Where the Crawdads Sing

Where the Crawdads Sing
by Delia Owens
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
Published by Penguin Audiobooks
Publication Date August 14th 2018
Source: Library
Genres: General Fiction
Goodreads

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

Goodreads Progress

First, is it odd that I am comparing an Oprah Book Club Selection to a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick?  The reason I thought of Icy Sparks while reading Where the Crawdads Sing is because both Icy and Kya were ostracized as children for being different and therefore kept to themselves.  This unfortunately led to others “theorizing” which followed them throughout their lives.

Or at least the unthinkable act which led to another unthinkable act — murder.  I did feel that Chase’s actions against Kya were unfortunately inevitable, however it did not make it any less despicable.

Kya was stubborn like Scout, yet simply wanted to be left alone and accepted like Boo Radley. Heck, she and her childhood boyfriend even left little gifts in the wood like Boo did for Jem and Scout. As I write this, I am also reminded of Tom Robinson at trial, as it came across like the process was accusing a Mockingbird.

I felt that these were the three themes that kept floating in and out of the story. Kya experiences loss over and over again throughout her life. First through her family, one member leaving at a time. When she does find love with Tate, he only leaves her because he doesn’t feel she would “fit in” with his world. As for Chase, she was betrayed, I’d say good riddance.  Kya grew-up illiterate until she was a teen when Tate taught her to read, and from then on read anything and everything there was to learn of the marsh, making her a respected expert.

Because Kya had been known as “The Marsh Girl” for so many years a population of the county had preconceived notions of her, tainting the townspeople.  I was seriously worried the trial might have gone the way of Tom Robinson, as I stated above.  Fortunately, as I was sure I would, I breathed a sigh of relieve when the trial was over.

I really thought I knew who killed Chase, but with the lifting of a floorboard my theory was blown out of the water for a shocking (and bittersweet) ending.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• Reese Witherspoon Book Club Challenge