Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver is a book that you may have already heard about and for good reason. It was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2023, as well as other awards. The story follows Demon, named Damon at birth but given the nickname Demon early on, throughout his early life as he battles the hardships of the life he was born into. Born to a teenage mother on the floor of a single-wide trailer in Appalachia, Demon has many demons to face but you can’t help but fall in love with this boy and continue to love him as he grows into a man.

I learned a lot about the opioid epidemic and how it affected this area of the country. There is a lot of drug use in this book. Addiction is something almost all of the characters face. It was eye-opening for me to see how the distribution of opioids was done through doctors and other healthcare representatives.

I resonated with how Demon loves the land and open spaces where he is from. He spends time in the city later in the book and his feelings about being there mimic my own. He talks about the people from Appalachia being looked down on by the rest of the country but that they are some of the most resourceful people you will meet. They know how to live off of the land which is something most of us have lost.

This is a long book but worth the time it takes to read/listen to it. If you’re looking for a great read, go fall in love with Demon Copperhead.

(This book had a lot of drug use, some sexual stuff, lots of language, and rough living. If that isn’t your thing, you may want to skip this one.)