Book Review: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

I purchased this book after I saw a recommendation on Twitter. As I started reading the book, I was mesmerized by the language - the intensity, the very simple but very powerful comparisons to make a point, the choice of words and the sense of humour that made me chuckle at many places. I started off by being heavily invested in the lead character - Demon - born in a trailer to a drug addict. His early life reminded me so much of how I used to spent my childhood in our Village, among, plants, flies, frogs and even snakes.

 
The book is large, all of 64 Chapters, and as I moved from chapter to chapter, the book became dark and depressing with occasional flashes of positivity. But the core theme was negativity and despair. I lost interest in the book, I couldn't take 64 chapters where things moved from bad to worse for Demon, whom I loved. 

You could say, just like many others in his life did, I too abandoned him. 

But something about the book pulled me back. As I started reading more, I realized that this is an incredibly positive and uplifting book. As Demon mentions, "I have tried in this telling, time and again, to pinpoint the moment where everything starts to fall apart. Everything, meaning me. But there’s also the opposite, where some little nut cracks open inside you and a tree starts to grow. Even harder to nail. Because that thing’s going to be growing a long time before you notice."

Incredible words. 

This is an intense book and is not for light reading. To get the best out of this book, one should read it in a couple dedicated hours, making copious notes. The book radiates wisdom and fresh perspective in every page. I lost the count of time I said 'Wow' or 'Oh...', or 'Awwww' as the perspectives hit me. For example, the author talks of 'Land Economy' and the 'Money Economy' and how the latter is always insulting the former using words like 'Hillbilly' and 'Redneck'. I remembered that even here in India, we make fun of people from some parts of the country. 

Maybe I don't have the right perspective. 

Having experienced both village life and city life, I could identify with the points that Damon was making. He talks of how city people do not share (reluctantly if at all) their 'Juice'. I took that word to mean focus. City life has speed and flow and focus, unlike the lassitude and easy going attitude that permeates the village life. 

Demon was born into despair, lived his life as an opioid addict, but fought the addiction and came out a success. 

I couldn't put down the book, I wanted to see Demon getting national acclaim for his book. 

But dammit, it ended too soon (all of 640 pages, that's all) but it ended on a high. 

For that I am very grateful.