Where the Crawdads Sing: Delia Owens

What a beautiful story, written with great sensitivity and exquisite descriptions of the marshes of North Carolina, where the story takes place. Kya is the youngest of five siblings, being raised in a dilapidated shack by the marsh. Her father is cruel and violent, especially when drunk. One by one, all of Kya’s siblings leave, and one day her mother also walks away and never returns. Kya learns to cook, fish, and navigate the small boat through the marsh. The natural world around her captivates her. When her father eventually leaves as well, she is left completely alone. With very little money, she learns to survive. She grows up viewed by the townspeople as a wild girl, the mysterious “Marsh Girl.” But she befriends Tate, a local boy with a passion for science. They spend a lot of time together, and Tate teaches Kya to read and write. In adulthood, she becomes a published author, writing books about the marsh and its wildlife. Years later, a young man named Chase is murdered, and Kya is accused of the crime. The murder trial is gripping and keeps you on the edge of your seat. How do you prove your innocence when the whole town is against you, and you’ve suffered a lifetime of prejudice and isolation? A fantastic read, atmospheric, moving, and mysterious. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

'Where the Crawdads Sing' begins with the discovery of a body - always a promising start for a novel. The setting is the rural swampy North Carolina coast in the 1950s and 60s. The dead man is a popular figure in the nearby small town, and the number one suspect is the 'Marsh Girl' - a young woman who has grown up alone in the swamp after her family all left. Self taught, courageous and resourceful, Kya is far from the savage that the gossipy townsfolk imagine. But prejudice is powerful and Kya is not well equipped to defend herself. Will Kya end up formally accused of murder - and if she does, will it be wrongfully or not? I knew the reputation of this book and expected it to be good, and my expectations were met. It's perhaps a bit more descriptive than my preference, but that's just personal taste. The characters are interesting and likeable or even loveable. The swamp and its wildlife seem to come alive through Owens' prose. The narrative jumps about between the past - telling the story of how Kya came to become the 'Swamp Girl' - and the present as the police investigate the murder. This works well and provides a good level of tension. Both stories are intriguing and compelling in their own right - Kya's history, and the gradual unfolding of the murder mystery. It's a very gripping novel - I read the last half in a single several-hour sitting, and not because I had nothing else to do (once more, the housework went neglected). I really cared about Kya and her fate, and felt strongly the injustice of her situation and life. I have no trouble believing that people can be that prejudiced and close-minded because plenty of real life evidence shows that they are. The narration is in the third person, so the reader can never be sure what version of events happened on the night of the death and whether Kya had anything to do with it or not. I would recommend this to a wide variety of readers. It is really well written and full of great characters and a good plot too. There's enough tension and mystery for those who tend towards crime fiction, but also plenty about people, families, and nature that means this is not a crime novel. It reminded me in some ways of 'To Kill A Mockingbird' - probably the combination of the southern USA setting and the theme of people marginalised and shunned by their community, even to the point of being suspected of a murder. I look forwards to her next book.

I'm several years late to the party with this novel, but it finally got plucked from my TBR list (after three years). For anyone who hasn't read it, it's about a girl called Kya who grows up alone in the marshland of North Carolina, in the 1950s and 1960s. When she is six her mother leaves, soon to be followed by her brothers and sisters and finally her drunken, abusive father. The story is about how she survives and how her early life affects the events of her early adulthood; the story paints a vivid picture of life in this forgotten backwater in the mid 20th Century, and shows how the changing attitudes of elsewhere in the country had yet to touch it. Kya's love of and connection with the marshland shines through; she is part of it. Running through her story are chapters from 1969, when a body is discovered. Was Chase Andrews murdered? If so, by whom? Eventually, the two timelines meet up. This is not a book to be read from today's viewpoint; the world was much larger in those days and it was easy for people to simply disappear, to evade authority, to lose touch with someone completely. Neither should Kya's survival be judged by the way in which today's children behave; she was taught how to live off the land from a young age, to do basic chores and be resilient. Then there is the fact that she was left alone with her abusive father by the brother who supposedly loved her; I don't think one can ever say that a character would or wouldn't behave a certain way. Human beings do all sorts of inexplicable stuff. There were a couple of aspects that seemed a little far-fetched (such as her learning to read in about two days, the ease with which her shack on the marshes was connected to mains water and electricity supplies), and there were some loose ends that I expected to be tied up, but on the whole I enjoyed the book very much. It's one of those that depends on how much you are willing to suspend your disbelief, I think.

