50 pages • 1 hour read
Swamplandia
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Book Brief
400
Novel • Fiction
Florida Everglades • Contemporary
2011
Adult
18+ years
900L
Super Short Summary
Set in the Ten Thousand Islands of Florida, Swamplandia! follows 13-year-old Ava Bigtree and her family as they grapple with the death of Ava's mother, Hilola, the star attraction of their alligator-themed amusement park. The family faces various challenges as they try to keep Swamplandia! operational, leading to personal quests, supernatural encounters, and a journey of self-discovery for each sibling. The book includes depictions and discussions of the sexual assault of a minor.
Mysterious
Melancholic
Fantastical
Dark
Emotional
Reviews & Readership
59,842 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Karen Russell's Swamplandia! mesmerizes with its lush prose and imaginative setting, providing a unique backdrop of a family struggling to keep their alligator-wrestling theme park afloat. Critics praise Russell's vivid imagery and inventive story but note occasional pacing issues and an uneven tone. Despite these flaws, the novel is an enchanting mix of magical realism and family drama.
Who Should Read Swamplandia?
Readers who enjoy complex family dynamics, magical realism, and coming-of-age stories will be captivated by Karen Russell's Swamplandia!. Fans of Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude or Yann Martel's Life of Pi will appreciate the novel’s eccentric characters and surreal settings.
59,842 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Osceola Bigtree
Osceola Bigtree
Ava’s 16-year-old sister, who becomes absorbed in spiritualism and the occult as she mourns their mother’s passing. Her interest in a supernatural realm propels significant events in the narrative and highlights her inner struggles.
Kiwi Bigtree
Kiwi Bigtree
The studious and ambitious 17-year-old brother of Ava and Osceola, who leaves home to seek educational opportunities and a life away from the declining family theme park. His chapters, written in third person, alternate with Ava's first-person perspective.
The Chief
The Chief
The showman father of Ava, Osceola, and Kiwi, who owns and operates the family theme park Swamplandia!. After the death of his wife, Hilola, he faces challenges managing both the park and his family’s needs.
The Bird Man
The Bird Man
An enigmatic figure who enters the Bigtree siblings’ lives offering help in their time of need. He is known for his peculiar profession of relocating birds away from properties in exchange for compensation.
400
Novel • Fiction
Florida Everglades • Contemporary
2011
Adult
18+ years
900L
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