The winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize is also the recipient of the Women's Prize for Fiction. It is among the "Ten Best Books of 2022" chosen by The New York Times, selected for Oprah's Book Club, quickly became a bestseller on The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. An ageless voice, akin to characters like Huck Finn or Holden Caulfield, showcasing unparalleled resilience. Beth Macy, who authored Dopesick, conveyed this statement. The best novel of 2022 may be this one. . . . Hilariously funny and deeply moving, this tells the tale of a spirited boy rejected by all but adored by those who read it. "(Ron Charles, Washington Post)" A brilliant novel from the acclaimed writer of The Poisonwood Bible and The Bean Trees captivates and moves the hearts of readers, portraying the unforgettable journey of a young hero towards adulthood. In the hills of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead tells the tale of a boy born to a young single mother in a small trailer, with only his deceased father’s handsome features and coppery hair, a sharp sense of humor, and a strong knack for staying alive. Demon faces the challenges of foster care, child labor, neglected schools, athletic achievements, addiction, failed relationships, and devastating losses through his raw narration. Throughout everything, he grapples with his own unseen presence in a mainstream culture where even the superheroes have neglected rural folks in preference for urban areas. Several years back, Charles Dickens penned David Copperfield based on his first-hand encounters as a victor of institutional poverty and the ensuing harm it caused to youngsters in his community. These issues still need resolution in our line of work. While listeners of this novel do not need to have read Dickens beforehand, his work served as the inspiration for it. When Barbara Kingsolver adapts a Victorian epic novel into the modern American South, she harnesses Dickens' rage, empathy, and most importantly, his belief in the change-inducing abilities of a compelling narrative. Demon Copperhead represents a fresh wave of young men and women, as well as individuals raised in stunning yet bewitched locations that they cannot fathom abandoning.
