always a win with Kingsolver, this one is no exception, highly recommend
Sitka (verified owner) –
So many complex issues are presented and interwoven in this novel of how basic human needs and survival may respond to environmental and experiential input – from common life struggles such as family, adolescence, death, layered with poverty trap issues, addictions, and cultural privileges/biases topped with specifics of company towns/regions and then walloped with the opioid crisis. Eye opening and raw – allowing readers to think upon how might our communities (and ourselves) address such issues – we are all connected.
tlslibrary (verified owner) –
A very intense text full of big emotions. Strong characterization and superb storytelling.
mariesimonds (verified owner) –
This book is riveting and heartbreaking at the same time. A must-read!
gravesj (verified owner) –
I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend.
hswren (verified owner) –
A challenging but powerful read. This is a book that should be in everybody’s collection.
Evelyn (verified owner) –
Love this book and this author! Thanks Ford Family.
Amber (verified owner) –
Great read, very much enjoyed!
annief051 (verified owner) –
I haven’t read this yet but I’m really looking forward to reading soon.
franvoss (verified owner) –
This was hard to read because it is heart-wrenching. It is also an important read if you want to understand the heart of generational dysfunction.
Kira Salido (verified owner) –
Barbara Kingsolver is a very well-decorated author, and for good reason. Her books render accessible worlds that many of us cannot easily imagine living within, while resonating with those who actually do. Her characters are beautifully, achingly real and foster the empathy we need to understand their communities. Demon Copperhead is absolutely a masterpiece. It is devastating but only as much as necessary to be honest about how the opioid epidemic has affected rural Appalachia. Through Demon, we see how shameless assaults on communities by forces such as corporate greed both shape and destroy them. We see how life goes on in even the most forsaken corners of the world, and that beauty can be found anywhere. Demon is the rare voice of the rural poor which makes up so much of our country even while the rest are happy to forget they exist.
breanna stoutenburgh (verified owner) –
Very insightful look into the son of a teen parent, who grew up with many traumas. Beautifully written.
carlyt (verified owner) –
Excellent book, great author!
brookedjackson (verified owner) –
A very long journey, sometimes told at a crawl and devastating to read. It’s set in Appalachia, but at the heart of it I think this book is very much a tale of the rural/urban and rich/poor divides. It could be set on the West coast.
Wohara (verified owner) –
Wow. Just wow. My heart was heavy knowing that this book isn’t just a story but that what demon went through happens everywhere. Children left with no one due to drugs then turning to drugs them selfies to fill a hole that was left by there lack of love. As an ex addict I can say that the author the way she describes the hunger that an addict is born with is in canny. There is this thing inside of us that keeps us wanting more of everything like a bottomless pit, food people drugs it doesn’t matter as long as it takes the “now” away. The messages through out this story. The way she leaves hits about society and the way it runs today. The way media is used to perpetuate false images of people and how greed takes over almost every social institution. What I lived most about this story is how it gave a life to the struggling alcoholic. It’s so easy today for people to avoid eye contact to pretend the people on the street aren’t there. These people were or are demon copperhead with messed up up brings and social dysfunctions. My heart goes out to all those who still suffer today. What’s amazing is that there are programs like the one I am in that help people grow, we work through our teams and come out stronger then ever.
Hannah Lowell (verified owner) –
Great book, was nervous at first, but great.
Charleen Kepner (verified owner) –
This book will plunge you into the world of systemic poverty and addiction. It will shake you and not let you go. You will root for the hero and cry when life hits him again. This book is also full of hope and determination. It is a must read!
Klimtcat (verified owner) –
This book was so engaging! I could not put it down. It was heartbreaking and also uplifting. I really enjoyed it and appreciate that it puts a human face on the opiate crisis that we hear about so much but may not be evident in our day to day lives.
jan (verified owner) –
google the trigger warnings first (trauma etc). Amazing book.
Vjera T (verified owner) –
Lots of language that I try to avoid. The narrator’s voice was hard to follow.
ThisbeMaple (verified owner) –
I really don’t know what to say about this book. It’s well-written and captivating, while also being really hard to read at times because it felt too real.
Karla Macy (verified owner) –
Excellent book!
JU (verified owner) –
It was surprisingly easy to read and I think the setting and characters were really fleshed out. Good Book!
Karen Hoyt (verified owner) –
Such an interesting story, makes you wonder how children survive in our foster programs and where we value their education and well being. The book kept me reading even through all the hard times. Adaptability, survival skills and a positive outlook on life kept things going.
terriks (verified owner) –
Can’t recommend this book enough. So good. Can be hard at times but totally worth it. The characters are beautiful.
Toby Abraham-Rhine (verified owner) –
This book was phenomenal and disturbing. So riveting, I couldn’t put it down because I needed for things to get better for the protagonist. How could so much happen to one innocent child? And then I think of the children I work with and realize the harsh truth that not much has changed since Dickens tried to shed a light on human suffering with “David Copperfield.” Kingsolver’s new rendition deserves the accolades.
Lori Waller (verified owner) –
Heavy read. Sad sprinkled with hope.
millspjo (verified owner) –
captivating, interesting. combined several societal issues and struggles in life that one does not have to be in appalachia to experience
mhowes (verified owner) –
This book broke my heart. Demon’s heartbreak, one after the other, throughout the book was so sad. His determination to move forward despite the many horrible obstacles he faced was extraordinary! It shows what determination, despite the odds, can do in one’s life. A phenomenal book!
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