#kingsolver

[courtz-thoughtz]

Demon Copperhead (2022) Barbara Kingsolver

📚 5/5 📚

Demon Copperhead is a modern-day adaptation of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, a mid-1800’s novel that follows the mostly unfortunate journey from birth to adulthood of a young English boy named (you guessed it) David Copperfield, exploring themes of class and gender along the way. In similar fashion, Demon Copperhead takes the reader on the tumultuous travels of Damon Fields (nicknamed Demon Copperhead), born and grown in rural Lee County, Virginia.

I won’t sugar coat it; this kid was dealt a shitty hand from the get-go. Born in a trailer park to a single teen mother who abuses drugs, lumped with an abusive and arrogant stepfather, and then thrown into foster care, all the while navigating his own trials with addiction, poverty, love, loss, heartache, and friendship.

Despite the somewhat depressing narrative, Kingsolver litters this book with a stunning array of clever similes via an endless stream of adolescent consciousness that had me stifling obnoxious laughter on the bus more than once.

The thing I loved the most about this book was undoubtedly Mr Copperhead himself – being so privy to his boyish inner monologue made me feel like a close friend. I found myself hopeful every time he was on the verge of a win, then utterly heartbroken each time that hope was inevitably thwarted.

Another high point for me is the exceptionally entertaining turns of phrase and character descriptions. My personal favourite is this one about young Emmy Peggott from Chapter 4:

“She was a skinny sixth grader with long brown hair and this look to her, cold-blooded. Carrying around at all times a Hello Kitty backpack that she looked ready to bludgeon you with, then tote around your head inside.”

This revamped coming-of-age story also provides a thought-provoking exploration into the opioid crisis, classism, and the theory that your environment, particularly in the formative years of life, shapes your thoughts, your beliefs, and in many cases, your future. As a regional Australian citizen who has seen one too many failed futures due to a lack of geographical opportunity, this book touched my heart and I’m sure will touch the hearts of many who understand the plights of children who are forced to grow up too fast through no fault of their own.

I award this book with five out of five, my highest honour (not that my honour means anything because who even am I) and I’d like to send a personal thanks to whatever planets aligned to enable my accidental stumble across what I’d now call one of my all-time favourite books (and my all-time favourite protagonist).

Thanks for signing on to read Courts Thoughts on this one.

Cheers

[whynotbetrees]

Pure and unblemished souls must taste very bland, with an aftertaste of bitterness

The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver

[whynotbetrees]

Everything you’re sure is right can be wrong in another place.

The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver

[whynotbetrees]

Marriage is one long fit of compromise, deep and wide. There is always one agenda swallowing another, a squeaky wheel crying out. But hasn’t our life together meant more to the world than either of us could have meant alone?

The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver

[whynotbetrees]

There’s a strange moment in time, after something horrible happens, when you know it’s true but you haven’t told anyone yet. Of all things, that is what I remember most. It was so quiet.

The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver

[whynotbetrees]

And the rain poured down and I wondered, Are we lost right now without knowing it? It had already happened so many times in my life (my wedding day comes to mind) that I thought I was out of the woods, not realizing I’d merely paused on the edge of another narrow precipice in the midst of a long, long fall.

The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver

[elizabethkiem]

February

[gattogrigiobjd]

I personally am inclined to approach housework the way governments treat dissent:  ignore it until it revolts

Barbara Kingsolver