The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty is set in the La Lapinière Affordable Housing Complex in Vacca Vale, Indiana, and follows 18-year-old Blandine Watkins and her neighbors whose lives intersect in significant and often tragic ways, reflecting the impacts of a declining post-industrial town. Key themes include religious mysticism, economic hardship, and the complexities of human relationships. The narrative features depictions of physical violence toward women and animal sacrifice.

Tess Gunty's The Rabbit Hutch is an ambitious debut novel celebrated for its lyrical prose and vibrant character portrayal. Critics appreciate its exploration of community and identity but note a complex narrative structure that some readers may find challenging. Overall, the novel's originality and depth make it a notable literary piece despite occasional convolutions.

Readers who relish complex, character-driven narratives with a touch of the surreal will enjoy The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty. Fans of Jeffrey Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides and Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad will appreciate the novel's exploration of interconnected lives and its poignant, lyrical prose.

Mysterious / Dark / Gritty / Melancholic / Unnerving

- Set in the fictional town of Vacca Vale, Indiana, The Rabbit Hutch is Tess Gunty's debut novel, and it earned her the prestigious National Book Award for Fiction in 2022.
- Tess Gunty drew inspiration for The Rabbit Hutch from her own experiences growing up in South Bend, Indiana, capturing the essence of a post-industrial Midwest town.
- The novel was praised for its intricate structure and narrative innovation, weaving together multiple perspectives and timelines into a cohesive story.

**Blandine Watkins**  
The protagonist of the novel, Blandine is a gifted student who struggles with her past and the attention her appearance attracts. Following a challenging relationship with a teacher, she devotes herself to studying mystics and saving her hometown from developers.  

**Jack**  
A foster kid like Blandine, Jack navigates adulthood in Vacca Vale and occupies a complex role in the narrative as he and his roommates are fixated on Blandine.  

**Malik P. Johnson**  
One of Blandine’s roommates, Malik is a charismatic, aspiring actor who becomes involved in the dynamic with Blandine through a lens of competition and arrogance.  

**Todd**  
Another of Blandine’s roommates, Todd is portrayed as sensitive yet conflicted, caught between his gentle nature and the pressures from the other boys.  

**James Yager**  
A music teacher entangled in an affair with Blandine, James grapples with professional boundaries, seeking validation amidst personal insecurities.  

**Joan Kowalski**  
A solitary figure in the narrative, Joan works at an online obituary website and becomes an unexpected ally to Blandine, reflecting on interpersonal connections.  

**Hope, the Mother**  
A young woman adjusting to life after childbirth, Hope finds herself distanced from her surroundings by depression and anxiety, yet supported by her husband, Anthony.  

**Elsie Blitz**  
The star of a popular television show, Elsie’s actions and beliefs often contrast, impacting the lives of those around her, including her son, Moses.  

**Moses Blitz**  
Elsie’s son, haunted by his mother’s neglect and hostility, Moses seeks meaning and acknowledgement in his unique way but finds himself drawn into events in Vacca Vale.  

**Maxwell Pinky**  
A developer with plans to transform Vacca Vale, Maxwell represents ambition and detachment from the community’s deeper issues.

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