Ink Vine and Other Swamp Stories – Elizabeth Broadbent

5 stars

Eliza Broadbent has some of the most beautiful prose I’ve ever read, and I will die on that hill. I swear to God I could read her grocery list and be extremely happy for it.

I’m so happy that I could explore Lower Congaree again. It’s such a beautifully magical place, warts and all. Broadbent has a way of making even the dark sides seem nostalgic and make me miss experiences that I’ve never had.

Ink Vine and Other Swamp Stories is a love letter to everything special that the swamp can be while still showcasing the very real intolerance and ugliness that can still be found in the Deep South. While not the traditional spooky, full throttle horror that you expect from the genre, Broadbent’s love and care for the Lower Congaree make the bitterness and hatred shown by some of her characters that much more horrifying.

I really hope to see more stories set here because I am definitely not done with the swamp, and I don’t think it’s done with me.