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After I finished Demon Copperhead, I had to check out the book it’s based on. I mean, what is a Word Nerd if not a glutton for literary classics? Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver, is a modern re-write of the Charles Dickens autobiographical novel David Copperfield. The English major in me couldn’t help it! I yearned to compare and contrast. Can anyone else out there relate?
Besides, while I found Dickens’ Great Expectations quite the slog, I loved listening toA Tale of Two Citieslast summer after my visit to Paris. So, I queued up the (free!) audio book of David Copperfield, narrated by Richard Armitage (aka Thorin Oakenshield from The Hobbit movies), and prepared to listen to my second Dickens novel in less than 12 months. All 36 hours of it.
I made it to hour 27.
Compare and contrast
David Copperfield is, according to Goodreads, “the story of a young man’s adventures on his journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist.” Although David comes from poor beginnings, he is much luckier than Demon in lots of ways. He has lots of friends who care for him and a wealthy aunt who funds his schooling and training. Goodreads describes David Copperfield as “exuberant and popular” filled with equal measures of humor and tragedy. I would substitute the adjectives “dense,” and “trying.” Copperfield reads more like Great Expectations than Two Cities.
Yes, Dickens demonstrates wry humor throughout his novel, and he developed many interesting characters. I especially like David’s aunt, Betsey Trotwood, a formidable woman who gets more page time and punch lines than her counterpart in Demon Copperhead. But she wasn’t enough to get me to finish the book.
Demon Copperhead follows the plot and characters of David Copperfield pretty closely, especially for the first half of the book. It’s fun to discover how Kingsolver modified names and events to fit modern Appalachia. For example, David’s untrustworthy friend James Steerforth from the classic becomes “Fast Forward” in Kingsolver’s novel. While Dora Spenlow enchants young Mr. Copperfield, it’s Dory, also enchanting and unfortunately an addict, who steals Demon’s heart.
By the time I got to chapter 46- yes, that’s forty six- I gave up. I’m a firm believer that life is short and there are too many books to read to drag myself through one I don’t like. So, while I’m glad I explored David Copperfield, I’m done with him.
A better follow up to Demon Copperhead: In the Wild Light
If you enjoyed Demon Copperhead and would like to read more about the people of modern Appalachia, I recommend In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner. It’s a young adult novel about a boy of modest means from Tennessee who learns how to manage grief and find love. Like Demon, Cash has lost his mom to opioid addiction. Like Demon (and David Copperfield), Cash wrestles with memory and identity.
In the Wild Light explores the theme of family, found and given. In a lot of ways, Cash has better luck than Demon or David. He lives with his grandparents and has a strong relationship with his Papaw, or grandfather. Unfortunately, Pawpa is dying from emphysema. When Cash gets the opportunity to leave Tennessee to study at a prep school in New England, he’s torn between staying close to his Papaw and following his chosen family, his best friend Delaney, to a brighter future.
Compare and contrast
In the Wild Light is a YA, less brutal but still bittersweet, version of Demon Copperhead. I love three things about both of these novels. First, the main characters in each book find solace in nature. Appalachia may be poor and fraught with problems, but its rolling mountains and peaceful waterways offer the perfect space for reflection and restoration. Zentner and Kingsolver, who both live in Appalachia, capture that well. Also, in both novels, the main characters use art to process their emotions and work through their struggles. For Cash, that means learning to write poetry. For Demon, that means drawing comics.
Finally, both novels show the importance of friendship and mentorship. Cash and Demon have just a few teachers and or friends who inspire their talent and encourage their efforts. The novels highlight the importance of making time to help teens feel seen, valued, and understood. As someone who parents, coaches, and writes for teens, I could not agree more.
So, even if you are an English major, skip Copperfield, and check out In the Wild Light instead. Zentner is an award winning YA author, and his next book will be a novel in verse. I can’t wait. In the meantime, I’m going to read The Serpent King, the story of Dill, the only son of a Pentacostal minister.
Have you read David Copperfield? What did you think? Are you familiar with Jeff Zentner’s work? Zentner is also fun to follow on Instagram. I saw him speak at a writer’s conference in October 2022, and he was amazing. He spoke about persistence in pursuing creativity. This man wrote his first book ON HIS PHONE while commuting to and from work on a bus. So, no excuses.