Whilst reading this novel I kept thinking of the book Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell. Both stories broke my heart exposing human suffering from cruelty, prejudice and poverty. Kya is a young girl who has brought herself up on the Marshlands. She avoids school and the authorities by hiding and making up excuses for her parent's absence when fetching supplies from town. She works out who to avoid and who she can go to for help. Even when her family lived with her it was hard. They all suffered terrible violence from their father. He spent most of his days drinking. Yet, she still has fond memories of her mother. The thought of seeing her mother again gets her through life along with her amazing spirit for survival. We watch her grow up into a beautiful, self sufficient woman. The main plot is about the body of a local man being found and whether or not is was murder. Kya becomes the main suspect after some of the townsfolk talk to the Sheriff. This is Delia Owen’s debut novel although she has written wildlife books as an expert scientist. This comes through plentiful in the novel. If you love learning about nature you will love this. The descriptions are intense and detailed. I had to read them twice sometimes to help me imagine the environment. I related to Kya’s solitary life. I like my own company and socialising is a nightmare to me too. I would rather curl up in bed with the cat and a book. Socialising is dangerous as people can be harsh and hurtful and I really get that. The book like Winter’s Bone reminds us of the poverty going on right under our noses. Maybe like the folk of Barkley Cove we should ask ourselves do we do reach out? or do we judge? In conclusion I would recommend this book if you like description and beautiful writing along with your murder mystery. Even the book cover is beautiful. There is plenty of bird and plant life references which makes for an unusual and interesting read.

After a good friend recommended Where the Crawdads Sing, I watched and loved the movie. Got the paperback for Christmas, and absolutely adored this book! It grabbed me from the first page and held on right until the end, even though I knew the plot and outcome because of watching the film. Delia Owens knows how to bring people to life and how to write the scenery in such a visceral way she made the swamp into a character all its own, as the opening line shows: 'Marsh is not swamp. Marsh is a space of light, where grass grows in water, and water flows into the sky.' This is a story of abandonment, rejection, prejudice, and survival against all odds. I defy you not to fall in love with Kya and her world. The narrative is superbly written, and here are just a few of the many wonderful lines which will stay with me >>> 'Kya lay her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and and the marsh became her mother.' And ... 'There was a stain across the front, a faded brown splotch under the shoulder straps, blood maybe. But it was faint now, scrubbed out like other bad memories.' And ... 'Life had made her an expert at mashing feelings into a storable size.' And ... 'One side of her heart shielding, the other longing.' This is a story that you will connect with, even if--like me--you've never been near marsh or swamp. It is a coming of age as well as a romance and a murder-mystery-thriller all rolled into one and expertly executed. Where the Crawdads Sing gets a resounding 5 stars from me. *** NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me. 5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended. 4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book. 3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it. 2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines. 1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

Where the Crawdads Sing is a romance and drama written about ‘the Marsh Girl’, abandoned by her family and shunned by society at a young age, left by herself to grow up and become a woman amongst the marshes along the coast of North Carolina. Kya grows up and comes to innately understand the flora and fauna of the marshland like no other person. Over the years since her family left, the local townspeople, who see the Marsh Girl, but have little contact with, have come to be suspicious of her, except the few people that have through circumstance come to know and maybe even love her. Several years later she becomes the prime suspect in the death of a local former athlete and golden boy, found dead by the old fire tower. Will the Marsh Girl be found guilty and sentenced to death or is there something more sinister at work here? Potential trigger warning here is that there are scenes depicting spousal and familial violence and domestic abuse associated with alcoholism and later, depictions of sexual assault. Should you be deeply affected by these kinds of depictions this book may not be for you. Delia Owens, a naturalist and ecologist herself, writes an exquisite novel about desertion, loneliness but how in the face of these challenges love can prevail, both romantic and love for the natural world around oneself as the main character Kya navigates the world of romantic love but also demonstrates her love for the natural world of the marshes around her. Owens’ writing is evocative and while I have seen some criticisms of the style I enjoy how she describes the setting with so much love, which is likely due to Owen’s own passions in ecology and conservation. While it may seem that she leans a lot in to the over wrought style of the next great American novel, trying to maybe too much like Steinbeck, I think it is more down to the authors own love and passion for the subject and she wants to share how she feels and perceives the natural world which she clearly adores and is the basis of the novel to the reader. I personally loved this book, I read it over the course of 3 days, I loved the very tangible and perceptible way that Owens has written the book, and found a lot to like in the characters, there is a mixture of coldness when the “right” people don’t show the right kind of affection for Kya, and even abandon her, but when she does find the people who love her there is areal warmth that comes through in the writing. Additionally, the main characters, including Kya, are not put on a pedestal of perfection, they are flawed especially in their actions even if you know there are the right intentions within the character as they are written. A really beautiful novel which I would thoroughly recommend.

