Narrated by Charlie Thurston, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver has a runtime of 21 hrs 3 mins on Audible.
Publisher’s Summary
READ BY ACTOR CHARLIE THURSTON
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • WINNER OF THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION
New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century • An Oprah’s Book Club Selection • An Instant New York Times Bestseller • An Instant Wall Street Journal Bestseller • A #1 Washington Post Bestseller • A New York Times “Ten Best Books of the Year”
“Demon is a voice for the ages—akin to Huck Finn or Holden Caulfield—only even more resilient.” —Beth Macy, author of Dopesick
“May be the best novel of [the year]. . . . Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, this is the story of an irrepressible boy nobody wants, but readers will love.” —Ron Charles, Washington Post
From the acclaimed author of The Poisonwood Bible and The Bean Trees and the recipient of the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, a brilliant novel that enthralls, compels, and captures the heart as it evokes a young hero’s unforgettable journey to maturity
Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: Charlie Thurston
- Length: 21 hrs 3 mins
- Publisher: Harper
- Release year: 2022
- Audible category: Literature & Fiction / Genre Fiction / Coming of Age
Listener Ratings
Demon Copperhead holds an average listener rating of 4.8/5 from 35897 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.9/5
- Story: 4.8/5
- 5-star ratings: 85% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
4/5 stars — “Depressing!!!!!”
I usually read or listen to books to learn something or as an escape. This book didn’t really teach me anything, and it was just depressing. Being fairly familiar with rural Appalachia, I believe the story was plausible and sadly accurate. It’s rare for me to make it through a book and think, “thank goodness that’s over.” This was that kind of book. If you were moved by the poverty portrayed in this book, I recommend that you volunteer to work with or donate to the Appalachia Service Project.— LJeffries, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Authentic and timely”
I grew up in this part of the country back in the 60s and 70s. Narrated expertly by someone who must truly be from Appalachia, this book captures the experience of these proud, eccentric, and vulnerable people. The damage done first by coal companies and then by Purdue Pharma kept them down and is still keeping them down. But this story provides hope, with Demon’s escape from an environment populated with temptations and bad luck, rescued by the people who care for him and see through his hard outer shell to the big heart inside. His tangible attachment to the beauty of the land and the friends known since childhood paint an enduring image of the possibility for change. Bravo Barbara Kingsolver for your insightful knowledge and authentic storytelling of this part of America—its beauty and its people. Thank you.— Bees N Blooms, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Riveting Story perfectly Narrated!”
how was the Narrator?the narrator was absolutely perfect & truly Becomes the voice of Damon. What a novel & what a production!
— Jason, Audible listener
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