“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens
Once upon a time , in the mid-twentieth century North Carolina wetlands, there lived a forgotten girl named Kya…aka Catherine…aka “The Marsh Girl” Clark. Abandoned by her parents and siblings at a very young age and further rejected by the school system, the entire town surrounding her and what ultimately felt like life itself, Kya was left to fend for herself with only Mother Nature as her caretaker. Delia Owens weaves a colorful tale of life at a time when the people who lived by the North Carolina swamps were treated almost as harshly as “colored folks,” rejected without a chance at the same privileges everyone else enjoyed… public perception, misconception and prejudice played a significant role in this poignant novel. Kya struggled to raise herself…she was reclusive, resourceful, intelligent, curious, fearless, courageous and sensitive , finding friends in the sea gulls and comfort in the North Carolina Marsh. Survival is a natural instinct, but courage like Kya’s is learned with time and experience…both of which she gained through her lonely years.
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING has a bit of everything I love in a book, plus more: a likeable protagonist who touches your heart; atmosphere; drama; romance; coming-of-age struggles; intrigue; murder; a bit of courtroom action and stunning, descriptive writing plus a surprise twist as a finale. It’s a rich, well written novel that, like a good southern meal, left me well satisfied and content. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! After all, it’s been on the New York Times Best Seller list for 67 weeks!!
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