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Demon Copperhead

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Demon Copperhead

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

**A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**

A masterful recasting of David Copperfield, narrated by an Appalachian boy whose wise, unwavering voice relates his encounters with poverty, addiction, institutional failures and moral collapse-and his efforts to conquer them. - the Pulitzer

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION
TWICE WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL FICTION
SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES TAIT BLACK PRIZE FOR FICTION
THE MULTI-MILLION COPY SELLING AUTHOR
BOOK AT BEDTIME ON BBC RADIO 4
AN OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK
WITH OVER 29,000 5* REVIEWS

'Extraordinary.' OPRAH
'She means to save us by telling us stories. . . She comes closer than anyone else I know.' ANN PATCHETT
'Electrifying. . . Every sentence here sizzles. ' Daily Mail
'It's EPIC. Righteously angry, DEEPLY moving and exquisitely written.' MARIAN KEYES

____________
Demon Copperhead is a once-in-a-generation novel that breaks and mends your heart in the way only the best fiction can.

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.

In the southern Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, poverty isn't an idea, it's as natural as the grass grows. For 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. 'Family' could mean love, or reluctant foster care. 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. The wonder is in how far he's willing to travel to try and get there.

Suffused with truth, anger and compassion, Demon Copperhead is an epic tale of love, loss and everything in between.

'Legit about to get an 'I'd rather be reading Demon Copperhead' sticker for my Nissan Murano.' ROB DELANEY

©2022 Barbara Kingsolver (P)2022 Faber & Faber
Coming of Age Family Life Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Emotionally Gripping Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking
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What listeners say about Demon Copperhead

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A superb writer at her very best

Barbara Kingsolver is one of my favourite writers, this in my opinion this one is her best.
Raw, gritty and realistic it is a novel that gives voice to people who often go unheard and certainly made me question my own prejudices.

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Absolutely brilliant book

This is the best book that I have read in a long time. I didn't want the book to finish!

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2 people found this helpful

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Utterly brilliant

Cannot recommend this highly enough. Really well written interesting story with great characters. Narrator was superb. Back story of the poverty of the area and oxy epidemic an eyeopener.

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1 person found this helpful

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inspired

This modern re-telling is a great read that mafe me go back to the original. loved it.

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A brilliant read

A gripping story with great narrative.
A tale of fear, sadness, and hope.
I’m looking forward to other books by this author.

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Another epic book by Barbara Kingsilver

Loved this book. As with most of her books she takes the beautiful backdrop of nature and the natural world and puts the raw human nature of poverty right in front and then adds humanity kindness and choice to the mix. Loved the main character and his journey of poverty and child exploitation was stunningly told. The audio voice takes a while to get used to, but once you do, this is now my voice for Demon in my head. Wonderful

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Brilliant all other descriptions are wasted

This is a great book - brilliantly narrated . Akin to the sublime Shuggie Bain - One of America’s really sad stories , of addiction and poverty but also humour love and kindness. This book will stay with me for a long time .
Do yourself a favour read listen but get it !!

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Beautiful

Everything about this is rich - like one of those decadent chocolate desserts that you can only handle a teaspoon of at a time. Sometimes delicious, sometimes too much. The narration adds to this wonderfully. Everyone should have the opportunity to listen to this and decide for themselves if it’s a taste they can handle or not.

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Wonderful

Great story beautifully written. And perfect narration. I never write book reviews but had to for this book.

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A modern American classic

Demon Copperhead is the heart rending story of a young boy, son of a teenage mum in recovery, living in a trailer home in rural Virginia. This saga is loosely based on the Dickens novel, David Copperfield and the parallels with the struggles of the Dickensian poor are clear. Demon is likeable, strong and hard working and the reader finds themselves rooting for him every step of the way, travelling with him through his encounters with the U.S. care system, the lack of decent health care provision, the opioid addition crisis and the relentless daily challenges faced by the underprivileged, it becomes clear he is a survivor.
If this sounds bleak, it’s simply that it’s an honest and well researched portrayal of the lives of people battered down by the system,
Kingsolver knows the Appalachians and its people, her writing is detailed and nuanced and she clearly feels passionate about the injustice which divides the haves and the have nots in her country. This is a modern day classic on a par with The Grapes of Wrath in my opinion.

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