Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Swamp Girl by Iza Moreau

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Swamp Girl

"The moment I started this book, I was immersed. The narrator's voice is so conversational and what exposition is needed is woven fluidly (almost unnoticeably) into the narrative, which is an incredible skill. I'm giving extra points for the setting, which becomes its very own character. Whether we are in the dark, dank grit of the NYC subway, crowded into the borough where Sixteen lives and works, or sweltering in the swamp of the Florida Everglades, I was completely pulled into the location. The atmosphere created by the author is vivid and tangible, especially in the first half: grime and crime and a young woman who is street-savvy and capable but knows she's not invincible. I really connected with Sixteen here and was intrigued by the people who surrounded her. This drops off a little once we get to Florida and the action plot gets going, but this section is rife with unique side characters, and the women in the story - Sixteen, Carmen, and Dorinda - are well fleshed out, with real world problems; everyone has their own traumas and they are all given weight and importance regardless of what the other characters have gone through, but equally, the reader is given an ending push toward hope, of healing, of love, and of growth. Whether I believe a girl would hop a plane to Florida on a whim is beside the point; this story is so engaging that any leaps of faith are nicely folded in. I really enjoyed this."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure story. I loved the main character and her voice. I enjoyed the author's imagination and writing style."

I decided to climb a tree and see if I could maybe make out a city somewhere, or even a road—any kind of civilization at all. I finally made it up pretty high and looked out through the greenery. Nada, nothing except all the water in the world and probably all the mangrove trees, too.
A tree trunk had floated under the branch I was on, which I thought was strange because there was no current. Then I saw the thing move, saw it lift its gatory head out of the water and look at me with mean eyes.
Now I was really screwed.