Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

Wasn't really a great read for me. Others may enjoy this one, but it failed to keep my interest

I would not puck this one up to read on my own or recommend it to one of my friends.

Three stars for me.

"The Antidote opens on Black Sunday, as a historic dust storm ravages the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska. The Antidote follows a "Prairie Witch,” whose body serves as a bank vault for peoples’ memories and secrets; a Polish wheat farmer who learns how quickly a hoarded blessing can become a curse; his orphan niece, a basketball star and witch’s apprentice in furious flight from her grief; a voluble scarecrow; and a New Deal photographer whose time-traveling camera threatens to reveal both the town’s secrets and its fate."
I read and enjoyed Russell’s Swamplandia! years ago and requested this ARC from netgalley. It took several chapters for me to get into this book. While this unlikely group were unique and well-developed characters (although I’d have liked a bit more backstory about Cleo), later perspectives from the Scarecrow and Cat seemed over explained, and I had to force myself to finish this one. There was too much going with Dell’s relationship (this storyline didn't fit into the book, but alone could be a more in depth coming of age story), a corrupt Sheriff, the relevant history and also magical aspects of the land, the whole idea of the Vault! It just felt like Russell created a bunch of interesting characters and threw them together into one book.

What an absolutely gorgeous book! I'll admit I'm a sucker for stories that explore life during the Depression... whether fiction or non. As I read, I found myself being completely drawn into the town of Uz. There was so much I loved about how this book was constructed. How it moved from POV to POV. The blending of magical realism with mystery. The haunting of the past mixed with the potential promise of the future. It was imaginative yet grounded in real emotion and character voice. This is absolutely one of the best books I've read all year. I will be recommending it to pretty much anyone who will listen. I'm so grateful to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

3-1/2 stars . True Fact: I read this book because it is set in Nebraska, where my son lives and works; might not have read it otherwise. That said, initially, it felt very much like a retelling of the MIdwestern Dust Bowl saga that was well-covered in Kristin Hannah's "The Fourt Winds." I was intrigued by the introduction of the title character, a prairie witch that is a "vault" for memories people deposit and then can withdraw. Might have been a good, clear read but then we had to introduce an abusive home for unwed mothers, a series of murder mysteries and a magical camera that capture and seeks to educate us on the danger of climate change. It felt convoluted and overwrought with all these plots intersecting. Coulda, woulda, shoulda had a better editor.

Antidote
by Karen Russell

“ Why should money make evil comprehensible to anyone? But it does precisely this. Greed, violence, cruelty—
Money can explain them. Money can make the most heinous act seem like a sane one. A business decision, a necessary calculation. Evil’s genius is to costume itself as sense. The “reasonable choice.””

It’s 1935 in the fictional Kansas town of Uz, and the Dust Bowl is raging, annihilating land and people. In this extraordinary, phantasmagoric and fascinating novel, four outcasts come together to fight the storm, a serial killer, a tortured history and an endangered future.

Antonia Rossi a Prairie Witch who calls herself The Antidote, is a repository of community members’ confessions allowing them the blessings of forgetting. She tells her story to her son, who was lost to her at birth in the Milford Home For Unwed Mothers, a cruel and heartbreaking experience.

Asphrodel Oletsky (Dell), a teenage basketball devotee, who lives with her uncle Harp after her mother is found murdered. She is a dedicated party line listener which proves to be immensely helpful when she becomes an apprentice to the prairie witch.

Harp is a second generation farmer whose parents emigrated from Poland when Bismarck appropriated and destroyed Poland. These emigrants were given free land in what was to become Kansas to settle and farm. It is later revealed that they took land and culture away from the Pawnee as it had been taken away from them. Harp’s land is mysteriously spared from the drought and dust storms and is in fact growing winter wheat. He is seeking absolution.

Lastly we meet Cleo Allfrey a black photographer hired by the New Deal administration to chronicle the land, the farmers and the help they are given. Her camera is destroyed and in searching for a replacement finds a magical camera that records not only the present but also reveals the past atrocities to the Indians and the future devastation of the land due to climate change.

