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Demon Copperhead
By Barbara Kingsolver
Published by Harper,9780063251922, Oct 2022, 560 pp

The Short of It:

Not sure what I expected when I picked this one up but the characters have stayed with me.

The Rest of It:

Demon Copperhead had been on my list for a very long time but it never seemed like the right time to read it. It’s lengthy and deals with some heavy topics but then my book club selected it for April so there I was with my copy, eagerly reading and flipping those pages.

Inspired by a trip Kingsolver took to visit the actual Bleak House of Charles Dicken’s fame, the story of Demon Copperhead unspooled from there. Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon is born to a single, teenaged mother with a drug addiction. They don’t have much. His mother barely makes a living and all they have is the single-wide trailer they call home. The story is peppered with well-meaning neighbors and friends. They are all quite the characters.

Demon’s relentless resilience gets him through many heartaches and challenges, but the need for a home, a real home is what drives him forward and unfortunately in this quest, he is repeatedly disappointed. Disappointed with the people around him, the people in charge of his care, the school system, the labor force. How is a young man supposed to make a living without selling his soul to the Devil?

The setting of this novel hints at destruction at every turn of the page. Appalachia is known for its drug trade and it ‘s hard to not be a party to it when you’re a hungry kid just trying to survive. Demon encounters many people and some of those people he holds dear but the constant need to uproot everything he has to move on the next thing affects his long-term relationships. It’s honestly heartbreaking.

I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the characters a lot but it was about 75 pages too long for me. The drug details are very realistic in the telling. I still think it will make my Fave list for the end of the year but it’s not the kind of book you can read alongside others. I found that out the hard way. It’s gritty but in between the grit I did detect hope which is what kept me reading.

Have you read it?

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

All My Knotted-Up Life
By Beth Moore
Published by Tyndale, 9781496472670, Feb 2023, 300pp.

The Short of It:

Heartfelt and honest.

The Rest of It:

Beth Moore might be a household name or she might be completely unknown to you. Either way, you will be completely charmed by All My Knotted-Up Life.

Beth shares her childhood with us, and includes the painful mention of abuse suffered at the hands of her father. But she does it in THE MOST gentle way. No surprises. As she shares her faith walk with us, this part of her story had to be shared because it shaped who she came to be as a Southern Baptist who eventually walked away from the church. Anyone who has ever struggled with their faith, and fell out of love with their church will be able to relate to Beth’s struggle.

As Beth found her footing, by creating Living Proof Ministries, other areas of her life began to fall apart. Mainly, the precarious health of her dear husband and how that affected the entire family. What felt like trial after trial is what brought both of them closer to God.

I want you to know, that you will find comfort in this memoir if you call yourself a Christian, but you will also find parts of it absolutely charming even if you’re not. The stories that Beth shares about her grandparents and siblings bring to mind simpler, happier times and I wanted to sit in that moment for a long while which it why it took me so long to read the book!

This book manages to be pure charm, mixed with weightier topics. Thoroughly enjoyed it and shed a tear or two. Beth knows how to share a story.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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