"Swamplandia!" by Karen Russell

I've been meaning to read this book since it came out a few years ago. It sounded as if it had the type of weirdness which appeals to me.

I did end up enjoying it, because of its strong whiff of magic realism. The fact that I've been to the Florida Everglades helped me appreciate the descriptions of the Florida swamp. Who would have thought that parental death, mental illness, rape, alzheimer's etc could all be included in a book, and not overwhelm with misery. I guess it helps a lot that Ava's descriptions had a dreamlike quality.

The book had a bit of an odd style re point of view. The chapters with Ava were in the 1st person. The chapters dealing with her brother and sister were in the 3rd person. Also, it was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist. Do I have taste, or what?

"The Cuckoo's Calling" by Robert Galbraith

I bought this book with a gift certificate from Morgan and a recommendation from Eva. Galbraith is a pseudonym for JK Rowling, and Eva is right, she is a good writer with excellent character development. I had a bit of trouble getting into the book, but Strike and Robin eventually won me over. Poor supermodel, murdered by her adoptive brother, who also murdered his other sibling when they were children.