Cannonball Read 13

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Search This Site

| Log in
  1. Follow us on Facebook
  2. Follow us on Twitter
  3. Follow us on Instagram
  4. Follow us on Goodreads
  5. RSS Feeds

  • Home
  • About
    • About CBR
    • Getting Started
    • Cannon Book Club
    • Diversions
    • Fan Mail
    • Holiday Book Exchange
    • Book Bingo Reading Challenge
    • Participation Badges
    • AlabamaPink
  • Our Team
    • Leaderboard
    • The CBR Team
    • Recent Comments
    • CBR Interviews
    • Our Volunteers
    • Meet MsWas
  • Categories
    • Review Genres
    • Tags
  • Fight Cancer
    • How We Fight Cancer
    • How You Can Donate
    • Book Sale
    • CBR Merchandise
    • Supporters and Friends of CBR
  • FAQ
  • Contact
    • Contact Form
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Follow Us
> FAQ Home
> Genre: Uncategorized > Dive into Swamplandia!- (But Lower Your Expectations)

Dive into Swamplandia!- (But Lower Your Expectations)

January 16, 2014 by Wanderlustful 3 Comments

11252905I feel a bit guilty writing this about a book that was a finalist for the Pulitzer in fiction, but here it is: this book underwhelmed me.  That is not to say that it was bad, or that I wouldn’t recommend it, merely that my high expectations were not borne out.  I think my disappointment  stems from the potent expectation-raising combination of a) being nominated for a Very Prestigious Award, b) a glowing play-by-play by my very-well-read-now-ex-boyfriend (phew, that’s a mouthful) and c) a great, rollicking kick-off that only bolstered my incredibly high expectations.

I’ve been rolling this review around in my head for a while now, trying to pinpoint exactly what proved so disappointing, and it’s been tricky.  To begin with, as noted above, the novel begins with exuberance, excitement and fabulously crafted language (most reviews of Russell’s work comment on this, and it’s because its true- the woman knows how to string together some incredibly evocative sentences).  Russell drops us into the lush and humid marshlands of south Florida, where we are immersed in the world of a family-owned swamp-themed amusement park (the titular “Swamplandia!”) down on its luck.  Narrated largely in first person by the family’s youngest daughter, 12 year old Ava Bigtree, the opening paragraph informs us that things are going from bad to worse and that we are now along for the ride to the bottom.  With this running start, Russell dives headfirst into her narrative (literally, her characters dive into the alligator pit as part of their show), and the story get very captivating very quickly.

Given my initial affinity for the book, it’s this part of the review that I find harder to write- what happened to my affections?  Why did I lose my desire to finish something I had once found so captivating?  To begin with, the plot hits a lull somewhere in the last third/quarter.  Where the earlier events sailed quickly from event to event, this last part beaches itself without seeming to know how to get back out into the sea of plotline (not-really-a-spoiler: this is the part of the book where Ava is out on the swamp with the Birdman and Kiwi is plugging along at the rival theme park).  The tone of the book also changes with this plot lull.  Despite knowing from the beginning that we’re watching “The End” to the family theme park, the early sections of the book were fun- they dealt with heavy subject matter like it was an adventure to live through.  In the later problematic section, though, the heavy subject matter becomes heavy, and I’ll admit that I wasn’t usually looking forward to picking the book back up.

Like the book itself, I’m running out steam for this review, but the English lit major in me feels the need to tack on a conclusion here.  Overall, this is a book worth reading.  I love Russell’s way with words, in particular the descriptions of the south Florida setting.  I just want to caution other readers to keep the expectation bar at a medium setting.  I want them to read it like it was on the “Recommended Reads” wall at Chapters rather than the “Pulitzer-nominated” list.  (And then I want to talk to them about it and see if more realistic expectations left them feeling more impressed than those of us who had to lower the bar midway through).

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Post by Wanderlustful · Genres: Uncategorized · Tags: ·
· 3 Comments

About Wanderlustful

CBR12 participantCBR11 participantCBR 6

Lawyer by day, voracious reader by night. So many books, so little time! View Wanderlustful's reviews»

Comments

  1. Alexis says

    January 17, 2014 at 12:53 am

    I’m with you on this. The book started out like a quirky Wes Anderson film and I only mean that in the best of ways. I was really invested in the Bigtree family. And then they all go they’re separate ways, dark and disturbing things start to happen, and I felt both depressed and cheated. Where did the fun quirk go? And why did we have to go to such a dark place?

    Russell is an immensely talented writer and it’s clear that she earned her nomination. But there are books you enjoy reading and there are books that are worthy of awards for quality of writing. Sometimes books are both, but this wasn’t one of them.

    Reply
  2. The Mama says

    January 17, 2014 at 3:32 am

    I abandoned this book a couple of years ago. Boss gave it to me because I’m a Florida girl and he thought I’d like it. It was okay, but like you, I sort of lost interest in it. He and I just talked about it the other day and he said his biggest issue was that it just got too slow and dull.
    I still have it – I think about picking it up again – but… meh.

    Reply
  3. bonnie says

    January 18, 2014 at 2:12 am

    I couldn’t even finish the book. I think my assessment was somewhat like yours.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.



Recent Comments

  • wicherwill on I have as many emotions inside me as there are genres in this book.did you ever want to gift them a bottle of an oil-based makeup removed (and maybe a serum afterwards)? sometimes all I could think of...
  • KimMiE" on CBR Diversions – It’s Never too Late to Have a Happy ChildhoodOne of my favorites as a child was The Cricket in Times Square, which I re-read, reviewed, and still loved in 2019. I also loved...
  • ingres77 on We’re going to need a bigger boatI like the idea of that page, but it'd be interesting to see some quotes that were legitimately hard to identify.
  • andtheIToldYouSos on I have as many emotions inside me as there are genres in this book.ALWAYS
  • andtheIToldYouSos on Be my friend, Rachel Bloom! Please!I loved the "new chapter!" so much; I was caught off-guard every time and hit with a fit of giggles
See More Recent Comments »

Want to Help Out?

CBR has a great crew of volunteers, and we're always looking for more people to help out. If you have a specialty or are willing to learn, drop MsWas a line.

  • How You Can Donate
  • FAQ
  • Shop
  • Volunteers
  • Leaderboard
  • AlabamaPink
  • Contact

Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo
  3. Google Pay
© 2021 Cannonball Read | Log in