In the climax the community is confronted with pictures of the serial killer, the historical past and the future devastation. Anger, denial and mayhem ensue.

This is the first book I have read by the extraordinary Karen Russell. It will be my favorite book of the year. Thank you to NetGalley for this beautiful book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the blend of history and the very concept of a prarie witch (someone to take your memories -- either previous or painful and able to disgorge same when needed) but I have to admit that I just don't care for Karen Russell's style. For me, I have to work too hard to get the message. I'm more of a logical / analytical kind of reader and her books requires simultaneous processing of figments or prose. It's very well done, but not for my taste!

"The Antidote" by Karen Russell showcases compelling characters intertwined in captivating narratives. I was particularly struck by "The Vault," which features a prairie witch serving as the guardian of memories. The story unfolds amidst a series of murders, while "The Home of Unwed Mothers" evoked deep emotions within me. The historical context set against the backdrop of Nebraska during the Dust Bowl added depth, complemented by various magical elements. This seamless integration of themes and settings creates a storyline that will resonate with me for a long time.

When she was denied the Pulitzer despite being a finalist (in a year when that prize wasn't distributed at all), Karen Russell was unknown, young, but that was over ten years ago. With The Antidote, she firmly establishes her place at the forefront of American letters. She has created three powerhouse narrators (and others, but three major ones), to tell the story of the effects of United States colonialism practices and its ravages on land and people and ways of life. Each character is sharply delineated, each contributing to the story. And whereas there have been many books adding to the shameful history of the manifest destiny of the western expansion, I can't remember being as moved as I was by this one.

Karen Russell’s The Antidote is a mesmerizing blend of Dust Bowl history, magical realism, and deep emotional exploration. Set in the crumbling town of Uz, Nebraska, during a devastating dust storm, it introduces unforgettable characters: a "Prairie Witch" storing people’s memories, an orphaned basketball prodigy grappling with grief, and even a sentient scarecrow. The narrative also tackles larger themes like environmental collapse, collective memory, and the unsettling histories buried beneath America’s progress.

Russell’s knack for imaginative storytelling shines here. The way she mixes the whimsical and the brutal feels almost magical, making the book both thought-provoking and deeply entertaining. It’s perfect for readers who love richly layered stories that challenge conventional historical narratives while offering a touch of fantasy. If you’re a fan of her earlier works like Swamplandia!, this will feel like coming home in the best way possible. The Dust Bowl setting and its eerie, almost mythical vibe linger long after the final page. A must-read for fans of speculative fiction with heart​.

A small midwestern town called Uz is overwhelmed by dust storms. Farmers who are already dealing with the Great Depression now face death, disease, and the ruin of all their hopes. Alternating chapters tell the story through the perspectives of four characters, a middle-aged farmer, his teenaged niece (orphaned when her single mother is murdered by a serial killer) who plays basketball, a "prairie witch" known as The Antidote, who collects peoples' memories and "banks" them in her Facility. (She wakes up in jail to find that all the "deposits" have disappeared.) and a scarecrow, whose "chapters" seem to consist of a single photograph on a page. There appears to be a fifth character, a photographer, but I didn't get far enough along to encounter him.
I tried to like this book because other reviewers loved it and Karen Russell is highly regarded, but I just couldn't connect with any of the characters. Despite the author's reputation, I thought her style was just peculiar. Nobody says "clear as a yolk" but she does, several times. Also, do readers really need to have the comparison between the Prairies Witch's "deposits" that disappeared and the those of the failing local bamks hammered into their heads? After 70 pages of this, I gave up and invoked the Nancy Pearl rule. (Stop reading a book you don't enjoy after 50 pages, subtracting a page for every year of your age over fifty. I could have quit this book after 30 pages, but I felt pressure to give a fair review so I hung in a bit longer.) I've read books I enjoyed about farm life during the Depression, about small town bigotry and injustice, about homes for unwed mothers, and even about girls who played high school basketball, but The Antidote, is not one of them.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this book. Karen Russell just keeps getting better. I have read everything that she has published. This is her best yet. I was immediately hooked and could not stop reading. This is one of those books that you think about and anticipate even when you are not reading it. I know it is a cliché but I was truly sad when I finished it. I enjoyed it that much.

