Review of "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Owens's debut novel is another stunning epic story of a young girl, similar to The Great Alone, adapting to a wilderness without much assistance from others. In this case, the story begins in 1969, when two young boys find the dead body of Barkley Cove's favorite previous quarterback, Chase Andrews. We are then introduced to young Kya Clark, 6 years old in 1952, who lives in the swamp-like marshland near Barkley Cove, NC. Soon, she is abandoned by her family to live on her own in a shack away from town. A town where the people look at her like she's dirty and unworthy. Kya, who only attended one day of school, has to learn how to survive on her own despite the prejudices of the town and her lack of education. Delia Owens co-wrote two memoirs prior to this novel of her times of survival in the African wilderness with her husband. Her experience with isolation from civilization and surviving on the wilderness alone is echoed in the text of this book. She beautifully encapsulates the landscape of the marsh, putting the reader in the mindset of Kya throughout. This is a coming-of-age story of survival, love, overcoming obstacles and prejudices. Kya is an extremely likable protagonist and you'll be drawn into her story spanning from 1952 into the 21st century. Owens alternates chapters between before and after the death of Chase Andrews and the reader is left trying to solve the case before the detectives. A gripping story you will not want to put down. Fans of The Great Alone and Educated will be interested in the story of strong willed Kya. Highly recommended.

View all my reviews