Swamplandia! is the prize-winning debute novel by Miami-based writer Karen Russell. It is a colorful and entertaining tale of an eccentric family of midwest transplants who reinvent themselves as the "Bigtree tribe" and run a hokey but honest allegator theme amusement park. The story in the main is narrated by Ava, one of the three children in the family, the others being Oceola and their brother Kiwi. Heavily present in her absence is Hilola, the teenaged children's mother, recently dead of cancer at age 36. Hilola's death precipitates the decline of the theme park and the year-ago event moves the plot in several ways. As might be expected of children raised in an entirely isolated environment, the three teens have their own individual quirks. Ava, aspiring to take her mom's place in the family, seems the most "normal"; Oceola is obsessed with spiritualist fantasies and Kiwi is a brilliant but non-socialized enigma. Oceola's spiritualist ramblings fuel the plot of the second half of the story, in which she "elopes" with a "ghost". Her sister goes out to rescue her and ties up with a mysterious "bird man". Meanwhile, Kiwi escapes to the mainland of south Florida and the parallel narrative tells the story of his fish-out-of-water experiences. I won't spoil the ending. The writing is inventive, with magical realist elements combined with more predictable features. All-in-all, it's worth reading.
For a review of the book from the NYTimes, click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/books/17book.html?_r=0
To read a completely contrasting review from the newdork review of books, click here: http://www.thenewdorkreviewofbooks.com/2012/05/swamplandia-murky-mess.html
For a review of the book from the NYTimes, click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/books/17book.html?_r=0
To read a completely contrasting review from the newdork review of books, click here: http://www.thenewdorkreviewofbooks.com/2012/05/swamplandia-murky-mess.html
