Though each of these stories is radically different from the other, the collection is unified through its debt to Southern Gothic literature, particularly the grotesque, a tradition used by Flannery O'Connor and Carson McCullers. Vampires in the Lemon Grove, comprised of eight stories, further underscores Russell's talent, and ratifies her place on The New Yorker's " 20 Under 40" list. Russell's earlier book, the novel Swamplandia! about a young girl searching for identity and family in an alligator theme park, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Karen Russell's new book, Vampires in the Lemon Grove, a collection of short stories, is a well-crafted homage to the grotesque. Karen Russell's new short story collection is crafted after the Southern Gothic literature tradition yet her use of comedy and vibrant imagery keep the stories from getting too dark.
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