Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver tells Demon’s story from birth to adulthood.

Born under unusual circumstances, he is raised by his single mom (his father died in an accident) and by elderly neighbors (who are also raising a grandchild). His mom is an on and off again addict.

Demon’s life is sent on a bleak spiral once his mom marries an abusive man. This chain of events leads Demon into foster care before he eventually becomes an orphan. His foster homes range from neglectful to physically abusive.

He eventually finds his paternal grandmother; a woman he had only vaguely heard about. His grandmother sets him up with a better lifestyle, but he eventually falls out of it due to an injury and subsequent drug abuse.

There are so many interesting characters that weave in and out of Demon’s life, and a deep love of community embedded in the events. It’s a complex and well written story with too much detail to include in this brief summary.