#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING PHENOMENONMore than 6 million copies soldA Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club PickA Business Insider Defining Book of the Decade “I can’t even express how much I love this book! I didn’t want this story to end!”–Reese Witherspoon“Painfully beautiful.”–The New York Times Book ReviewFor years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet … 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.
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.
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This book was wonderful! A GREAT read for anyone! You won’t be disappointed!
This is a great story about a little girl lost and how she found her way. Keeps you interested throughout the book with a surprising ending.
Come along with Kya as she navigates her life after her Ma leaves. She has to figure out how to navigate through life as a child in the marsh, and fend for herself. With a prejudiced town, and very few friendly people to show her the way, Kya ends up doing well for herself. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you haven’t read Where the Crawdads Sing, you MUST add it to your TBR 2021. I am so glad I did.
Where the Crawdads Sing was recommended to me, and I’m so glad I read it! I went in completely blind, not knowing what the book was even about, what genre it was, nothing other than this person told me it was a great read. Wow. Calling it a great read is an understatement. I could not put it down! Kya broke my heart, and then healed it. The raw emotion, writing, and storyline of Kya, “the Marsh girl,” is unbelievable. At almost 400 pages, Delia Owens doesn’t spare the details and descriptions she writes about. All of the twists and turns throughout the book keep you guessing, and not knowing for sure which direction she is going. I am so happy with the way things ended. I can’t imagine it any other way!
Great read with wonderfully descriptive about nature and characters! Be prepared to have a hard time putting it down.
I cannot praise this debut novel highly enough. It deserves every one of its 37,000 glowing reviews on Amazon and its constant place at the the top of the New York Times Best-Seller List. I honestly thought I’d stumbled across an undiscovered manuscript by Harper Lee when I read it, albeit a more literary and descriptive Harper Lee. Delia Owens is definitely a novelist to watch in the future and I thoroughly expect to see Where the Crawdads Sing on the literature syllabus in British schools and colleges at some point. This book also has multi-generational appeal; I’ve already gifted copies to both my mother and my son and they both loved it. Thoroughly recommended.
I loved the story of survival of a young girl…and the ending was a surprise!
You can smell that murky water and feel the sweltering sunshine. A transporting story with amazing atmosphere and unforgettable characters. You root for that young girl, lonely and abandoned. What she does in the end shows so much grit and a twisted sense of forgiveness. Loved it!
If you love romance and nature this is a well crafted blend of both.
What a beautiful reminder of nurturing Nature.
Audiobook: Narrator – Cassandra Campbell
Oh my gosh this narration was amazing!!! Ms. Campbell brought each of these characters fully to life as though I were standing next to them. With variations on the accents, there were never two characters that sounded the same. Add in the fact that her voice carried all the depth and emotion this heroine and her accompanying cast experienced and I was totally engulfed in the realm of the marsh girl.
Holy heck this book was everything I had heard it would be and more. My heart hurt for Kya as she survived in a place and time and in a way that is unimaginable in today’s world, but unfortunately realistic back in the 60s.
So much of this book takes place in isolation with really no dialogue except for that of Kya and her gulls or other nature and wildlife, or to a family that is no longer present. And yet, this never lagged, never bogged down and I never grew bored. In fact, I couldn’t listen to this enough. I refused to turn it off when I usually would do so as I was consumed with everything about this book.
I’m not a writer so there’s no way I can express how absolutely stunning this book was in every way. And while it deserves to be on the big screen, there is no way anyone could do it justice. Definitely a book I’ll relisten to…numerous times.
I enjoyed this book very much.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a story of survival set in the marshlands of North Carolina. The town of Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village, heard rumors of the “Marsh Girl,” For the most part, it was just talk, as Kya Clark is barefoot, wild and clearly unfit for normal society. Until 1969, when Golden Boy, Chase Andrews, is found dead and Kya is immediately suspected. But Kya is not what the rumors claim. A born naturalist, she takes life’s lessons from the land. She has learned to live in solitude, only rely on herself to get what she needs to survive. As she gets older, she is drawn to two young men from town. Both men are intrigued by her wild beauty and Kya begins to open herself to the possibility of not being so alone anymore. It all falls apart when Chase Andrews dies and Kya is arrested for his murder. Told between two timelines, beginning in 1952 when Kya is introduced and 1969 with the police investigation, the story weaves a mystery that slowly unravels. Who killed Chase Andrews? Did Kya kill him?
I have heard many rave reviews of Where the Crawdads Sing. I finally picked up a copy. I settled in to read and the opening chapter set a lyrical tone as the author describes the wildness of the marsh and the animals who live there. The first half of the book moved slowly. I knew there must be a connection to the death investigation and Kya, so I pressed on. The second half of the book moved more quickly as the trial began. When I finished, the mystery solved, I sat silent, underwhelmed. It wasn’t the book I expected. The “gotcha” moment fell flat for me. I liked the book. It was entertaining but I wasn’t wowed by it as I expected from hearing so many rave reviews. There is a movie in production based on this book, set to be released in 2022. After reading the book, I’m not sure I’m interested in seeing the film. Maybe that will change in time. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was good and the descriptions of the landscape are beautiful. It’s not a “oh my gosh, you have to read this book!” But I recommend Where the Crawdads Sing.
Where the Crawdads Sing is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.
One of the most heart wrenching books I’ve ever read. An instant classic Where the Crawdads Sing is beautifully written and a true journey through Kya’s life.
This novel was beautifully written, and I couldn’t put it down. My heart broke for Kya but it was pieced back together as I kept reading. While I am still grappling with the ending (I really just need someone to discuss it with!), I fell in love with this book and would highly recommend. I do think I’ll have to reread this book to truly come to terms with the ending.
This is such a compelling read; it is amazingly gripping for such a descriptive, beautiful book. It seems to be equal parts a crime fiction novel; a reflection on the resilience of the most vulnerable; and the most soothing, glorious celebration of nature at its most lush. All in one book, we find as readers the appreciation of our fellow man to be examined and probed, while the characters’ flaws are held up for examination. The main character is truly adorable. I cherish this book!
This is such a compelling read; it is amazingly gripping for such a descriptive, beautiful book. It seems to be equal parts a crime fiction novel; a reflection on the resilience of the most vulnerable; and the most soothing, glorious celebration of nature at its most lush. All in one book, we find as readers the appreciation of our fellow man to be examined and probed, while the characters’ flaws are held up for examination. The main character is truly adorable. I cherish this book!
So, I read this book last year and why I hadn’t said a few words about it is beyond me. But there’s not much I can say about this outstandingly well-written historical novel except read it! The storyline, the author’s descriptive writing, her perfect prose and character development make for an unforgettable read.
Loved the characters and it kept me guessing until the end
This is a “real” story. Meaning the characters are people you’ve seen, maybe even known by different names in different places. Loved this book.
Symbolism for women’s survival from beginning of the narrative until the end. It’s a metaphor for women’s survival in our world.