Vampires in the Lemon Grove: Stories

by Karen Russell

3.00 · 1 rating

Description

Karen Russell's imaginative collection of six short stories explores the strange and magical intersections between the ordinary and the impossible. From a melancholic teenager who discovers the universe speaking to him through mysterious objects hidden in a seagull's nest, to two vampires struggling with their dark hunger in a sun-drenched lemon grove, Russell crafts narratives that blend magical realism with deeply human emotional truths. Each story ventures into unexpected territory, where the fantastical becomes a lens for examining loneliness, desire, and the search for meaning in an bewildering world. Russell's distinctive voice and inventive storytelling transform the surreal into the intimate, creating moments of both wonder and poignancy that linger long after the final page.

Available Editions

paperback edition cover

paperback

Alfred A. Knopf

Published Jan 1, 2013

256 pages

ISBN: 9780307957238

available

Reviews

3.00
out of 5

1 rating

Community Reviews(1)

@imsophiedaviesMar 4, 2026

A collection of eight eerily poignant short stories written by Karen Russell, who tells extraordinary tales with just the right amount of fantasy-horror without breaking the boundaries of magical realism. <i>Reeling for the Empire</i>, <i>Vampires in the Lemon Grove</i>, and <i>The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis</i> made for fantastic quick reads and each one possessed a mournfulness that is hard to capture. I particularly enjoyed <i>Reeling for the Empire</i>, which tells the tale of a group of young women working in a silk factory in Japan who are slowly turning into silkworms. And while I usually cannot abide stories of vampires, <i>Vampires in the Lemon Grove</i> evoked a sad humour with it's tale of a vampiric couple whose hundred-year marriage is tested when one of them develops a fear of flying. I would absolutely recommend reading <i><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Vampires-Lemon-Grove-Karen-Russell/9780099578963/?a_aid=theprivategirl" target="new">Vampires in the Lemon Grove</a></i>.

Details

First Published

2013

Language

eng

Content Warnings

Content and trigger warnings for Vampires in the Lemon Grove: Stories by Karen Russell.

Violence
Death/Grief