Barbara Kingsolver has long been one of my favorite writers, and her newest book, Demon Copperhead, doesn’t disappoint. Spending time in the room where Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield inspired Kingsolver to write a modern day version of the story, highlighting institutional poverty and the damages it does to children. She set her novel in the area where she lives in Appalachia and added in the the harrowing affects of the opioid crisis there.

Told through Demon’s own voice, this is a story of a boy born into poverty and addiction to a single mother who is thrown into multiple foster care homes, and has to grapple with his own losses and struggles with addiction. Only his wit and courage save him.

This is a brilliantly written book filled with well flushed out characters that transports the reader into the heart of Appalachia and the truth of what is happening there. It deserves all the awards it has received; it is a story that needs to be told and there is none better to do it than Kingsolver.

However, I found it very depressing and painfully difficult to read and had to put it down several times. If you are looking for a light read, this is not it. Some of Kingsolver’s earlier books remain my favorites, The Poisonwood Bible and Prodigal Summer to name just a couple.