#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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Loved this book I did not want it to end.
A consuming story of nature versus nurture, where nature—a fully developed character in her own right—drags you deep into the marsh along the North Carolina coast and doesn’t let go. Well-researched, but just as important, so well-written; you not only genuinely care for Kya, but almost scratch from the mosquito bites. I couldn’t put it down.
Amazing story. One of the best books I’ve read in years. Delia Owens beautiful words wrap around the reader like a lush green vine. Can not recommend it highly enough.
Absolutely loved this book. The characters were well developed, the natural surroundings were described so beautifully, and the emotional storyline made the book impossible to put down.
You had me at North Carolina
I really loved this book! It’s beautifully written.
What a beautiful, well written tale!!! This novel has it all – great characters, a fantastic story line, and incredible descriptions. The story flows easily and, through Kia’s eyes, you learn incredible details about the marsh and her love of it. This absorbing tale also make you feel Kia’s loneliness and feelings of abandonment It is a book which plays out all emotions. I loved this novel and must say it is one of my favorites. I could not put it down. Well done Delia Owens.
This is by far, the best book I’ve read in at least two years! It is a story of tragedy, heartbreak, survival, coming of age, murder, and love. Whew! That’s a mouthful!
One of the best books I’ve read recently.
WOW!! Where do I even begin … The most fantastic read to kick off my GR challenge 2019. I will start by saying: I am not a cryer nor am I an audiobook listener however I listened to this book, and cried out loud. I am in love with everything about this book. Characters have depth, setting was vivid and beautifully illustrated; plus, I could never guess what the next chapter held. My mind raced as I thought I knew what was going where and who did what. In the end, I was surprisingly, happily, sad. This story is beautifully crafted and emotionally unfolding. You will smile through your tears!! Enjoy your experience.
Audible: While this painfully beautiful first novel by Delia Owens could be just as greatly read as heard, the voice and language are engaging with the setting in the coastal area of North Carolina.
This story has so many wonderful themes: mystery, love, coming of age of a young white girl on the outside of society, abandonment by mother, and clinging to the truth she finds around her in the marsh. The character of Kya inspires the listener (or reader) to reach for better.
Best book I have read in a very long time.
This book was wonderfully written. The descriptions of the maze are so beautiful that you feel as if you’re right there. It simply takes you away. The story is unpredictable and, at times, even frustratingly real. You feel the impotence of the weak, but then also the heart of the compassionate and the patience of the wise. It was a beautiful story that will stay with me.
Beautifully written! As a scientist the author knows her material and can describe it with rhythm and beauty.
This is one hell of a book. I did not want it to end and could not put it down. This may be my favorite book this year. It is definitely in the top two, second only to Kay Bratt’s, Dancing With the Sun.
A little girl left to fend for herself. All alone in the Marsh. Everyone has deserted her including the town’s people who call her The Marsh Girl. Her mother walked away, her brothers and sisters walked away and her dad left. Just a child, alone. She learned to survive and to cook and to make her own money. She tried going to school when they told her she had to. But that didn’t seem to work out. The kids, just like the adults, made fun of her, called her trash, swamp girl.
She is only happy in the Marsh.
You will cry with Kya. You will laugh with her. She’s such a sweet child and young woman. She’s loved and lost so much. Then there are the two loves in her life. Tate and Chase. One leaves. One dies. This is one hell of a book!!
This book left me feeling so many emotions. I loved it from the very beginning to the very last word. It pulled me in and would not let go. I laughed, cried, felt loneliness, abandonment and survival with Kya. She will make you believe in things you never thought about before. You’ll see things that you don’t usually see. Notice the beauty in things. Through her eyes you’ll be drawn into a world that is so beautiful.
From the Marsh to the courtroom you will root for Kya to win. For someone to be there just for her. To believe in her. To truly love her. This is such an amazing story that will captivate you and give you some hope. It made me loose trust in people who are never there for the little ones. The grownups that should have helped instead of belittle a child. Kya never asked to be abandoned. She never asked to be born. But she was and the adults should have been kind and caring to the child who had no one. In my opinion she was smarter than most all of them. She survived beyond what any child should have had to. She learned to make her own money. Buy the things she needed. She survived.
There are several things in this book that stood out to me but this was one of that really touched me:
“When cornered, desperate, or isolated, man reverts to those instincts that aim straight at survival. Quick and just. They will always be the trump cards because they are passed on more frequently from one generation to the next than the gentler genes. It is not a morality, but simple math. Among themselves, doves fight as often as hawks.”
There are many parts in this story that will touch your soul. But you will feel. That is for sure. You can’t have a heart, read this, and not feel.
I give it a big huge 5 stars and recommend it to everyone. Don’t be afraid to read this book.
A testament of human strength and love, with some added twists. Delia Owens’ poetic prose flows just like the tides in the marsh she writes about. With the love and help of three townspeopl, an abandoned six year old survives loving in the Carolina marshes. I found tears rolling down my cheeks a couple of times.
I read all the time and I am always looking for recommendations. This book was recommended by a friend. I could not put it down. When I was done I texted my friend that I loved, loved, loved this book.
I loved this book. Beautiful writing and compelling story. Top notch!
Really enjoyed this book unexpected ending but was a great twist
Sometimes when I see a book is getting a lot of hype, it makes me nervous to read it. Will it live up to my expectations? Will I be disappointed it’s not better than I thought it’d be? Sometimes this keeps me from reading a book altogether, or I wait until the hype has died down and people have moved onto a new book.
I had won a copy of Where the Crawdads Sing and other than everyone thinking it was the best thing ever, I didn’t know much about it. I decided to give it a try and read along at the same time as Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club. Put simply, this book is wonderful. It’s a coming of age story at its heart with a love story and murder investigation mixed in. I found it to be utterly unique and wholly immersive. It is clear that Owens has spent a great deal of time researching the area in which the book takes place and her background as a nature writer really came through in her description of the marsh. The writing was effortless and completely captivating.
If you’ve been following me for a while, then you’ll know I’m a crier. I had asked in a poll on my Instagram stories if this book would make me cry. The majority of y’all said no. Well, 30 pages in and there I am reading with tears streaming down my face. But honestly, that shouldn’t surprise anyone. Even if you aren’t easily moved to tears, this novel is sure to pull at your heartstrings.
You’re immediately drawn into Kya’s story and her life in the marsh. I’m still amazed thinking about how Kya was able to survive how she did. She is basically left to raise herself from the age of six, her father leaving for days at a time and often returning drunk. Eventually, she is abandoned altogether, and is forced to learn how to care for herself completely. Her father was supplying her with a modicum of money in order to purchase the bare minimum of food, so when he leaves for good, she teaches herself how to catch wildlife in the marsh that she then sell for money that she uses to buy grits. Somehow, at such a young age, she learns to feed and care for herself and survives. It breaks my heart just thinking about it, especially because there’s no doubt stuff like this happens in the real world.
I loved seeing Kya grow and learn and mature. Even though she’s been left by everyone she thought cared for her, she was still able to eventually open herself up to a select few. Which brings me to the supporting characters. They were just as fleshed out and developed as Kya was. Jumpin’, Mable, and Tate all cared for this girl in such an unselfish way and it was incredible to see the impact they had on her.
But Kya’s main teacher in all this, is the marsh. The wildlife are her friends and companions. She takes everything she learns from the animals and life around her into herself and it shapes her into the woman she becomes.
A truly unputdownable and unforgettable read.