Demon Copperhead By Barbara Kingsolver

'Demon Copperhead is a work of genius. . . Demon himself is an incredible character, and you are just rooting for him every step of the way'

A blaze of a book. . . I cried because I believe in the salvation of Demon, against every odd you can name, and I am so grateful for that when there is so much to be angry and fearful about. . . It's one of those rare books that you know will always be with you, and your life will be a little better because of it.

'A towering, deeply powerful and significant book. Brilliant and visceral, it is storytelling by an author at the top of her game. We were all deeply moved. . . Demon Copperhead tackles universal themes – from addiction and poverty, to family, love, and the power of friendship and art – it packs a triumphant emotional punch, and it is a novel that will withstand the test of time.'

'It's EPIC. Righteously angry, DEEPLY moving, wholly immersive, totally convincing and exquisetly written. She is so GIFTED.'

'[Demon's narration] is one of the great virtuosic vocal performances. . . this guy's voice is just pouring out. It was a masterclass in how to make sentences just soar and how to make a character lift off.'

Reinventing Charles Dickens' David Copperfield . . . this polemical epic held me spellbound with its wisecracking Holden Caulfield-esque narration, its lyrical evocation of place, its humour, heart, pain and redemption. Unmissable.
The Bookseller, Book of the Month

'A fantastic read. Beautifully written, harrowing, uplifting, a wonderful meaty , Dickensian book – with a protagonist you want to love like a child'

I am a long-time fan of Barbara Kingsolver's writing but I was really blown away by Demon Copperhead – without a doubt the best book I'll read this year. And next year too, probably.

Demon is brilliantly multidimensional: breezy, sassy, lustful and phlegmatic. . . Kingsolver has produced a novel that is daring, entertaining, symbolic and highly readable – and therefore authentically Dickensian. I can't think of higher praise.
The Times

'[Kingsolver] means to save us by telling us stories. . . She comes closer than anyone else I know. She's able to tell us things we desperately need to know in a way that makes it possible for us to hear it.'

'An extraordinary coming-of-age tale that journeys through poverty, child labor, addiction, love and loss. You'll root for “Demon” as he overcomes peril at every turn using only his wits and determination'
Oprah’s Book Club

'Kingsolver fans are in for a treat with this latest novel – an electrifying reboot of Charles Dickens' social epic David Copperfield, relocated to the Oxycontin wastelands of America's Appalachian country. . . Kingsolver charts the turbulence of the life that follows, with all its various achievements, addictions and disasters, in rollicking technicolour prose that simultaneously channels the imaginative vim of Dickens, the moral fury of his vision and the harrowing realism of her modern-day setting. Every sentence here sizzles.'
Daily Mail

'What an astonishing and enduring talent.'

This powerful reimagining of David Copperfield . . . feels in many ways like the book [Kingsolver] was born to write. The idealism and concern with social justice that are characteristic of Kingsolver's worldview find their natural counterpart in Dickens's impassioned social criticism. A large part of the pleasure lies in seeing what she does with her source material.
Guardian

'The language is potent, the twists good and the protagonist, Demon, a young Appalachian boy scrabbling for survival from the moment he is placed in foster care, is a character who will stay in your thoughts, as he confronts addiction, love and the elusive search for happiness. Prescription drug addiction is one of the many worrying problems of our time and Kingsolver's rumination on it is a true highlight of 2022 fiction.'
Independent