Karen Russell is a brilliant writer--a master at creating funny, vivid, high-stakes, magical plotlines brought to life by colorful, complicated characters. This may be the brightest and most complicated of her creations to date. First I'd like to thank #netgalley and #penguinrandomhouse for the opportunity to preview this ARC prior to its release in March 2025.

The majority of the book's action takes place in Uz, Nebraska, in the midst of the Dust Bowl and imminent collapse of the town due to drought. There seems to be a thread which centers on real historical events but since it was a digital arc (and I make it a practice NOT to look up info or opinions from other sources) I have no idea how much of the underlying story was rooted in real people and/or events (if any). The fact is, in spite of the book's surreal and magical components, it felt historical.

Russell manages to incorporate heavy themes like patriarchy, racism, sexism, and abuse of power (personal and governmental) within an overarching feeling of the supernatural and surreal. Included as well are prairie politics and....a girls basketball team. A LOT of story is packed into the 432 page book (including some old-timey photos), Again, being a digital arc, some of the most incredible details were more difficult to discern.

A consistent theme within the book was the transfer of "blame" down the line (and down the "scale" of human authority) - a "better you than me, them than us, etc." motif haunted the novel from start to finish. The other prevalent theme was the inability to live with guilt. Cue the Prairie Witch (aka - the Antidote) who has the ability to store memories - good and, esp, BAD - within her being via a trancelike process. This also gives Prairie Witches (there are an indeterminate number) the nickname of "Vault" as well. Other narrators include a very raggedy scarecrow who was "once loved" and, suspend disbelief, a cat. Finally, there is also a special camera that develops pictures from the past and future. If I've made it all sound pretty freaking cool, then my job is done.

A few things were left unanswered for me at the end which left me wondering but all in all the book was an incredible read. I highlighted SO MANY lines (to hopefully quote/promote in the future) but we are now living in our own form of dystopia which does not feel remotely magical. I am so grateful for books, writers, publishers -- ALL who support books and the arts -- and can only hope that this book finds its way to everyone and can be openly enjoyed.

The women in this novel are badasses - one of the best aspects - but they are also discarded and disregarded entities. More and more is revealed as the action moves forward and the book is filled with trademark Russel human and gorgeous writing throughout. I'm looking forward to seeing how this does in the world and just love Karen Russell!

Thank you to Karen Russell, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor Publishing, and NetGalley for this arc of The Antidote, out March 11, 2025!

📜Quick Summary: A dust storm is brewing over Uz, Nebraska, and with this storm, comes destruction to the Prairie Witch’s ability to hold on to other’s memories. Her body serves as a vault that locks away other townspeople's memories or secrets. What will this mean for the town?

❣️Initial Feels: This feels like it’s going to be heavier read, with a lot of depth and provoking topics.

👀Trigger Warnings: murder, social injustices

🙋🏼‍♀️Moving Character: The Prairie Witch! Can you imagine this town and its people who are walking around with holes in their memories? Lost thoughts and feelings…and of course, harboring awful, awful secrets.

📖Read if you want: multiple point of views, social justices, an increase of thoughts on our own memories and how they mold us

💡Final Sentiments: This is my first novel by this author, and there were many moving parts in this novel, with changing of point of views, but for some reason, I could not get sucked into this novel. I read so many amazing reviews, and I truly feel this novel will be a hit and maybe I’ll have to go back to do a re-read when things settle down. This book also holds a LOT of topics ... .so you’ll dive into the Sioux Indians, the farmer dealing with this drought, the effects on the Prairie Witch, her apprentice, etc. It’s a lot to unpack! How do our memories shape us? How do they mold our actions, our true selves? It opens your mind to think about your life, and how memories serve as a protection, but also a look to the future.

🌟Overall Rating: 4 stars

This novel was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Karen Russell’s work but I found this book extremely difficult to get in to and stay engaged with.

