My book club read Karen Russell's brilliant collection of short stories "St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves" and I absolutely loved it. So what could be better than an entire novel devoted to one of those stories? 
 Swamplandia! is the story of a family owned alligator wrestling theme park. When the family loses one of its stars, the theme park is thrown into jeopardy along with the unravelling of the family unit. Each member of the family faces their own challenges and doubts while deep down, remaining fiercely loyal to each other and their home. 
 Russell has a knack for putting her characters in settings and situations that border on the ridiculous, but that retain every bit of heart and sincerity. After a while, the background sort of fades away and you find yourself 100% invested in the reality of what the charcters are going through. That's not to say that there aren't still nuggets of the unreal that don't jump out and delight, because there are plenty. 
 Hopefully Russell is already well on her way to finishing her next novel. It is sure to be full of surprises. And I do love a good surprise!