My last book club post revealed Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens as our next selection. I shared that the popularity of this book left me at #260 on the library hold list. Thankfully, a fellow book clubber breezed through this beautiful read in plenty of time to pass it off to me. I can’t imagine how amazing it must be for author Delia Owens to be a first-time novelist with such a critically acclaimed book. Kudos to Delia and thank you Lisa for sharing your copy with me.

I also noted in my last book club post that I was trying my first audio book. Well, that didn’t turn out well. The book expired before I could even get halfway through and Americanah didn’t hold my interest enough to re-download. I haven’t tried the audio book route again. It’s just too easy to get distracted when listening vs. reading.

OK, onto Where the Crawdads Sing.

Synopsis (an excerpt from 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.

Review

Imagery

Book club enjoyed many things about this book and number one may be that everyone read it. I think that was a first. This allowed for some lively discussion. We all agreed that the story was well written. There was a captivating artistry to the way Owens wrote this story. Her telling of a part of our country that we were all unfamiliar with was interesting and colorful. The imagery of the marsh and small town of Barkley Cove was vivid and expertly written. The beautiful scenes in my mind made me feel this would make a great movie. I could envision the picturesque North Carolina marsh backdrop coming alive on screen.

Story

The story itself had intrigue, mystery, romance and touching emotion that shaped the main character, Kya, in a compelling way. As the dramatic details unfolded, the reader was left wanting more. This is true even at the end, when book club concurred there were a lot of unanswered questions and plenty of room for a sequel.

Struggles

Interestingly, I spoke with some people who had a hard time getting into the book. The author is very, if not overly, descriptive in her writing. While, for many, that added to the reading experience, I see where it might be a road block. I, personally, struggled early on with the premise – a child abandoned by her family to fend for herself. Had I not been committed to reading this through, I may have put it down merely for the fact that I couldn’t relate, whatsoever, to a mother leaving her child with an abusive father.

The insertion of poetry throughout the chapters also gave me pause. While it may have elevated the story for some, it didn’t add for the many readers who skipped past those bits all together.

All in All

There was a lot of depth to Where the Crawdads Sing with some surprises and twists. The ending was conclusive and, at the end of the day, everyone liked the book. It was unique and beautifully written.

Next Up

The One Good Thing by Kevin Alan Milne