A stunning, glimmering novel that has encapsulated so many themes - "The Antidote" is a novel I'm so grateful to have had an early read of.

Set in 1935 in the small town of Uz, Nebraska, the novel is told through rotating perspectives of residents and individuals, starting with Olaf Oletsky, who is a struggling wheat farmer who's taken in his young niece, Alphodel, after the unexpected death of his sister. Asphodel "Dell" is a headstrong and immediately likeable character, focused on taking her girl's basketball team through the championships despite the resignation of their team's coach. The small family becomes unintentionally involved with The Prairie Witch, better known as The Antidote; in this setting, witches are known as Vaults and have the task of storing memories from individuals who don't want to be burdened with them. As the novel progresses, we're introduced to Cleo Allfrey, a photographer sent by the government to capture photos of the Midwest, and even given snippets from The Scarecrow that oversees the Oletsky's fields - the lone field that's produced a healthy crop despite the drought and dust storms sweeping the area.

The integration of magical realism in this novel is so seamlessly and thoughtfully done, highlighting ongoing themes and issues are still present in the world today. We see the Vaults as the scorned underbelly of society; individuals whose services are relied upon by all, given the thankless task of absorbing and keeping the dark, painful secrets we don't want to bear. "The Antidote" also touches on the foundings of the American Midwest and the nation as a whole, built on the violence and forceful evacuation of Native American populations - and the collective "forgetting" that has happened since then. In Allfrey's Graflex camera that she stumbles upon in a store and immediately purchases, we're given an item that sheds light and truth on what has truly happened, unraveling a serial murder cases led by the town's sheriff, in addition to the hidden foundations of the town of Uz.

Russell's writing is enthralling and engaging, and pulled me in from the first few pages. This novel is an eye-opening, all-encompassing novel that I know so many readers will enjoy when it's published in March 2025!

This was a strange and intriguing book. Days after I finished it, I am still thinking about it, still pondering what it means, still feeling as though there were way too many things happening in this story. There were multiple points of view (including a scarecrow and a cat), multiple time lines, it was a story about the Dust Bowl, about memory and history and basketball, murder and odd goings-on with a camera that takes pictures not only of the present, but of the past and the future too. There is a whole story line about the abuse of power, and there is an intriguing character who can store your memories, good or bad, for a fee, so that you don’t have to carry them around with you, but you can also retrieve them when you decide you want them back. This theme alone is worth the struggle to get through this book that feels scattered and overly full. The writing is good, even poetic in places, and despite how difficult I found the read, in the end it was all worth it.

“There is no way to tell the truth without first revealing ourselves as liars.”

The Antidote is simply extraordinary. Propulsive. Timely and urgent. I read it on the eve of the most consequential election of my lifetime, and by the time I finished, I was shaking and crying and cheering because of its powerful warnings and hopeful vision for the times we live in now. It’s an incredible, must-read book.

It opens in the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska, during the Dust Bowl drought. Anyone who has read Karen Russell knows that her novels are bound to have an overlay of fantastical realism, and this one is no exception. The book is filled with the perils and promises that face us and how our memories are the key to understanding where we came from and where we’re going.

The Antidote follows five characters, the most compelling of whom is the Prairie Witch aka the Vault, whose body acts like a bank fault for neighbors to deposit their most heinous memories. The result is a town of spellbound amnesiacs who have holes inside them where their memories once resided. There’s also a Polish wheat farmer who is the sole person whose farm has not been destroyed by the dust storm (not unlike the main character Kate Southwood’s excellent Falling to Earth). His orphaned niece is a basketball star and an apprentice to the Prairie Witch. Finally, we meet a scarecrow infused with human thought and a New Deal photographer whose camera, purchased at a pawn shop, sees things that are not there yet and things hidden in the town’s shameful history.

Within these pages, we discover stories of a murdered woman and a monstrous sheriff, an onerous Home for Unwed Mothers that will move even the hardest hearts, the injustice dealt to the Sioux Indians and the cult behavior of a town that wants to sweep all this under the rug. At the same time, the magical camera reveals the myriad possibilities of what could happen if we trust our greater angels and if we trust the land and nature to teach us how to see it.

