I didn’t dislike the book, but I didn’t love it either - it was just very dark and heartbreaking. By the time I got to the end, that small section of total turnaround just felt not completely believable for me after it being one massive blow after another. There were parts of the book I felt dragged and didn’t necessarily add to the story, but overall it was well written and emotionally evocative. You were for sure totally invested in Demon, and his situation, wishing someone would just step in and be there for him.

While it’s a modernized remake of Charles Dickens’, it brings out very real and devastating side effects of poverty. The setting being the Appalachian area of Virginia, and bringing the story to life with a focus on Demon in the broken foster system and then drug addiction.

The book paints such a vibrant and emotionally jarring picture thru Demon’s life, that you just want to jump in and help the poor kid so many times. It was devastating to realize no one in his life really valued him as a person - or at least let him know he was valued - no strings attached, outside of Angus, and it’s no wonder he struggled like he did because of it. He didn’t feel he had any value. It makes you think about how much kids need to hear that.