Our book group choice for September 2023 is Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. A coming-of-age novel set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, it tells the story of Damon Fields, a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer.
Damon is a survivor, with a caustic wit and a fierce talent for survival. He has to be, in a world that is stacked against him from the start.
Damon’s mother is an addict, and he is bounced from foster home to foster home. He is abused, neglected, and exploited. He works in coal mines and chicken factories, and he is exposed to drugs and violence. But through it all, Damon never gives up hope. He knows that he is more than his circumstances, and he is determined to make something of himself.
When Damon is 16, he meets Dori, a girl who lives in a trailer park. Dori is beautiful, kind, and fiercely independent. She is also an addict, and she introduces Damon to OxyContin. Damon quickly becomes addicted, and his life spirals out of control.
Damon is eventually arrested for drug possession, and he is sent to a juvenile detention center. In detention, Damon meets Coach Winfield, a former football coach who is now a counselor. Coach Winfield sees something in Damon, and he takes him under his wing. He helps Damon to get clean, and he gives him the opportunity to play football again.
Demon Copperhead is a powerful novel that tells the story of one boy’s journey from poverty and addiction to redemption. It is a story of hope, resilience, and the power of the human spirit.
The novel is also a social commentary on the problems of poverty, addiction, and neglect in Appalachia. Kingsolver does not shy away from the harsh realities of these problems, but she also shows the strength and resilience of the people who live in Appalachia.
Some additional notes on the book:
- The novel is narrated by Damon, who tells his story in a raw and unflinching way
- The novel is full of memorable characters, including Damon’s mother, Dori, Coach Winfield, and Damon’s friends
- The novel is set against the backdrop of the beautiful but struggling mountains of Appalachia
- The novel explores themes of poverty, addiction, neglect, hope, resilience, and redemption
Discussion Questions
- Did you enjoy the book?
- What did you think about the length of it?
- Have you read David Copperfield? If so, how did that impact your reading?
- The narration differs to David Copperfield in that the narrator is still a child for most of it. Does this make a difference to the story?
- Parents and parent/authority figures loom large. What is the book trying to say?
- What’s the relationship between privilege and destiny? Is there such a thing as structural poverty?
- Staying in Lee County versus leaving Lee County. Did you find character choices to be more of a frustration or more of an understandable decision. Demon, Emmy, June, Agnes, Mr Armstrong
- Do you feel more sympathetic towards Trump 2016 voters?
Individual Ratings
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