Demon Copperhead--Wow!

                                                                          

I've been a fan of Kingsolver since The Bean Trees and High Tide in Tucson--two favorites. Some of her work I've loved, The Poisonwood Bible springs to mind; some I've quite enjoyed, like Flight Behavior, some just haven't been my cup of tea (Prodigal Summer,) and one (The Lacunae) I simply coudn't get into.

But Demon Copperhead blew me away. In my opinion, it's her best ever. 

I was slow getting around to it--the subject matter of a poor kid in Appalachia growing up with addiction and foster care and all the ugly and sad side of this blessed/haunted region, didn't call to me. 

But as I read many fervent recommendations, I began to reconsider. After all, the novel is based, to some degree, on Dickens' David Copperfield. And as I recall, fifty-some years after reading it, after the protagonist struggles through poverty and all manner of adversity, there is a happy ending. Plus, Dickens was a reformer, writing about social injustices. And thanks to him, many of those injustices were eventually addressed. 

Heaven knows there's a lot could use reforming in Appalachia. Maybe I needed to read this book.

Of course, being an old English major, I was keen to pay attention to the similarities in the two books so (rather than re-reading David Copperfield, I printed out a handy synopsis for reference.

(Important note: There is NO need to have any familiarity with Dickens in order to enjoy this novel. It totally stands on its own. I simply enjoyed seeing how Kingsolver co-opted bits of the earlier work.)

Like Dickens, Kingsolver hurls us into her hero's life and keeps up an absorbing, page-turning pace throughout. Demon is very likeable and very self-aware--wise beyond his years, despite, or perhaps because of the grimness of his life. Grim, yes, but there is humor and beauty and philosophy throughout the telling. So many great characters, so many entanglements, such a rattling great story--just like Dickens!

Inadequate social services, greedy pharmaceutical companies, local corruption, child labor, sleazy physicians are all part of the world of Demon Copperhead. Kingsolver manages to share this message through her characters, rather than by preaching. Some of these problems are beginning to be addressed by progressive leaders--though not fast enough and always with pushback from politicians on the right, alas.

It's an important book and, what's more, a most enjoyable read. As I raced through it, I thought of the American readers of Dickens' day, standing on the dock waiting for the next installment of the current novel to arrive. Thank heavens Kingsolver gave us the whole thing at once. I couldn't bear a wait between chapters.

Very highly recommended!                                                     

 

Barbara Kingsolver, John Green, and James Michener Walk into a Bar. . .

Here's another eclectic trio of books -- kinda like the jokes involving a priest, a rabbi, and a fundamentalist pastor. What these three books have in common is that they were all New York Times bestsellers and I enjoyed all three. 

Barbara Kingsolver is a long time favorite of mine and Flight Behavior didn't disappoint. Kingsolver writes movingly about the southern Appalachians and their people facing the effects of climate change. Her prose is gorgeous and there are some terrific insights here-- along with some surprises. And there's a great review HERE if you want a really in depth look. Highly recommended.

When I first heard about John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, I wasn't tempted. A book about teenagers with terminal cancer? No, not for me. But when NCmountainwoman (I think it was she) recommended it as a good read, I gave it a try and was very pleasantly surprised. The book is delightful. The two main characters --  yes, teens with terminal cancer -- are witty, snarky, wise beyond their years, and, to me, at least, quite believable. One of the negative reviews I read complained that all the characters in the book sounded like John Green. Maybe so -- this is the first thing of his that I've read so I can't judge. But I'll be looking for more..  

Hawaii was published in 1959 and I read it in September of 1960 -- in the back seat of the car as my mother and grandmother were driving me from Tampa, Florida to Atlanta, Georgia to begin my freshman year at Emory. I can remember being totally enthralled with the epic story and have probably reread it a few times since. But not recently. I was curious to see if it was still so captivating, fifty some years later.

Well, yes -- but for different reasons.  The opening part which deals with the natural forces that formed the islands, the grand sweeping geological eras as the islands emerged and life took hold, seemed a tad bombastic -- in the same way ham actors are said to 'chew the scenery.' I wondered if the whole book would seem corny to me this time around but was happy to find that either it settled down or my tolerance for purple prose grew as I read on. 

As Michener worked his way through the coming of the native Hawaiians, the missionaries, the Chinese, and the Japanese, I found myself lost in the personal stories -- the man is a terrific storyteller -- and thoroughly enjoying enjoying it all over again. 

But what really surprised me was the relevance of the political side of the book -- the pre-statehood (and later) Hawaii that was controlled by several wealthy families working behind the political scenes to protect their business interests. When I read the book all those years ago, I'm pretty sure I skimmed over that bit, preferring to concentrate on the various love stories, colorful characters, and beautiful scenery. 

Today, alas, it all rings too depressingly true -- and not just for Hawaii.