“Where the Crawdads Sing” is a riveting narrative by Delia Owens that readers must enter deep into the North Carolina marshes to be a part of. The rest of the place is about the enigmatic little girl called Kya Clark, nicknamed the “Marsh Girl,” who brings herself up out in the wild, the family long gone. A story interwoven between the coming of age of a young girl and that of a murder mystery. As Kya grows up and learns to survive on her own, she gets embroiled in a local murder mystery, begging questions of whether or not she commits it. It deftly weaves an at once heartbreaking coming-of-age with elements of a legal thriller.
Given its reception, the novel is easily one of the most-read books out today, as it’s one of those that have been thrillingly intriguing and elaborately written. The book held a rating of 4.52 on Goodreads, denoting many positive reviews. The book has also received a tremendous number of accolades, including the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction in 2018. There is social media buzz around it, exposure to new heights through the praise of its lyrical writing and emotional depth coming from readers and influencers galore. It has hit bestseller lists and been made into a major motion picture in just a few short years, thus telling of its success strongly.
For my part, “Where the Crawdads Sing” is an enchanting read; page after page, the descriptive powers of Delia Owens have created an atmospheric quality through which one can actually feel the habitat of the marshland. The character of Kya, portrayed with such deep empathy, made her loneliness and struggle so relatable somehow. The dual narrative of Kya growing up and the mystery unfolding serves to keep the reader on their toes with regard to being both engaged and invested emotionally. This perfect blend of lyrical nature writing—paired with a plot that feels full of suspense—makes this novel very special, ending up with both meditative and edge-of-your-seat reading.
Leave a Reply