Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing

by Delia Owens

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING PHENOMENON—NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!
More than 18 million copies sold worldwide
A Reese’s Book Club Pick
A 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 Review

For 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.

Reviewed by bookishzelda on

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Where the Crawdads Sing was an enjoyable book. I really enjoyed Kya and although I found it a little too descriptive. I did like Delia Owens writing. I tried not to be too spoilery with my review but I might have been by accident.

I kind of felt like the first half of the book was a little over descriptive and I didn’t really need a large sum of it for the ending of the book. It’s almost like we have two books in one. The first half is Kya growing up and even though it was interesting to see her character develop. I’m just not sure I needed so much to get me to the climax of the story. Yes I get she loves the Marsh and hides from people.

In the grand scheme of things I do really like Kya! She’s a survivor and so smart and intuitive. She figures out her own ways to survive when nobody else is going to help her. I liked her relationship with some of the characters as well.

I felt Chase was undeveloped. For as big a role he plays in the second part of the book. I didn’t really see his obsession. Especially because, unless I’m remembering incorrectly, there was a time span where he doesn’t have anything to do with Kya for a couple years. No indication he’s watching her or trying to talk to her. Also the incident that occurs only happens because he sees her by chance. Unless I was supposed to get that impression from the one incident?? I just felt like I needed to know more about him with other people. Not even just Kya. I felt like I had a better grasp on Tate.

The setting is great. The Marsh lands of the South. I was actually just recently in both Asheville and Greenville so that was kind of cool connection. The area is still really beautiful. With all the description it was really easy to picture.

I wish the ending would have been more open ended. It wasn’t like oh my gosh when I got to it. I do actually enjoy having some questions unanswered depending on what they are.

An enjoyable book but I sometimes think I no longer have patience when I read.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 21 January, 2020: Finished reading
  • 21 January, 2020: Reviewed