A sprawling and Wicked! (there is even a green “Prairie” witch) rewrite of the Wizard of Oz moved from Kansas to Nebraska and taking in biblical references (Oz renamed to Job’s hometown of Oz), climate change and climate refugees (it is set in the 1930s dustbowl), social economics (the Great Depression), ethic cleanings of indigenous people, racism, LGBTQ+ rights, misogyny and much more – perhaps a little too much but I always admire a book whose only fault lies in its ambition.

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley.

This was a fascinating historical novel looking at communities impacted by dust storms in the 1930s USA. I found this so interesting and it made me realise how few books I had read set in this time and place. However this isn’t just a historical novel. It also has elements of magical realism with an exploration of Prairie Witches.

This is quite a slow burn but it doesn’t suffer for it. I was always wanting to read on and learn more about these characters. We follow multiple points of view. We have our Prairie Witch, known as The Antidote, we have an uncle and his grieving niece who has come to live with him following the death of her mother, we have a photographer documenting the lives of the people and farmers in this community.

While we are following these characters we also see an undercurrent of a series of murders taking place in the community, a disturbing rabbit paw signature left at the crime scenes. As we traverse this story we learn more about this, a great injustice that has occurred and secrets that could shake the foundations of the town.

We explore memory, identity and how they are so closely intertwined. The Antidote is a vault. This means she can store people’s memories. When a shocking incident occurs, her whole business is threatened.

This was a fascinating novel that was enriched by the found family we observe as the character’s stories start to intertwine. I enjoyed the magical elements, the history and the way this built up to a satisfying conclusion.

Karen Russell has packed The Antidote with a little bit of everything: climate emergency, racism, wealth, misogyny, LGBTQ+ representation, Native American history, all layered beneath a captivating veil of magical realism, Dust Bowl blues, and a central mystery. Yet, despite the immensity of topics, it never feels overstuffed or weighed down. A true testament to her boundless imagination and skill as a writer

The novel is framed by two extreme weather disasters: first, a dust storm and drought, then the long-awaited relief of rain which goes on to become a catastrophic flood. Between these forces, the story unfolds with a cast of characters both strange and compelling: a prairie witch who collects people’s memories, a woman whose camera captures glimpses of the past and future, and a grieving girl and her uncle, trying to navigate their loss. Looming in the background is the presence of a man on death row, accused of murdering multiple women in the area, a shadow that lingers over everything.

It’s historical fiction with a surreal twist, and I thought it was pretty wonderful. Russell masterfully dissects the meaning of memory, exploring what it means to have, to lose, and to collectively remember. Strange but timely, this is a gem I highly recommend.

Thank you allowing me to read this before publication!

I think I this is just not the book for me. I requested the book based on the brief synopsis and cover but it wasn't what I thought. I have actually read two of the authors previous books I bought myself and enjoyed but really struggled with this. I don't know if it's because it wasn't what I was expecting but I found my attention wandering. It is a very long book (400 pages but felt longer). I wonder if I hadn't read this book in the back drop of current events, I might have not felt so negatively about it.
It is very clever and the characters well written. I get the feeling it's been very well researched and likely to be of interest to those who like American history. I also think that the premise is really good so I wouldn't not revisit in a different time or tell people to avoid.
Thank you for the opportunity to read though.

'The Antidote' is a superb novel - hugely imaginative, original, gripping, moving and profound.

Set in 1930s Nebraska during the Dust Bowl, the novel introduces us to an unusual ensemble of characters in the town of Uz who take it in turns to narrate. The eponymous Antidote of Uz is a 'prairie witch' who acts as a 'Vault' with whom locals are able 'deposit' memories which remain forgotten until they are 'withdrawn', all the while remaining secret from the Antidote herself who operates under a trance. However, on Black Sunday, she discovers that she has gone 'bankrupt' and no longer has access to all the memories she is meant to be storing, so has to resort to desperate measures.

Meanwhile, curmudgeonly and devoutly religious farmer Harp Oletsky has recently taken in his wild and spirited niece Asphodel following the murder of her mother, Lada. Sheriff Vick Iscoe is adamant he has caught the man behind the Lada's murder and that of other women, but not everyone is convinced. Asphodel is also trying to lead her local girls' basketball team to regional victory, while Harp is wondering why his crops are flourishing and his land. uniquely, seems to have avoided the effects of Black Sunday. And African-American photographer Cleo Allfrey has been dispatched from Washington DC by the Resettlement Administration to capture life in the Great Plains States as a way of gaining support for President Roosevelt's New Deal.

