#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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Such a wonderful story. It moved me and drew me in.
Am amazing story of a young girl, Kya, left in the swamp to survive on her own. How she does it is astounding and had me riveted. The way this isolation and small contact with people shapes her makes sense. Especially when she does let someone in, Tate, she is hurt and turns away from people more. She does have a few people she trusts, Jumpin’ & Mabel and that helps her some. That is until Chase Andrews comes into her life. A sweet talker that spewed partial truths that she didn’t learn until it was too late. When Chase is found dead at the fire tower Kya becomes the suspect and then the accused. This entire story will draw you in. Make you cry, make you smile and not want it to end.
Great characters. Learned about wetlands, swamp life.
I hesitated buying or reading this book because of the title. I asked others on Facebook if they would recommend it. Everyone that responded said it was a good read. I got totally wrapped up in the book and the main character after only a few pages. Hard to imagine anyone living like that and surviving as long as she did. It totally captured my soul.
A great read, and surprise ending.
Loved this book
I enjoyed the leisurely feel of this book. It moved at a quiet pace that drew me in almost without my realizing it. Indeed, at first I thought it moved too slowly and wished it would “go somewhere.” Perhaps it is because the main character, Kya (aka “The Marsh Girl”) was so private, so physically and emotionally isolated that it seemed difficult for me, at first, to get into this book. But as I continued reading, I found I was immersed in her world, a world so very different from anything in my own experience.
As I reflect on this book, I realize now how incredibly visual it is. It is not so much words or action that come to mind, but the visceral feel of the marsh, the water, the beach, the wildlife. It was as though as the story unfolded, I was placed within it. I felt, saw, smelled, tasted, heard the life of the marsh. I felt, at times, as though I was Kya herself, seeing and feeling from her perspective. It is not often I can say this about a book.
Though not a story with a lot of action, it is a story with great beauty, depth, and pathos.
The main character is wonderful and a few others, some are horrible. But it’s just a great story. One of my favorite books now.
Glad my book club picked this book.
This is a book of abuse, isolation, loneliness, survival, obsession, murder, nature and the failure of society. I had a hard time in rating this book, because it took forever to get through the first 60% of the book. Once I got through that it really picks up and was worth finishing in my opinion. The first part of the book is dragged down by the detailed descriptions. I get why the author did it, but I felt it could have been cut down a lot. I personally did not get the ending I wanted, but I believe it’s the only one Delia Owens could give you. Delia Owens was able to bring me into the story and nature of North Carolina, I could see the beauty of nature. I liked Kya and her instincts, on many occasions she mad me smile. Some of the things in the book were hard to believe but it’s a work of fiction. In my opinion the first part of the book is overwhelmingly sad and I wanted something good to happen. When things start looking up, it turns to crap again. Delia Owens gave me a twist I did not see coming at the end, so she gets a WELL DONE. She made me sad, cry and laugh. If you don’t like long drawn out descriptions then I would not recommend. I read through the Broward County Library.
Really great book!
Absolutely loved this book! Couldn’t put it down.
What can I say? Is it worth all the hype… the plain answer is yes! I backed into reading this book a little reluctantly as I prefer books set in Europe and wasn’t sure if I could give the writer my honest opinion with that first strike against it. But what a pleasant surprise this book was. Such a beautiful written book. Grit without gore, prose without profligacy and a lyricical charm that is as captivating as the marsh itself. I wasn’t suprized at all that it took ten years to write it, it was exquisitely written, those sentences were sculptured. What a gift!
I enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing. It was an original storyline, and moved along at a nice pace.
Loved the strong character Kya. Loved watching her character unfold. Her strength was encouraging.
just a wonderful wonderful book
The best.
I absolutely loved it! I finished it a month ago and I’m still thinking about it and recommending it to friends. It was a wonderful story and the prose was beautiful.
This book has been one of the best books I have read this year
Best book I’ve read in years. Won’t be hard to remember what this book was about. Fascinating characters and loved the setting.
It was one of the best books I’ve ever read!