#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.
more
With all the accolades from fans, book clubs, and celebrities for this novel, I feel like a lone voice recommending it with reservations. They stem–100%– from the story. The writing is lyrical and evocative. Such writing sometimes trumps the story. Not so for me in this instance. The author definitely drew me into the natural wonders of the North Carolina marsh. She never convinced me to suspend my incredulity about a ten-year-old illiterate girl who thirty years later receives honorary degrees for her books about the marsh where she grew up. Kya’s hurt and pain at being rejected by the boy who taught her to read never quite grabs me emotionally. I also find it hard to believe that later, the town’s Golden Boy waits so long to seduce her physically. His fate, like much of the “story”, isn’t surprising. And maybe that is my biggest reservation: not enough surprises with the human interactions.
It was a hard book to get into at first, then I loved it. I love that book. Keep going.
Wow, so many thoughts about this book, but I’ll just name a few here.
This was one of the most interesting books I have ever read. Though it was a slow start for me, once the plot grabbed me, it grabbed me! Not only was I invested in the characters, but it helped me see nature with new and appreciative eyes (and I’ve always been a big lover of nature to begin with!).
When I was thinking of what to rate this book, I vacillated between 4 and 5 starts because 1) it took me awhile to get into it 2) I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. But when it comes right down to it, this book is masterfully written and it would have nearly pained me to think of giving it anything less than five stars. Any book that brings out a deeper love of the natural wild around us (in a compelling, gripping way) is a five-star book in my eyes. Looking forward to this author’s next book!
This book is one of the best books that I have read in years. I was sad when it ended.
What I especially liked was that the author used the dialect that would be common for that area – instead of having the characters speak in what I refer to as ‘Northern’ English. After awhile one gets used to the dialogue. And at some point in the book – one of the characters teaches the protagonist to speak without the dialect.
For those who like murder mysteries – yes there is a murder in this book. Apparently the author hoped that the book could be made into a movie – and from what I’ve heard – that IS going to happen. My hope is that when this book is made into a movie that the scriptwriters stay true to the essence of the book and don’t ‘Hollywood’ it.
Was the murder necessary? Was it justified? Only YOU – the prospective reader – can make that determination.
What I especially liked about this book was the descriptions of the wildlife in the area. The descriptions are so vivid one can see them in your mind’s eye. I hope that the movie version will also depict this area of the United States as lusciously as the author.
One of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in a very long time. Delia Owens immerses the reader in the secret world of the marsh and teaches us its wisdom through the often tragic, but ultimately inspiring experiences of an unforgettable character. I can’t recommend this book enough.
I loved this book so much. Kya Clark’s world is full of heartbreak, loneliness and despair, as she’s forever labeled, The Marsh Girl. But, with determination and resilience to face the odds surrounding her, she forges her way through a life of isolation. Protected by nature’s quiet yet powerful beauty, Kya draws us into her world filled with nature’s comfort and mankind’s heartbreak. Her haunting beautiful story is so important in this day and age where nature is often overlooked, misunderstood. In a shocking surprise with a twist that leaves you gasping at the rawness, Where The Crawdads Sing, is a must-read for everyone. Thank you, Delia Owens, for giving us Kya.
Well… what’s not to like? This book is beloved by the whole world and that was what kept me from reading it for some time. I read Water for Elephants before it became a sensation and I’m so glad I did… I know it’s a weird thing, but once everyone loves a book or movie or show or whatever, I veer away. But two days ago my mother-in-law raved about Crawdads and she’s a persnickety reader. She doesn’t rave about books very often and so when she did I figured that was that. Time to read it. I finished it in two days. It’s stunning, heartbreaking, beautiful, awe-inspiring, lovely, haunting, compelling, sad, happy, everything all at once. The setting alone is worth reading for: the marshes, beach, swamp, shack, reading hut, the birds, insects, shells, and animals…every inch of this gorgeous, unforgiving place is WOW… The characters are alive on the page and live in my thoughts and heart as they visit and revisit since reading. It’s a little bit of an adult fairy tale as incredible good and bad occurs throughout and the essence of Kya is almost unbelievable. But Owens does a stellar job of making me see her as real as anyone I pass on the street. So very glad I finally read it. So what to read next…
I’d heard a lot about this book and was keen to see what the hype was about.
It opens with a dead man found lying in a marsh in 1969. A young woman, Kya Clark, always known as the ‘Marsh girl’ by the local community becomes a suspect. The story takes us back in time to 1952 when her mother struggling with a dirt poor life on a marsh with an abusive husband leaves Kya and her older siblings. One by one, the siblings also leave so that Kya is the only one left with her father. On a bender, he too disappears leaving Kya to fend for herself. She knows only one thing and that is the ways of the marsh. Its wildlife her only friend, she struggles to survive through her childhood and teenage years on her own.