I moved to Wythe County, Virginia 22 years ago. I live on a farm about an hour away from the coal fields of Lee County, where Barbara Kingsolver set her latest novel Demon Copperhead. I’m firmly entrenched in Appalachian and southwest Virginia culture, and while I like to think I’ve learned a lot about the people of the Virginia mountains, Demon Copperhead taught me even more. In writing Copperhead, Kingsolver (author of another influential book for me, The Poisonwood Bible) aspired to create the “great American Appalachian novel.” I think she succeeded, and I’m not the only one. Demon Copperhead was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for 2022 and was recently awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
The Premise
Demon Copperhead is a close re-write of David Copperfield, Charles Dickens’ autobiographical novel about a young man navigating institutional poverty. Both books explore the role of class and upbringing, but Kingsolver hits on particularly modern challenges, including the pitfalls of foster care and the influence of the opiate marketing machine on the people of southwest Virginia.
Set in the 1990s, Kingsolver’s novel follows Demon, a boy born on the floor of a single wide trailer to a mother plagued by drug addiction and bad choices. Demon eventually lands in the foster care system, finding himself living with people who often do not care about him, just the check he brings in and the cheap labor he can provide. While bouncing through foster homes, Demon encounters a rotating crew of social workers and learns at a young age how to numb his pain with drugs.
Demon painfully and vividly describes his embarrassment at school, branded as poorest of the poor and a foster. He often talks about an unmet hunger gnawing at his soul, and he resents the “city folk” who have used and abandoned the people of Lee County and rural places like it. He sketches comic book super heroes who come to save the people of his community. Once he gets to high school, Demon earns some respect in the cherished lights of the high school football field, but an injury sidelines his athletic promise and threatens to ruin his life.
What I liked
The prose. Specifically, Demon’s voice. Although Demon Copperhead has lots of dark moments, Demon’s voice carries the novel. He is witty, observant, and unapologetic. A review on Goodreads called Demon’s voice “unauthentic.” I must disagree. I hear echoes of Demon’s words in conversations at my local Walmart, greetings at the Farmer’s Market, and discussions of local gossip, politics, and sports.
Demon Copperhead brought to light much I hadn’t yet grasped about the the people and culture of Appalachia. Lee County, the book’s setting, sits at the far west edge of Virginia, with Kentucky on its western border and Tennessee to its south. This community has long been manipulated by outside powers. The coal industry took advantage of the natural resources of the mountains, leaving the people with black dust in their lungs and little financial gain to show for their hard work. Then, the opioid industry exploited the pain and suffering of the Appalachian people. Like so many issues today, opioid addiction is a complicated problem. Kingsolver’s writing brings the multiple facets of addiction into the light.
Even though Demon faces significant challenges, he finds friends and role models to help him navigate his troubles. The novel shows how the good intentions and efforts of just a few people in Demon’s life have a lasting influence on his choices, and subsequently, his survival.
Demon finds comfort and solace in nature, and the novel highlights one of the region’s best assets: its natural beauty. The rolling mountains of Appalachia, green in summer and vibrant in fall, truly inspire awe and wonder. Many mornings I walk my dogs down the quiet country road by my farm and smile with joy at the beauty and texture of the land that surrounds me.
One of the many gorgeous views near my home in southwest Virginia.
When I was in college, I brought my roommate, a native of a small town on the southern Virginia border, to the booming explosion of Northern Virginia, where I grew up. When the first of hundreds of condo and office buildings broke the horizon as we traveled east on Route 66, my friend grabbed my arm and gasped. She had never seen so much development that went on for so long. Kingsolver does a great job of capturing this shock and horror of city living.
When visiting Atlanta, Demon says:
Hundreds of people passed by outside, hugging their coats around them, looking at their feet walking fast. I wondered what they were taking for the brain alarm bell that goes off in a place like this, where not one thing you see is alive, except more people, everything else being dead: bricks, cement, and steel. No morning songs but car horns and jackhammers, all the mountains of steel beam construction. And this, June informed us, was the good part of the town.
Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
What I didn’t like
The story dragged for me at times. While Demon is an engaging hero, and I always pulled for him, I would have appreciated a tighter plot. Demon Copperhead is truly a character study, not just of Demon, but of the culture and morale of a people often disrespected and undervalued by “the powers that be.” With 546 pages and some heavy topics, Demon Copperhead demands a serious reading commitment. And while the dark themes can depress you, I encourage you to push through to the end. There is light at the end of Demon’s journey.
Word Nerd Recommendation
If you like historical fiction, learning about different cultures, or examining the various pieces of a societal problem like addiction, I encourage you to read Demon Copperhead. FYI, Kingsolver is fun to follow on Instagram.
Have you read Demon Copperhead? What did you think? Can you recommend other novels that gave you insight into a culture or social dilemma?
Summer is FINALLY here! I’m looking forward to kayaking, paddle boarding, walking my dogs, and growing yummy veggies in my garden. I also plan to rest from all of that activity with lots of relaxing reading on my screened in porch. And while I always like to learn from my reading, in the summer I enjoy funny, light books to compliment the relaxing “vibe” of the season, as my kids would say. This year, I have a great family friendly and funny read for you. It’s the latest release from author Amy Makechnie, and it’s called The McNifficents.
Amy Makechnie has a lot of kids. Four, to be exact. (Who would do something so crazy? 🙂 ) She also owns schnauzers (at least two that I’m aware of) and coached flocks of wily children on a soccer pitch. So she’s got a good handle on dogs and kids. She shares that experience in her upcoming release, The McNifficents. It will hit bookstores June 20, 2023.
Amy captures the chaos of a large family with humor and insight. She created eight main characters for this middle grade contemporary, and each one shines with his or her own personality. Here’s a summary of the cast from Amy’s Substack newsletter:
Lord Tennyson, distinguished miniature schnauzer and the children’s nanny
Annie, age 13, the oldest and most responsible McNiff; can be…boss boss
Mary, aka, “Naughty Mary”, age 11; modeled directly after my mother’s childhood
Ezra, age 9, finding his voice…and a snake; chaos ensues
Pearl, age 6, sweet and timid; finding her courage!
Tate, age 4, idolizes Pearl; speaks with the most darling lisp
Mr. McNiff, fastidious drama teacher; sings and tap dances his way through life
Mrs. McNiff aka “Honey” her self-preservation is gardening and chemistry. She has a vague recollection that there are six children home for the summer.
As you can guess from this list, the kids need a nanny, and Lord Tennyson takes his job very seriously.
Tenny steals the show in The McNifficents, which is saying something! (Note the large cast of characters above.) He’s got class and a big heart and a strong desire to eat birds. The juxtaposition of him wishing for a tuxedo while fighting his urge to maul a chicken is just one of the many ways Amy captures humor and tension in this delightful story.
Family can be complicated. Sometimes personalities clash, and living in harmony feels impossible. But with the right mindset, and some nudging from a wise old dog, even the rowdiest kids can pull together to get a job done. And that’s just what the McNifficents do, led by the fearless Lord Tennyson. Along the way, they learn a lot about forgiveness, grace, and the overwhelming power of canine instincts. Kid powered hi jinks and even a threatening pack of wolves keep the story rolling to the closing pages.
I also parent a flock of children and own a small dog with peculiar tendencies, Amy’s story nails the complications and joys of living in a large family and often had me laughing out loud. I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers of any age. It would make great read aloud book for family quiet time after a day at the pool or the beach.
A few weeks ago, we called my in-laws, a Sunday tradition. They were under a tornado warning and told us to call back. My mother in law was waiting out the warning in a closet under the stairs. My father in law was apparently standing by the windows watching the storm. Yikes! Luckily, no tornadoes touched down. But the episode prompted a question I’ve asked many times in my life: What’s worse? A storm watch or a warning?
Let’s picture Addie, a life guard up in her chair on a bright June day. Sunshine warms her shoulders, and the smell of her coconut scented sunscreen wafts up to her nose. (Don’t forget the sunscreen!) A gaggle of teen boys tumbles into the pool, stirring up splashes and punctuating the air with shouts. They toss a Nerf football around, then start a flip challenge, jumping off the side of the pool demonstrating various acrobatic moves.