As circumstances throw the Antidote, Harp, Asphodel and Cleo together, they learn more about each other, their own pasts and the history of the land on which they are standing, a history full of violence and oppression. They hatch a bold plan to share the truth with the rest of Uz, but there are plenty who have no desire to be undeceived.

This is such a clever and enjoyable novel, beautifully plotted and engagingly written. It engages seriously and thoughtfully with America's past, particularly the treatment of America's indigenous peoples by early pioneers, challenging the myth of 'terra nullius' (empty land) and exploring how this forms part of a cycle of displacement. White supremacy is interrogated in other ways - for instance the fact that Cleo is specifically tasked with obtaining photos of white Americans in poverty as their suffering is deemed more noteworthy and undeserved. The whole concept of 'vaults' becomes an ingenious way of thinking about memory and the role that cultural amnesia has played in America's history.

I think this is close to my platonic ideal of a novel due to the brilliance of its plotting, characterisation and writing and the seriousness of the themes it considers. It deserves to be one of the most garlanded books of 2025. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

Set in the dust bowl and 1930s depression era in the United States, The Antidote is a well-written, if ultimately unwieldy tale.

The initial pacing was good, as was the introduction of the Vaults - a group of women who, with special 'powers' are able to hold others' bad memories. What was an initially intriguing idea didn't hold my attention, partly as the novel lost its pacing and could have used a tighter edit. There wasn't really a plot, as such, either. I'm afraid I wasn't able to finish the novel, it just wasn't for me.

The idea of a witch who can take away your memories, good or bad, is intriguing. There are many, many themes and threads that run throughout. However, the story telling was as dense with detail, dialogue and characters as the blackout in the dustbowl, and I could not get a handle on this story, and did not finish it.

‘The Antidote’ by Karen Russell is a mesmerising and richly woven tale set against the backdrop of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. The novel unfolds in the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska, and is packed with vivid, multifaceted characters, each carrying their own burdens and secrets. At its core, the novel is a study of memory, loss, and the consequences of human actions, all wrapped in a layer of magical realism.

Russell’s ability to craft complex, compelling characters shines through. The central figure, the Antidote — a prairie witch who absorbs the painful memories of others — is one of the most intriguing. Her eerie ability to carry people’s secrets forms the foundation of a plot teeming with mystery, from a New Deal photographer who captures both prophecies and remnants of tragedy, to a Polish farmer haunted by past and present regrets. Each character’s narrative is carefully developed, making their struggles feel both personal and universally significant. The diverse cast, including a basketball star orphan, a misunderstood scarecrow, and a wrongly accused young man, ensures that every chapter feels fresh and full of surprises.

Beyond its rich character work, ‘The Antidote’ serves as a historical meditation, weaving in powerful themes about environmental destruction and the erasure of indigenous knowledge, which many argue played a role in the onset of the Dust Bowl. Russell also touches on deeper societal issues, such as the oppression of Native Americans and African Americans, and how even those who fled persecution — like the Polish farmer — can unwittingly perpetuate cycles of harm. This adds a layer of gravitas to the novel, reminding readers of the often ignored lessons from the past.

The narrative itself is an intricate mosaic of mystery, history, and magical realism, and Russell’s prose is both lyrical and haunting. The story is sprawling, with so many characters and plot points to follow, but it’s a journey worth taking. By the time the threads all come together, ‘The Antidote’ is an awe-inspiring, thought-provoking work that captures the timeless struggle between memory and identity, as well as the delicate balance between humans and the environment. It’s a poignant and hopeful reminder of the potential for renewal and the need for compassion in a fractured world.

Overall, this novel is a beautifully crafted, imaginative, and deeply resonant story, making it a must-read for anyone interested in history, magic, and the complexities of the human experience.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

The Antidote, the second novel from Karen Russell, a Pulitzer Prize finalist with her debut, is an astonishingly magical read!

This novel is set during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression of the 1930s, yet it remains relevant with today's issues. It addresses issues such as poverty, racism, misogyny, memory and above all human connection

This is not a book to be rushed through; it demands reflection and thought, and that is its greatest strength. The essence of this novel reached the depths of my core, leaving me profoundly moved and contemplative.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chatto & Windus for providing me with an early review copy of this book.