Where the Crawdads Sing Review

Summary

Both a coming-of-age novel and a murder mystery, Where the Crawdads Sing sheds light on neglectful familial relationships, deteriorated romantic relationships, and the beauty of the marshland. “Kya” Clark, our main character, grew up in the marshlands of North Carolina.

Alone for most of her life, she soon realizes that the missing link in her life is love. She finds it in two different men, one of whom, Chase Andrews, is found murdered. “Kya” is suspected of killing him and put on trial.

Leading up to her arrest, the author fleshes out her past, a complicated, but captivating account of a rough upbringing in the swamp with no education and no one to take of her but herself. 

Review

If you’re looking for a quick recommendation, yes, I would definitely recommend this book!

I read over half of this book in a day. Yes, it was on a Saturday and my husband was home to help take care of my infant son, but what drew me in was the writing style, the imagery, and the characters. Living in the dryest of climates in Arizona, I can’t say I enjoy humidity, especially a swamp, but this book brought that ecosystem to life for me.

I still don’t think I’d want to visit a swamp, much less live in one, but Delia Owens has at least made me reconsider my aversion toward the general climate of the deep south. I could picture every beach, every animal, and the main character’s home inside and out.

Because of the author’s unique way of bringing accents to life, I often found myself thinking in the characters’ accents, which always brings me a small part of happiness throughout the day as I think back on the book I’m reading. The characters were all at once subtle and enveloping.

What drew me to the main character, were her incredible abilities to survive in the marshlands of North Carolina. Her ability to feel emotions so deeply also drew me in. The only thing I would caution you about is the ending. I had my theory about who killed Chase Andrews, but I was very wrong. The ending surprised me and I may not be the only one stunned by the big reveal.

If you’re looking for a book to whisk you away to a new place, I would recommend this book. Overall, I would recommend this to a busy mom. The parts I enjoyed the most were the characters, the writing, and the ease of picturing the setting. If you’re looking for an escape, look no further.

Rating

4 out of 5 stars

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If you enjoyed my review of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, you might also like All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood. Check out my review!

If you’re interested in purchasing Where the Crawdads Sing, here are some quick links to buy the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, if you’re interested to see what others think, here’s the link to the book on Goodreads.