Goodreads Reviews: Where the Crawdads Sing

 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From the time she was a child, all Catherine "Kya" Clark has known is abandonment and loneliness. Born into abject poverty in the marsh lands of North Carolina, Kya watches as everyone in her life leaves. Starting with her mother walking away when she was six, followed by her older siblings and the finally her drunkard father. By the time she's ten years old, Kya is completely alone. All she has is the nature of the marsh. And that's all she needs to survive.

In segregated times of the 1950s south, the townspeople despise and reject those from the marshes. Kya faces prejudice and disdain at every turn, but the kindness of one person changes everything. Kya's sheltered world begins to open up and she discovers a gift of understanding the birds and aquatic life of the marsh lands. However, as she matures and becomes more beautiful, Kya becomes the object of desire from two different men, both who will mold and change her life.

When Kya is marked as the prime suspect in a murder investigation, her life is now in the hands of those who have despised her for no other reason than being different. Yet, Kya will soon come to understand that she is not as alone as she once was.

While I was reading this at work, I had at least five people tell me what an excellent book it was and how much they loved it. I can certainly understand why. Where the Crawdads Sing is heartbreaking, beautiful and full of the wonders of nature that connects you so deeply to Kya and the story. The author, Delia Owens, is a zoologist and her ability to weave her knowledge of animals and biology into a romance/mystery novel was exceptional. As Kya is learning, the readers themselves are also learning.

This book evokes every emotion you can think of. I was so captivated by Kya and her survival. Overcoming the abandonment of her family, the prejudice of the townspeople and the loyalty of the few friends who helped raise her. At the center of this story is the selfish pursuit of one man that contrasts with the gentle love of another. The New York Times review of Where the Crawdads Sing says it all:

"Painfully beautiful...At once a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative, and a celebration of nature."