Books similar to The Antidote blend magical realism, quirky characters, historical settings, and profound social themes. Here are several books and collections to appeal to fans of Russell’s style and the atmospheric, surreal tone of The Antidote:

• Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
  A coming-of-age story about a girl whose family runs an alligator-wrestling theme park in the Florida Everglades, blending family drama with ghostly encounters and quirky fabulist elements.
• Fire Exit by Morgan Talty
  A powerful novel set in a Native American community, where a father secretly watches over the daughter he can’t raise due to cruel federal laws. The story explores family, identity, and the pain of separation with magical undertones.
• An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken
  A moving memoir that blurs boundaries between reality and imagination, focusing on loss, hope, and the persistent presence of memory—similar in spirit to the emotional core of Russell’s work.
• The Strange Case of Jane O. by unknown (likely a pseudonym or new voice with metafictional style)
  A metaphysical thriller about a woman whose unusual symptoms might unlock cosmic secrets or signal shared madness. This novel weaves mystery, psychiatric dilemmas, and love, echoing Russell’s blend of psychological intrigue and the surreal.
• A Guide to the Fruits of Hawa’ii by Alaya Dawn Johnson
  A story from the collection "Reconstruction," set in a prison camp where vampires harvest humans. It explores otherness, power, and survival with speculative, fabulist twists reminiscent of Russell’s short fiction.
• Orange World and Other Stories by Karen Russell
  A short story collection featuring tales with haunted houses, witches, and surreal landscapes—an excellent match for those who loved the unique characters and magical realism in The Antidote.
• The Bus Driver Who Wanted To be God and Other Stories by Etgar Keret
  Inventive, strange, and darkly humorous stories about quirky characters navigating bizarre worlds, ideal for admirers of Russell’s voice and oddball scenarios.
• Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
  A cult classic novel about a carnival family who breed their own “freaks,” blending grotesque spectacle, familial bonds, and magical realism into an unforgettable literary experience.