Rating: 10/10
I am so so late in the game with reading this insane bestselling read!! Like VERY late! But ALAS, here I am, catching up with the world in my own time.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, most of you will know that this book has been a best seller since it came out in 2018! Yes a best seller for that long y'all. Also, confession time. I've had this book on my shelf for about 4 years! I kid you not...It's just been there, looking at me not reading it! This book is so good that Reese Witherspoon made a movie version of it. This is what spurred me on to read it! I couldn't bring myself to watch the Netflix movie before reading the book 1st. I hate spoilers so...any-who! Let's get into the synopsis for this epic best seller, Where the Crawdads Sing.
About 'Where the Crawdads Sing'
We follow a young girl called Kya, who is known to the local townspeople as the 'marsh girl'. For years, the towns people have made up all sorts of rumors about her such as calling her wild, unruly, or unfit for society. So in late 1969, when the popular Chase Andrews is found dead, locals immediately suspect her.
But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.
Where the Crawdads Sing is a coming-of-age mystery and an ode to the natural world. Especially the marsh lands of the Carolinas. This is a thought provoking and deeply moving debut from Delia Owens. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.
My Review
THIS BOOK!!! Why did I wait so damn long to read this absolute masterpiece of incredible storytelling and writing. Wow I was blown away. I really was. I think a part of me had low expectations while reading this book simply because this book really received a lot of hype when it was released, and for years after that too.
Where do I begin?
Okay let's start with the storytelling itself. Immediately upon picking up this book, you are instantly transported to the hot and sticky marsh lands North Carolina. Wow. The writing in this book was stellar. I loved how this book had a proper beginning, middle and an end. The storytelling was superb. Immensely hard to put down after reading that very 1st chapter.
The character development was great. We follow about three or four characters and the book is told from the point of view of Kya, the March Girl. We follow her from adolescence and into her senior years. The author does a fantastic job in describing how Kya grew up, the difficulties that she faces and how she became the adult that she is in the book. I loved the protagonist character in this book. You're always rooting for her and also understand her deep loneliness and struggles. Kya, as a character was fantastic. She has her guard up like no one I've ever known before. She sort of reminded me of me in a small way I definitely have a hard time trusting people and always keep people at a distance and definitely have my guard up at times. I could relate to Kya in a deep way. You also just felt for her and the way that she grew up but also admired her resilience and tough exterior. She was a fighter and a tough cookie that you do not want to mess with. And ultimately, she's a softie who just wants some company and to be loved. What a complex and amazing character.
The 2nd main feature that I want to talk about is the writing! My god. I think a good way to describe this book would be satisfying. I felt full after reading this book. The writing is some of the best fiction writing that I've read in a long time. Owens knows how to set a scene y'all, and then some!! You truly felt as if you were right there in the marshes with our girl Kya. Let's not even get into the food mentioned in this book. If you're a fan of southern culture and southern living then this book is a must read for you. I now see why this book received numerous accolades. It's a top notch book with excellent writing and storytelling.
If you're a person that loves an un-putdownable book, then this is the one for you. I was genuinely excited to run to bed to read this book every night! I whizzed right through it. You will have ALL of the feelings while reading it. It's a good book, good story, good plot, well rounded and developed character build up, and a satisfying book. Read this book if you love southern culture, read this book if you've ever felt like an outcast, read this book if you are a survivor, read this book if living off the land is your jam, read this book if you're a nature lover, a solitude lover, a food lover, and most of all, a lover of a good ol fashioned storytelling. An atmospheric, poetic and humbling read.
HIGHLY Recommend this book! Dare I say, a perfect book!?
I immediately watched the film starring Daisy Edgar Jones (available on Netflix at the time of this review date) after finishing the book. I have to say, the book was better. It was more descriptive, it captured the essence of the wonderful nature and environment, and was more satisfying than the movie. Also, I'm not one to hate, but the fact that Daisy Edgar Jones didn't have a southern accent bugged me to my core! They should have cast a different actor for this role. She looked the part but I wasn't fully convinced by her performance. It was good but the book was better.
Song Pick:
I decided to listen to the official soundtrack of the film 'Where the Crawdads Sing' to see if I would feel inspired, and believe it or not, that very first track was the one! I listened to all of the songs but this one hit the mark! Song pick for this read is Carolina by Taylor Swift. It's atmospheric, melancholy, moody, and totally fits in with the movie!
Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Mystery
Pages: 384 Pages
Publication Date: August 14, 2018
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons