Inspired by Charles Dickens' novel 'David Copperfield', Demon Copperhead tells the story of a boy born into poverty in Appalachia, specifically Lee County, Virginia.
The theme of Demon Copperhead mimics David Copperfield is so far as the story highlights the plight of children growing up in poverty who can't pull themselves out of the quagmire. In Lee County, the coal mines have closed, there's very little flat farmland, and tobacco cultivation has declined precipitously. The community has bad schools and few jobs, and there's a great deal of alcoholism, drug addiction, and crime.
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I'm going to give a very brief overview of the story, leaving out most of the action and many of the characters, just to provide a feel for the novel.
Damon Fields (who's nicknamed Demon Copperhead) is born to a drug addict teenage mother who gives birth to him on her bathroom floor.
Demon's father - who died in an accident - was a Melungeon who gifted Demon with good looks, bright red hair, and green eyes.
Demon and his mom live in a rather shabby single-wide trailer rented from their kindly neighbors, the Peggots, who have troubles of their own, but try to help the Fields.
As a little boy, Demon attempts to keep himself together in a chaotic household. Demon observes, "Mom always said she'd lose her mind if it wasn't screwed in, and she wasn't wrong. Her work ID badge on the back of the toilet, makeup by the kitchen sink, purse outside under a chair. Shoes wherever....In my room I tried to keep stuff put away, mainly my action figures and the notebooks I kept for my drawings." Demon has few worldly possessions, but he's a gifted artist who draws superheroes of his own creation. This stands him in good stead throughout the story.
Demon's best friend is Matthew Peggott (Maggot), who lives with his Peggott grandparents because his mother is in prison. Demon often hangs out at the Peggotts' trailer with his pal Maggott, and the Peggotts even take Demon on trips when they go.
Early on, Demon is a happy boy. He recalls, "We kids roamed wide, sometimes as far as the old coal camps with the little row houses like Monopoly, except not all alike anymore due to idle mischief and the various ways a roof can cave in. We'd play king of the hill....or we'd mess around in creeks....underneath the water [was] a kind of mud that made you feel rich - leaf smelling, thick, of a color that you wanted to eat." Demon loves Lee County - the fields, flowers, trees, birds, fishing, atmosphere, etc. - and can't imagine ever living anywhere else, especially not in a city.
Demon's bad luck begins when his mother marries Murrell Stone (Stoner), a controlling thug who cows Demon's mother and bullies Demon.
When Stoner sends Demon's mom to rehab, Demon goes into the foster care system. Demon's first placement is with Mr. Crickson (Creaky), a mean old man who takes in foster children to get the monthly checks from social services....and to use the kids as free farm labor The boys in Creaky's care are mistreated, given very little food, and worked to the bone. At Creaky's place Demon meets boys who will have a profound effect - good and bad - on his life going forward.
Demon's next foster home is with the McCobbs, a financially struggling couple with two children. Once again, Demon is seen as a source of income. The McCobbs aren't cruel, but they keep Demon's foster care stipend for themselves, and make Demon get a job to pay for his 'room and board.' Once again, there's very little food, and Demon is always hungry.
While Demon is in foster care, he hardly ever bathes and goes to school in shabby, ill-fitting clothes. Demon also haunts the school cafeteria, to get other students' leftovers.
Needless to say, Demon's classmates make fun of him and call him names. One social service caseworker tries to help Demon, but there's little she can do. Demon constantly dreams of the day his mother will get out of rehab and he'll go home, but this never happens. Lamentably, Demon's mom dies from a drug overdose on his eleventh birthday.
Though Demon experiences an unending stream of trials and tribulations, he's clever, strong-willed, and determined to survive. Not many adults would have his drive and determination. Thus, soon after Demon's mother dies, he runs away and hitchhikes across Virginia to the home of his paternal grandmother, Betsey Woodall, whom he's never met.
Betsey 'sees something' in Demon and gets him placed with Lee County's high school football coach, Mr. Winfield - a widower with an adolescent daughter named Agnes (Angus).
Demon and Angus bond like real siblings, and Coach Winfield - impressed by Demon's height and build - prepares him to (eventually) play high school football. Unfortunately, there's a fly in the ointment. Coach Winfield's assistant, Ryan Pyles (U-Haul) - an unctuous slimeball who's jealous of Demon - creeps around and tries to make trouble.
When Demon gets to high school he joins the football team, called the Generals. This is the absolute best time of Demon's life. He's a good-looking high school athlete - a GENERAL - and the girls chase after him. Demon doesn't hesitate to take advantage of this, and he's living every adolescent boy's dream.
Sadly, disaster strikes when Demon is tackled during a game, and his knee is badly damaged. As it happens, Lee County has been targeted by the pharmaceutical industry as a place to push opioids. Thus, instead of persuading Demon to get the leg operation he needs, Demon's doctor AND Coach Winfield press Demon to take painkillers (Oxycodone) so he can get back on the football field.
Demon becomes addicted, needs more and more drugs, and things escalate out of control. Demon's knee doesn't heal, and his athletic career (and future prospects) drain away.
The opioid epidemic is a major theme of Kingsolver's book, and it's heartbreaking to read about Demon's, and other characters', downfall. There's much more to the plot - both before and after Demon's injury - but I'll stop here.
I can't say I enjoyed the story as such, since it depicts one tragedy after another. Nevertheless, this is a 5-star book (for me), highly recommended.
Rating: 5 stars
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