What if you knew a young man from a white supremacist family who is actually smart, successful and likeable? Are any actions ever simply so bad you cannot forgive them no matter what the extenuating circumstances? What happens when family ties come up against moral/ethical values? What right do people have to carve a spot for themselves and their families?

The central theme in Copperhead by Alexi Zentner isn't as simple as good people doing bad things and bad people doing good things. Instead it makes you question whether anyone is ever actually good and anyone is ever actually bad. It also keeps the reader on edge wondering how the various issues will be resolved, and whether some particularly unpleasant characters will get their comeuppance.

As the world continues to have serious discussions on race, Copperhead should be on every high school reading list. It is an interesting and thought provoking book, drawing attention to the various nuances that are so much a part of any discussion of race. The short chapters that move back and forth between various moments in time are cleverly written. It is a fast read, though not a comfortable read. But it is definitely a very worthwhile read.