Ultimately, this is a hopeful book that focuses mainly on memory – memory lost, memory revealed, and new memories that are waiting to be created. The novel is an achingly profound and transformative book. I owe a deep debt to Knopf and NetGalley for enabling me to be an early reader of a novel that will surely take its place as one of my top books of 2025.

It's not surprise to report that Karen Russell has created a masterpiece with her latest novel THE ANTIDOTE. A singular voice in fiction, Russell has been on my radar for years as an author who continually surprised me with her creativity and magical realism. This book, which I'm sure will be a blockbuster next spring, was a profound and deeply engaging book with lots of themes, fascinating characters, and a setting I'm not especially familiar with - the dust bowl and Nebraska in the early 20th century.

It wouldn't be a Karen Russell book without some magic, and in THE ANTIDOTE, we have a prairie witch who acts as a vault for people's memories. They can make deposits, which she cannot hear, and once they do, they forget them as well. They are able to retrieve them whenever they would like to. This is all well and good until a dust storm seems to wipe her powers away. There are also sub-plots about a farmer whose farm seems to be curiously untouched after the storm, his niece who becomes the captain of her high school basketball team, and a string of murders in the town being investigated by a corrupt police department.

It's a lot packed into one book, but Russell handles it with ease and creates a beautiful novel that I had a hard time putting down. I know tons of people are thrilled to read her new work and I'm happy to report you will not be disappointed.

In The Antidote, Karen Russell delivers a captivating exploration of the intersection between personal crisis and the larger forces of nature and society. Known for her inventive storytelling and unique voice, Russell's latest work is a blend of magical realism and sharp social commentary that keeps readers both enchanted and reflective.

The novel follows a diverse cast of characters as they navigate their lives amidst a backdrop of ecological upheaval and societal change. Russell’s prose is rich and evocative, filled with lyrical descriptions that transport readers into the heart of the narrative. The setting itself almost becomes a character, with the natural world vividly depicted, reflecting the turmoil and beauty of the human experience.

At the core of The Antidote is the theme of transformation—both personal and environmental. Russell skillfully intertwines the characters’ journeys with larger questions about identity, resilience, and the quest for meaning in a chaotic world. Each character grapples with their own challenges, often mirroring the struggles of the world around them. This connection between the personal and the universal adds depth to the story, making it resonate on multiple levels.

One of the book’s strengths is its character development. Russell creates individuals who are flawed yet relatable, each with their own dreams and disappointments. As their paths intersect, the complexities of their relationships unfold, revealing the interconnectedness of their lives. Russell's ability to delve into the intricacies of human emotion allows readers to empathize with the characters, even as they navigate difficult choices and moral dilemmas.

The narrative structure is inventive, with Russell employing a non-linear approach that reflects the chaos of life itself. This style, while initially challenging, ultimately enhances the reading experience by mirroring the characters’ struggles and the unpredictability of their journeys. The pacing is deliberate, allowing moments of introspection to balance the more dramatic events, creating a rhythm that is both engaging and contemplative.

While The Antidote is undoubtedly a thought-provoking read, it is also infused with Russell’s signature wit and humor. This blend of levity and gravity enriches the narrative, making it accessible without sacrificing depth. The book invites readers to reflect on their own lives and the broader implications of the choices we make.

In conclusion, The Antidote is a beautifully crafted novel that showcases Karen Russell’s exceptional talent for storytelling. With its compelling characters, vivid imagery, and profound themes, it is a work that lingers long after the last page is turned. Russell's exploration of the human condition in the face of uncertainty is both timely and timeless, making this book a must-read for those who appreciate literature that challenges and inspires.

I couldn’t get into this and I really tried. It’s not the books fault either. Life just kinda exploded and my brain shrunk and couldn’t process anything bigger than a Hallmark movie. I’m sorry!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced review and I’m sorry that I couldn’t finish to review this properly in the time frame given to me. I hope to try this book again when life settles down.