Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Set in meth and Oxy Appalachia, Demon’s troubles in Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, start when he is born to a teenage, alcoholic mother on the floor of the trailer bathroom. He has about ten good years where his mother tries to stay clean and he runs barefoot through the woods with his best friend, Maggot. He is saved by his understanding neighbors and a talent for drawing. His mom dies, and he bounces from foster home to foster home before ending up in a stable house with the high school football coach and his daughter. While this is some much-needed stability it doesn’t last. A football injury and true love with an addict lead Demon to drop out of school and pursue drugs full time. Much like her inspiration, Dickens, the story is bleak but there are a lot of redeeming characters and a sense of hope throughout.

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