The first, less serious action Addie takes is to WATCH the boys. She keeps her eyes on them, knowing that the conditions are right for something dangerous to happen. Water plus a group of young men without fully developed brains could equal trouble. They continue to rough house and then one of the boys decides to do a flip and dive head first into the water, even though there is paint on the pool deck saying “No Diving.”
Addie blows her whistle and gives the young man a WARNING. She has observed dangerous activity and is taking action to prevent harm.
WATCH – A watch means there is risk of hazardous weather, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain. Bad weather is possible, and people should prepare.
WARNING- A warning means that bad weather is imminent or occurring. People need to take action to prevent damage to life or property.
Now, hopefully you are ready for the summer storm season.
It’s summer! Finally time to get outside! What words or phrases about weather or the great outdoors trip you up?
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Every year, Memorial Day and Labor Day roll around, and while some of us get to enjoy a day off from work on these holidays, many of us don’t understand the meaning or purpose behind these uniquely American celebrations. (Husband was surprised and delighted when I reminded him the other night that he had a three day weekend coming up.) Quite frankly, I didn’t have a deep understanding of the significance. But now, The Word Nerd can help you appreciate these holidays.
The background on Memorial Day
According to History.com, Memorial Day was originally celebrated as Decoration Day. It started in the years after the American Civil War. So many people died during the Civil War that the country needed to establish national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, many people practiced a spring time tradition of visiting these cemeteries to decorate the graves of loved ones and say prayers for them. The tradition of remembering people who lost their lives in military service continued across the country.
No one knows if or where Memorial Day started specifically, but in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, NY as the birthplace of Memorial Day. It did not become an official US holiday with a consistent date until 1971. It always occurs on the last Monday in May, and many Americans observe the holiday by visiting cemeteries or memorials and participating in parades. It is also considered the unofficial start to summer. Cue the pool openings and cook outs!
Riders fill our local park at the end of each May on their way to DC.
In our town, every year riders heading for the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. stop for a visit. It’s called Run for the Wall.
I remember Memorial Day because way back in 1998, husband and I went to the theater around Memorial Day to watch Saving Private Ryan, a film about D-Day. I had to step out during the opening 30 minutes. It’s a brutal depiction of the storming of Normandy Beach, but an eloquent reminder of what people have sacrificed to keep freedom alive in our country and across the world.
Every year at 3pm local time, people pause for a moment of silence on Memorial Day. I did not know this but will start recognizing it this year.
The background on Labor Day
Labor Day also traces its roots to the late 19th century. It came about as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. During the late 1800s, factory work replaced agricultural work, and many people worked 12 hour shifts, seven days a week, often in terrible conditions. Think poor ventilation, few breaks, and little sanitation. Even children as young as 5 or 6 worked in mills under these conditions. The poor and immigrants often had it the worst.
These poor conditions prompted the development of Labor Unions to demand better wages and working hours. Union members organized strikes and rallies to demand better treatment from employers. Sometimes things got violent, like during the Haymarket Riot and Pullman Strike in Chicago. On September 5, 1882, 10,000 employees took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City. This is considered the first Labor Day parade.
The idea of a “workingman’s holiday” caught on in industrial centers around the country and was celebrated on the first Monday of September. The federal government didn’t initially embrace this idea, but in 1894, President Grover Cleveland finally made Labor Day a legal holiday to commemorate the contributions of America’s workers.
How we can celebrate the holidays now
In a sense, both of these holidays commemorate the sacrifice and danger others endured in order to help people live better lives. This year, instead of seeing these holidays as merely a break from work or a reason to eat more burgers and banana pudding, I suggest we use the days to contemplate how we can practice a spirit of sacrifice modeled by previous generations.
Word Nerd Note: In a curious coincidence, I gave birth to my first child on a Memorial Day Monday. I gave birth to my last child on a Labor Day Monday. (Oh, yes, the Labor Day jokes still abound.)
How do you celebrate Memorial Day and Labor Day, if at all?
