Where the Crawdads Sing - Book Review
Genre: Fiction | Murder mystery | Coming-of-age story
Author: Delia Owens
Year: 2018
Pages: 384
Content warning: Domestic violence and sexual assault
Where the Crawdads Sing has been all over my Instagram feed, and with such rave reviews from bloggers and celebrities alike, I knew I had to read it for myself. I was drawn in by the premise of a murder mystery, but I stayed for the protagonist, Kya.
In Barkley Cove, mystery and rumours surround the Marsh Girl, who lives alone and wild in the nearby marshlands. When popular athlete Chase Andrews is found dead one day in 1969, everyone suspects the Marsh Girl, Kya Clark. But there’s more to Kya than meets the eye. Having grown up alone with only the marsh for company and shunned by the people of Barkley Cove, Kya’s isolated life changes forever when two young men from town become entranced with her untamed beauty.
Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautifully written coming-of-age story. The novel is so emotionally raw and tender, and it’s one of the only books to almost make me cry. It’s a deeply thoughtful story that centres around Kya as she navigates the marsh, the world and her life, alone.
If you’re still uncertain whether to read this book, I should note that Where the Crawdads Sing has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 103 consecutive weeks. In fact, at the time of writing this, casting for the movie has already begun (Reese Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine is producing the film with Daisy Edgar-Jones of Normal People to star as Kya).
I have to admit, I did struggle to get into this book at first. My attention waned and I didn’t think there was enough happening to keep my interest. I thought this book was about the mystery surrounding Chase’s death, and while it is, it’s also a tale of a girl growing up alone under the trees of the marsh and the cries of the birds. It tells two differing timelines concurrently; one details Kya’s childhood and the woman she grows up to be, while the other documents the present as Chase’s body is discovered. Following her from abandoned child to a skilful and lonely adult is what makes this book so compelling.
“Kya stood and walked into the night, into the creamy light of a three-quarter moon. The marsh’s soft air fell silk-like around her shoulders. The moonlight chose an unexpected path through the pines, laying shadows about in rhymes.”
This tender debut novel exceeded my expectations. Owens’ skilful writing creates a beautiful, unique world. Fleshed-out descriptions of the surrounds truly transport the reader and help to strengthen Kya’s complex story. It really made me empathise with Kya as the novel explores themes of survival in the midst of loneliness.
Where the Crawdads Sing is a compelling tale that everyone should read at least once. Its vivid descriptions of the landscape and Kya’s emotions will pull you into the story, much like Kya feeling the pull of the marsh.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★