Barbara Kingsolver’s writing is superb as usual. She really gets in the head of this character and makes the reader care deeply for him. Have I read David Copperfield? Maybe? I don’t remember it. Was this book so bleak at times I couldn’t pick it up? Absolutely. Was it a skosh too long? In my opinion. I didn’t care about Demon’s high school jock sexual exploits. Otherwise nearly flawless for me.