Questions About Swamplandia!

by Karen Russell (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (4)

I'm intrigued by this and love the author's short stories, but I have a very hard time reading about animals being mistreated. I know to most people they're just mean, ugly reptiles, and it's just fiction, but I'm overly sensitive to it. Should I skip this?

Caroline I didn't read any animal mistreatment into this story; the main characters care for the alligators deeply, which doesn't seem to be incompatible with …moreI didn't read any animal mistreatment into this story; the main characters care for the alligators deeply, which doesn't seem to be incompatible with wrestling them for show. There is a brief background thread where alligator hunting is discussed but not in detail. Mistreatment of humans that may be troubling; it's a spoiler and mentioned in the question tagged with a spoiler.(less)

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Should I read St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves before reading this?

Shelly not necessary, it is totally possible to read and understand without reading that book beforehand

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This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

Amy I wondered the same thing. My guess is extreme paranoia. Or maybe he wanted to murder her when he had finished and changed his mind? Either way, this …moreI wondered the same thing. My guess is extreme paranoia. Or maybe he wanted to murder her when he had finished and changed his mind? Either way, this book disgusted me. (less)

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Quote: "The chief said the asterisk of God's way of..." Can anyone remember how that line ended? Wrote it down somewhere but cannot locate. If anyone remembers that line and how it ends please post. Thanks.

Erin "The asterisk, the Chief taught us, was the special punctuation that God gave us for neutralizing lies" (Russell 36). …more"The asterisk, the Chief taught us, was the special punctuation that God gave us for neutralizing lies" (Russell 36). (less)

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