Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

My Review of Where the Crawdads Sing

Before I read it, this book did not appeal to me. I don’t know what exactly it was about it, the title, the cover or the marsh setting, but I wasn’t interested in even looking at reviews on it. I had seen it around a quite a few times but avoided it until it was picked as the October book for the Reece Witherspoon Hello Sunshine Book Club pick. Don’t get me wrong, there are some of those book club picks I haven’t been too fussed about, but it brought this one to my attention. With a massive 4.53 out of 5 on goodreads with over 20000 ratings I was pretty sure it must be a decent book so I still (somewhat reluctantly) started listening to the audio version, prepared to return and exchange it if I wasn’t enjoying it. Well, no return required!

Kya is the “marsh girl”. A young girl who was abandoned and left on her own in the South Carolina marshes in the 1950’s. She grows up isolated, yet she is extremely intelligent – Surviving in the harsh marshlands and developing a deep bond with her natural surrounds. Flash forward to 1969, the body of a young man is found in the marshes. What did the “marsh girl” have to do with it, when did their paths collide?

Although it didn’t utterly blow me away like it seems to have done to many readers, I really did enjoy this tale. For some reason I felt a little bit of a lack of connection with the characters. I think perhaps it is because there was a lot of poetry and poetry appreciation, and unfortunately poetry and I don’t really get along.

But… I REALLY enjoyed it. Considering the subject matter I found it quite fast paced and entertaining, the writing was superb and even though I didn’t fall in love with the characters, I still enjoyed listening to their stories.

I loved the courtroom drama aspect of the book, I wasn’t expecting it do go in the direction that it did and was pleasantly surprised.

The romance(s) were sweet and I absolutely loved the side story of the murder and trying to figure out the twists. Unfortunately I figured out the big one, but it still gave me goosebumps!

I enjoyed the ending, I just wish I had connected with Kya more.

Did I enjoy the audio version?

Yes I really did. I think the accent of the narrator really helped me with the setting. I’m not sure how that would have come across on paper. I enjoyed her narration of Kya and all of the men in the story, which if you have read my audio reviews before, is quite a compliment because I am not generally a fan of female narrators when they attempt a male voice.

Would I recommend Where the Crawdads Sing?

Yes, it was a great book. Lots of heart wrenching moments. A few twists and turns. You couldn’t help feeling for Kya and admiring her strength. Really enjoyed it!