Finished Fr 10/21/11
SWAMPLANDIA! is a 'Coming Of Age Tale' which involves a family who run a very low-budget alligator zoo/amusement park in the Ten Thousand Island area of South Florida. Chief Bigtree leaves the park to do some 'mainland business', and Ossie, his daughter, elopes with her(imaginary?)ghost-boyfriend, Louis Thanksgiving. Kiwi, the Chief's son, leaves to get a job with a rival park called, "World of Death". This is biblically themed park which attempts to recreate all of the fun and excitement of Hell by a quirky assortment of employees who make less than minimum wage. Ava, the heroine of the tale, Kiwi and Ossie's little sister, takes off with The Bird Man to try and find Ossie.
The novel is actually three separate stories. First, Life at Swamplandia, Second, Kiwi's adventures at World of Darkness, and finally, Ava's quest to find Ossie at The Eye of The Needle which is a gateway to the Underworld. Ava's story contains a rape scene which is quite disturbing. Many readers have objected to Russell's changing points of view, but I had no trouble with this technique, and I thought that her gorgeous prose saved any problems with plot or narration.
That's the bare bones of the story, and Russell is a great writer, and really tells the tale with a maximum of humor and style. Thirteen year old Ava Bigtree is quite the scrappy young heroine. In a small way Ava Bigtree reminded me of Tom Robbin's character, Sissy Hankshaw. In fact, Karen Russell's oddly humorous approach was somewhat similar to Robbin's take on reality.
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