After reading both Vampires in the Lemon Grove and Sleep Donation, I feel that the tone of Karen Russell’s writing has become much clearer to me. I very much enjoyed both works, and there are a few characteristics that begin to stand out both during and after reading them.

It is possible that it was not her intention, but I have found that both of her writings displayed a tone of stress, worry, and contemplation. Nothing felt resolute, and the constant state of anxiety on different levels that was stressed in the writing tone made the stories feel that much more real. An attention to detail pushed this even further, but more often than not the detail was in terms of how a particular action elicited certain emotions: how biting into the lemon could not truly satisfy the vampire cravings, how being inside the sleep van made Trish uncomfortable during a donation. The characters questioned themselves constantly, but it was the questioning tone that made us as readers really feel like they did. The voices of the characters are not considered the voice of the author, but there was a connection nonetheless. Amongst all of this seriousness though, her writing is also satirical in some aspects – it has a sharp, “biting” quality that reflects on the issues faces by humanity (or rather, inhumanity but with human qualities in Vampires in the Lemon Grove), without mercy.

When looking towards endings, neither story’s conclusion would be deemed a “happy solution”. Both felt unresolved and contemplative. Russell was not looking to simply guide us to the end of a story, but rather to get a sense for the particular emotions that were emphasized in each piece, whether that be the discontent weaved throughout Vampires in the Lemon Grove, or the guilt and apprehension attempting to hide under confidence in Sleep Donation. The stories seem not to be so much about the characters as they are about the emotions they are overwhelmed with.

In Sleep Donation, Trish is riddled with guilt no matter which way she turns: guilt for using her dead sister’s story as a pitch, guilt for keeping secrets about the illegal exchange of Baby A’s sleep, and of course the guilt of knowing that lives could be lost if she lets her guilt from the former influence her future actions. In conclusion, the situation is not fully resolved, but Trish is able to finally do what she feels is the right thing, whether it truly is in the grand scheme of things or not. Russell’s tone adds to this by bringing into the picture a question of what is worth more – the life of one or the life of many. It allows us to contemplate everything rather than be presented with straightforward facts to simply be accepted.

The tone of Russell’s writing is not just influenced by latching onto particular emotions, however that seems to be the most critical element. Her writing is also very poetic, and she tends to utilize metaphor in her work. This creates a wonderful lyrical reading experience, while still staying true to the emotions of importance and retaining the cutting, reflective qualities.

On a more personal note, I’m very interested in reading the rest of the stories in the Vampires in the Lemon Grove collection. Her story Swamplandia is also going to be added to my list of future reads. I had never been one to read works with such open endings, and although that has it’s own frustrations, I find that it adds a final poetic element to each piece and forces you to contemplate the overall meaning of each work rather than feeling inherently satisfied with a provided ending. I’d like to expose myself to more work of this nature, and hopefully doing so will help me think more critically about the greater significance of writing rather than the straightforward linear elements that usually come to my focus.