Demon Copperhead

“Demon Copperhead” was loaned to me by a close friend to read. It was a nominee for Goodreads 2022 Best Fiction book, so I knew it had to be good. And it was good...HOWEVER, this book is a modern take on Dicken’s David Copperfield, so like that book, there are a lot of hard truths in there. This is not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s a book that makes you realize just how blessed you are, and that’s important too. Damon Copperfield was born to a single, drug-addicted mother in Lee County, Virginia, one of the poorest parts of the country. His father drowned before he was born, so already Damon was off to a rough start. Earning the nickname “Demon Copperhead” because of his red hair, Demon and his mother lived together in a single-wide trailer; it was not a perfect existence by any means, but he learned the value of non-material things early, like love, friendship, and the importance of belonging. But reaching age 11 started a long line of tragedies for Demon, eventually leading to years of death, foster care, injuries, abuse, neglect, and loneliness. Again, not an easy story to read but a realistic one that many children in our country face every day. Luckily, Demon survived, against all odds and without anyone to rely on but himself, but not everyone in the book (and in life) is so lucky. This book was well-written and I would recommend it to others, but with the caveat that it is not a “pick-me-up” book. For my friends who like to use books to escape into a better world, this is not the one for you. But for those that don’t mind reading about some hard, realistic truths, it’s great.