I was gripped by this book from start to finish and loved it. One of the reviews for the book says it's a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative, and a celebration of nature. And I have to agree. All three stories were engaging in their own ways. Within the first chapter of the book, you immediately care about Kya. And as the story goes on, you care about her even more as you learn about all the hardships she has dealt with over the years. From losing members of her family to living alone and fending for herself. Not connecting with other people all that much. How closed off she is with other people, how she doesn't really have that big of a support group even in the hardest of times. How people see her as an outsider or ''different.'' You can also relate to her character in terms of loneliness and isolation, as people will have gone through similar experiences. Every now and then in the early to mid-chapters of the book, you follow a sheriff and his partner investigating the murder of Chase Andrews, and those elements of the murder mystery story of the book were also quite engaging. The various different ways the book vividly talks about nature, in such intricate detail, were actually quite moving. It made me care a lot more about the environment Kya lived in and called her home. I watched the movie after reading the book, and I really enjoyed it. It didn't have everything the book did; still, that's to be expected with adaptations (and also it being just over 2 hours long). In the end, however, I thought this book was absolutely beautiful. It's definitely worth reading. It's also very heartwarming to see that people are still reading this book, considering it came out almost 5 years ago.

It is a mind-blowingly poignant debut and easily one of the best books I have read so far in 2020. This is exactly the kind of novel that will the first in my mind when I think of recommendations. The story begins with a six-year old girl living in a shack by the marshes and swamps, near the coast of North Carolina. Though she faces many disheartening and painful traumas from a young age, Kya matures into a beautiful and intelligent young woman. She learns to become industrious, relying on her talents and knowledge of the marshland to survive. However, after years of fending for herself, Kya has a natural guard up, save for a small number of trustworthy allies… and the gulls. The town of Barkley Cove labels her the ‘Marsh Girl’, and all eyes point to Kya when ‘golden boy’ Chase is found dead among the everglades. I love Kya’s independence. She’s a character that’s incredibly easy to connect to, even as a reader I found myself feeling protective over this young girl. While she is sensitive and timid, she has a fierceness that’s admirable. And her courage, agility and intuition add to her brilliance as a protagonist. I also deeply appreciate the way the author interweaved poetry with Kya’s thoughts and emotions. Furthermore, the significance of poetry to the principal figure plays out magnificently. When reading, Kya feels so real it’s almost natural to smile or frown when she does. Secondary characters, like Tate, Jumpin’, Mabel and Jodie infused life into the tale of Kya. They’re an additional layer to this charming coming of age story. The characters’ reflections and musings have an emotive depth that makes each of them feel earnestly human. But above all, Kya is the extraordinary personality, and one I’d happily revisit. Owens’ rich and eloquent reflection on humanity paints a vivid picture from the first page. The author’s passion and understanding of nature is evident in her splendidly descriptive poetic prose. As a zoologist, the author’s fascination with ethology becomes addictive. In Where the Crawdads Sing, Kya develops a love of collecting shells and feathers as she grows up. Correspondingly, Owens turns from an author to an artist as she creates a world that’s easy to dive into and fun to explore. Her writing floats between a thick intensity and an empathetic calmness that makes it near-impossible to forget. I found the atmosphere of 1960s North Carolina effortless to imagine. Owens’ expertise and familiarity of the natural world also gave me a refreshing outlook on life and value. While the plot of Where the Crawdads Sing is very impassioned and rousing, it’s the author’s elegantly revealing voice that will remain sharp in my mind. Where the Crawdads Sing is in two sections, Part I – The Marsh, and Part II – The Swamp. The chapters alternate between 1952 and the murder trial in 1970. With each chapter, the years grow closer, while the tension and uncertainty deepen. As a reader, my heart was pounding during the final chapters the same way I imagine Kya’s was. It’s truly a gripping and exhilarating read. And although the narrative is written in the third person, the tone never feels shallow. Where the Crawdads Sing has the qualities of a run-of-the-mill murder mystery. But what makes it stand out is the emotive power and alluring rhythm. The story slowly draws you in, the emotion keeps you hooked, and the characters create the connection. It’s the recipe for a perfect plot, and exceeds all my expectations. Originally, this isn’t a book I originally planned on reviewing. Where the Crawdads Sing has suffered the curse of being stuck on the TBR list for way too long. But when I think of this novel now, I only wonder why I didn’t read it sooner. It’s a moving and inspiring story about survival against the odds. Themes of family, love, prejudice, poverty and loneliness are insightfully explored in this truly gripping story. There is diversity in the characters, the style and the emotion. It’s not only a novel that will have you sobbing by the last page, but also stuck in awe and wonder at the natural beauty of Delia Owens’ words and descriptions. “Go as far as you can – way out yonder where the crawdads sing.” Anika | chaptersofmay.com