The book is exceptionally well written although the writing style is unusual and takes a bit of getting used to.
Despite the dire circumstances in which he finds himself, he struggles on regardless and does his best. Demon is a likeable character which helps considerably given the amount of time we spend with him, and I was rooting for him all the way. Anyway, nothing ventured, nothing gained I launched myself into the breach, pretty much preconditioned not to enjoy the book (in fact I was almost determined not to like it). Thirdly, I gathered from the reviews that it is a rewrite of David Copperfield, one of my all-time favourite books, and I was worried that it might ruin my view of the original. Now I have not read Shuggie Bain, and deliberately so – it sounds very depressing and nobody that I know who has read it has particularly enjoyed it. Secondly, I had flicked through some online reviews and it was often described as being a US version of Shuggie Bain. Firstly it’s sheer size – it’s like an encyclopedia. I put it off for a while as it was a very daunting prospect for three reasons. Much to my surprise I really enjoyed this book. But he is a survivor and this book catalogues his peaks and his troughs, all told from the perspective of Demon himself. Born to a teenage single mother, his childhood goes from bad to worse, encompassing foster care, child labour, drug addiction and far more besides. Suffused with truth, anger and compassion, Demon Copperhead is an epic tale of love, loss and everything in between.ĭemon Copperhead grows up in the Appalachian mountains in circumstances that are far from ideal. The wonder is in how far he’s willing to travel to try and get there. For Demon, born on the wrong side of luck, the affection and safety he craves is as remote as the ocean he dreams of seeing one day. ‘Family’ could mean love, or reluctant foster care. In the southern Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, poverty isn’t an idea, it’s as natural as the grass grows.įor a generation growing up in this world, at the heart of the modern opioid crisis, addiction isn’t an abstraction, it’s neighbours, parents, and friends. Demon’s story begins with his traumatic birth to a single mother in a single-wide trailer, looking ‘like a little blue prizefighter.’ For the life ahead of him he would need all of that fighting spirit, along with buckets of charm, a quick wit, and some unexpected talents, legal and otherwise. Buy this book from or .uk to support The Reading Agency and local bookshops at no additional cost to you.Įmon Copperhead is a once-in-a-generation novel that breaks and mends your heart in the way only the best fiction can.
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