Book Review: Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Rating: 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Love, love, love this book! I have had this one waiting on my bookshelf for quite some time now and it definitely did not disappoint. From the very beginning I was absolutely hooked, no matter how hard I tried I could never put it down. Firstly, Owens' writing is both compelling and beautiful. Not only is this a work of fiction, but it is also a work of art as Owens weaves works of poetry into the pages, giving the writing a slight lyrical feeling. Secondly, the message throughout is one that is no stranger to the world around us. At the forefront of this text is prejudice and discrimination. Known to everyone as the 'Marsh Girl', Owens' protagonist is ostracised from society just for being 'different'. Kya Clark is both vivid and inspirational and as the narrative unfolds one cannot help but feel attached and connected to such a unique character.

About The Book:

Abandoned by her family at such a young age and isolated from the rest of society pretty much from birth, Kya's only way to learn how to survive the world around her comes from the wildlife and the animals of the marshland. It is the gulls in particular who she turns to in times of immense sorrow and confusion. She learns how to remain hidden amongst the marshes, cautiously observing those who come to fish around her shores and attempts to avoid the ridicule of town as much as possible. It is surprising how one young girl can flourish in such an isolated world as much as Kya does!

However, despite the isolation and the loneliness, at the heart of this tale is love and acceptance. As a teenager, two young men (Tate Walker and Chase Andrews) become intrigued by Kya's wild beauty. But, like every hopeless romance story, love would be lost without the help of seduction and betrayal. Without trying to give too much away, it is the heartbreak that Kya feels at the thought of being abandoned again that only seems to make her stronger.

What stands out the most about Where The Crawdads Sing is how Owens takes two different timelines and seamlessly intertwines them to create such a remarkable narrative. The first follows the life of a young girl named Kya as she grows up isolated in the marsh land of North Carolina. The second, and perhaps most important, focuses on the investigation to the apparent murder of Chase Andrews. What we quickly begin to learn is that Kya becomes the predominant suspect of this investigation and this is where, inevitably, the two timelines collide.

This is a book about hope, loss, love and resilience - one that I do not think I have felt so much emotion or connection towards since I was a child reading my favourite book! My excitement for this book is growing stronger knowing that the film production is only a few weeks away...