The novel explores how generational poverty shapes lives in Appalachia, demonstrating how economic hardship becomes as natural as breathing, while highlighting the extraordinary resilience required to survive and potentially break free from its cycle.

Through Demon's personal experiences and observations, the story provides an intimate look at how the opioid crisis devastates rural communities, destroying families and creating a web of addiction that entangles entire generations.

The narrative delves deep into the search for identity and belonging in a world where family is an uncertain concept, exploring how a young person constructs selfhood despite unstable foundations and limited opportunities.