Welcome to Hot Write Now’s first post, where I recommend a book that you should read. To kick off this series of book recommendations, Demon’s Pain Makes Him Bleed, I suggest that you read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.
Why you should read Demon Copperhead
I had to do the harder English, which was a time suck, reading books. Some of them though, I finished without meaning to. That Holden guy held my interest. (Page 374)
Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead is an excellent read for students and graduates of both “harder English” (like the novel’s narrator, Demon) and “easier English” (like me). Inspired by Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, Demon Copperhead is a superb book with narration, story, and background research that will interest you and satisfy your curiosity, regardless of your familiarity with Dickens.
The narration of Kingsolver’s 9th novel is immediately engaging as our protagonist Demon recounts his life growing up in Appalachia. The candid, insightful, and funny portrayal of Demon’s voice is a treat as we hear of his experiences with a rogues’ gallery of peers (who have names like U-Haul, Fast Forward, and Maggot).
You can’t choose your family, but a partner is your shot at a decent do-over. (Page 432)
Demon and Company’s adventures make the story engrossing and keep you reading for the next chapter. While exploring the characters’ relationships, we hear tales of childhood jobs, foster homes, criminal enterprises, and underground journalism that are realistic.
Part of being a mature person is knowing your skill set, and neither of us had talents for larceny. Maggot, another story. Ace shoplifter, mastermind of which pharmacies had hidden cameras and where, he’d leave you in awe. (Page 426)
Kingsolver demonstrates top notch research as she drives the plot with an exploration of the opioid epidemic. Using factual subject matter to depict the monsoon of OxyContin, Kingsolver weaves a tense, captivating narrative. As an example, here’s a piece of non-fiction that can be verified in the next book of our Demon’s Pain Makes Him Bleed series of recommendations:
She said Purdue looked at data and everything with their computers, and hand-picked targets like Lee County that were gold mines. They actually looked up which doctors had the most pain patients on disability, and sent out their drug reps for the full offensive. (Page 416)
You should read Demon Copperhead because the narrator holds your interest (like Demon’s experience with Holden Caulfield), the story grabs you, and the prose will educate you. Reading this book is not a time suck!
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