Review: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

RATING: 9/10

SYNOPSIS

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. 

REVIEW

Heard a lot about this book and wow what a great read!

While this is a coming-of-age story of Kya (who is abandoned by her family and lives alone in the marsh) which begins in 1952, it started off with a murder mystery of Chase Andrews which happened in 1969 (an ex-star quarterback of the town). The story was told in two different timeframes and Delia Owens managed to link the events of both timeframes together at the end of the story.

Essentially, Delia Ownes introduced the atmosphere and life in the marsh to us via this story. I can see how this relates to her background as a wildlife scientist in Africa. At times there are some scientific terms on the wildlife being thrown at us, it does not feel dry at all as the introduction of the wildlife in the marsh was told through the perspective of Kya. Delia Ownes further successfully crafted a perfect characterization of Kya. We can feel a sense of abandonment, isolation, the crave of love and acceptance, disappointment towards society and prejudice through the character of Kya. It’s so heartbreaking. It’s safe to say that this is one of the best character work that I have read to date.

Delia Owens writes so beautifully and I love the poems that were included in this story. It enhances the emotion of readers when we follow the story of Kya in this book. As stated in the book: –

I wasn’t aware that words could hold so much. I didn’t know a sentence could be so full

Delia Owens’ debut novel definitely deserves a strong 9/10 star read from me!