Barbara Kingsolver’s latest novel “De mon Copperhead ” is a captivating coming-of-age tale set in rural Virginia. Her protagonist, Damon Fields, narrates his life’s story,  

beginning with his inauspicious birth in a  mobile home. On the path to adulthood he  encounters adversity as well as the occasional lucky break and more than a few surprises. 

First and foremost, the novel’s narrator  is an extremely well developed, multi-facet ed character. This is no easy task for King solver as a writer particularly when a story is  told entirely in the first person. Field’s singular voice claims to be a worthless, throwaway  individual, while at the same time exhibiting  admirable self-reliance and a steely determination to rise above his circumstances even  when so much lies beyond his control. He’s a  clear-headed survivor who will take whatever measures necessary to succeed in the end. 

Kingsolver’s writing, too, is outstanding. Though she prioritizes realism in her  plot lines, she still manages to communicate  this story in an extremely poetic way. In “Demon Copperhead,” she brilliantly captures  the rhythm and humor of rural Appalachian speech.  

Finally, the story itself is riveting. While  some may find a 600 page novel to be quite  daunting, Kingsolver held my attention as  a reader through all 64 chapters. The plot  moves along so quickly that it became difficult for me to put the book down.  Another layer of “Demon Copperhead’s”  literary nuance is that it is a contemporary  retelling of Charles Dickens’ “David Cop perfield.” Attempting to rewrite such a  well-known, beloved work is a near impossible task. Kingsolver, however, beautifully  achieves this through creating a narrative  that stands up to its source material and,  by some measures, may even surpass it. The  plots share a great deal of similarities (e.g both boys’ mothers get involved with abusive men) but Kingsolver tailors the details  to make them more appropriate to the time  or place. Each also has, at its core, the central  theme of weak, helpless individuals being  mercilessly taken advantage of by those in  power. Kingsolver’s themes go beyond Dickens’, however, addressing opioid and other  drug addiction while condemning both “Big  Pharma” and the US healthcare system. Although Kingsolver incorporates many clever  nods to the original, readers need not be familiar with “David Copperfield” to fully appreciate “Demon Copperhead.” Those who  do know the Dickens novel, though, will  likely get a kick out of how Kingsolver adapts  the plot to a new time, place and set of social  circumstances. Kingsolver’s retelling of this  story is vivid, disturbing, and holds a new  relevance to this day in age. 

One of the most significant themes in  this modern adaptation is the weakness of  the foster care system in the status quo. This  is due to both the lack of resources, and the  economy by which potential foster parents  use the financial incentives to handle their  personal financial circumstances rather than  the care of the foster children. In some cas 

es, foster children are expected to pull their  own weight through working as minors with  little concern for their health or education.  Kingsolver relays this social commentary in  such a subtle, and at times humorous, way  that the reader cannot help but empathize  with Fields and his circumstances.  

This novel is nothing short of excellent  and may well be Kingsolver’s best work to  date. Whether you prefer the narration of  Copperfield or Fields, this story is an eye 

opening look at the realities of poverty.  I would consider “Demon Copperhead” a  must-read for anyone who enjoys well-constructed, entertaining literary fiction.