Owens writes beautifully and as an acclaimed nature writer, she takes us on a journey through the marsh. We feel as if we are right in the thick of the environment and that’s the power of it.
“Maybe it was mean country, but not an inch was lean. Layers of life –squiggly sand crabs, mud-waddling crayfish, waterfowl, fish, shrimp, oysters, fatted deer, and plump geese – were piled on the land or in the water.”
Kya grows up yearning to belong, to love and be loved never losing hope that someone from her family will come back to her. Her few interactions with people make her conscious of the whispers about her nickname but she is powerless to know what to do than stay where she is. As she grows up she connects with Tate, a young man who helps her to learn to read and write and who loves the marsh as much as she does and with whom she falls in love. But like many before, he too soon leaves her. And she battles once again with abandonment and rejection.
“…the colors, the light, the species, the life; weaving a masterpiece of knowledge and beauty that filled every corner of her shack. Her world. She grew with them – the trunk of the vine – alone, but holding all the wonders together.
But just as her collection grew, so did her loneliness. A pain as large as her heart lived in her chest. Nothing eased it. Not the gulls, not the splendid sunset, not the rarest of shells.”
This is a dual timeline novel where the reader’s attention is switched back and forward between the police investigation of the dead man and Kya’s life. The two stories connect when we find out that Kya knew the man and because of the community’s demands to find a scapegoat, she is targeted.
This novel tugs at the heart strings with a rollercoaster of emotions. It touches on a number of issues including the environment, prejudice, loss, and discrimination. But it is also about beauty, love, resilience, and strength. I wasn’t disappointed.
The only negative I have about Where the Crawdads Sing is that I waited so long to read this amazing story. If you love to pull for underdog characters in enchanting settings and against incredible odds…then this amazing story is for you. Storytelling at its best.
This was a beautifully written book. I got lost in Kya’s natural world of the marsh, and felt like I watched her grow from a scrappy, independent little girl, to a wise, and savvy independent woman.
This beautifully written book captures the marshlands in all its beauty. The characters were so well drawn and relatable. This story celebrated the human spirit and the strength of a girl as she becomes a woman. I loved every page!
I’d heard so much about this book I resisted reading it. Then Mom gave me a copy and I jumped in. Holy cow it was good! Gorgeous prose, memorable characters, and a deeply satisfying ending. Also, I read it during cold, mountain weather and the descriptions of the steamy coast of NC warmed me up 🙂
Wonderfully written with a really surprising ending. I’ve been thinking about this book & telling friends. Great read!
A lush debut novel, Owens delivers her mystery wrapped in gorgeous, lyrical prose. It’s clear she’s from this place—the land of the southern coasts, but also the emotional terrain—you can feel it in the pages. A magnificent achievement, ambitious, credible and very timely.
Read my full review here:
https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/where-crawdads-sing
Thanks to the first to read program for a digital ARC of this book to read and review.
This book was outside my typical reading genre so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it. With that said, I had mixed feelings about it.
Kya Clark lives in a marsh. Her father is an abusive alcoholic and her home life is rough. Over time, her mother and all of her siblings abandon her, leaving her alone with her dad. At times, he is good to her. Eventually the booze wins out and Kya is left to fend for herself at a very young age.
The character of Kya is beautifully written and her tale is heartbreaking. It is difficult to imagine a child growing up in the 50’s and 60’s surviving in a marsh on her own. She has no money and knows little about the world outside of her marsh. As a result, Kya is afraid to open herself up to love. The town people have labeled her as “trash” and as “Marsh Girl” and the few people she had bonds with have left her.
Eventually Kya develops relationships with two young men. Neither relationship proceeds as Kya expects. When one of the men is found dead, Kya is accused of his murder. Did Kya do it though? She has a strong alibi and there seems to be no solid evidence against her, but the town people view her as an outsider capable of anything.
I really liked the lyrical prose of this book. The story was developed over time at a slow pace. The setting was very detailed and as a reader it was easy to imagine the conditions Kya lived in and all of the natural beauty that surrounded her. I also liked the historical components of the novel in relation to what a small town was really like in the 1960’s. Finally, I enjoyed watching the relationship between Kya and Jumpin’ and Mabel unfold. It was a great display of how love can prevail in places where it is least expected.
For me personally, the telling of this story was too slow and the length of it too long. There were parts I found redundant and unnecessary. (Others who favor this genre may disagree with me however!). Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable coming of age story that is heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time.
Emotionally, full of poetry descriptions and intrigue. Beautiful written!
The story is sad, and about desolation. People don’t recover from that kind of neglect and tragedy. A gripping story with a surprise ending.
I rarely read a novel in less than a few weeks but devoured this book in two days. My kind of literary fiction full of tension and knowns. Really enjoyed it and will look forward to Delia Owens next and second work of fiction.
This has been on my TBR list for a long time. I can’t add much to the glowing reviews this book has already received, except to say that the accolades are well deserved. Highly recommended.