50 pages • 1 hour read
Karen RussellSwamplandia
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2011A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
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.
Reviews & Readership
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.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
900LBook Details
Magical Realism
Fantasy
Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Southern Gothic
Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Life/Time: Coming of Age
Natural World: Environment