Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing

Want to know whether to read Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens? Well, here’s my full Where the Crawdads Sing review to help you decide!

Where the Crawdads Sing Summary

A wild child’s isolated, dirt-poor upbringing in a Southern coastal wilderness fails to shield her from heartbreak or an accusation of murder.

“The Marsh Girl,” “swamp trash”—Catherine “Kya” Clark is a figure of mystery and prejudice in the remote North Carolina coastal community of Barkley Cove in the 1950s and '60s. Abandoned by a mother no longer able to endure her drunken husband’s beatings and then by her four siblings, Kya grows up in the careless, sometimes-savage company of her father, who eventually disappears, too. Alone, virtually or actually, from age 6, Kya learns both to be self-sufficient and to find solace and company in her fertile natural surroundings. Owens (Secrets of the Savanna, 2006, etc.), the accomplished co-author of several nonfiction books on wildlife, is at her best reflecting Kya’s fascination with the birds, insects, dappled light, and shifting tides of the marshes. The girl’s collections of shells and feathers, her communion with the gulls, her exploration of the wetlands are evoked in lyrical phrasing which only occasionally tips into excess. But as the child turns teenager and is befriended by local boy Tate Walker, who teaches her to read, the novel settles into a less magical, more predictable pattern. Interspersed with Kya’s coming-of-age is the 1969 murder investigation arising from the discovery of a man’s body in the marsh. The victim is Chase Andrews, “star quarterback and town hotshot,” who was once Kya’s lover. In the eyes of a pair of semi-comic local police officers, Kya will eventually become the chief suspect and must stand trial. By now the novel’s weaknesses have become apparent: the monochromatic characterization (good boy Tate, bad boy Chase) and implausibilities (Kya evolves into a polymath—a published writer, artist, and poet), yet the closing twist is perhaps its most memorable oddity.

Where the Crawdads Sing Book Review

Where the Crawdads Sing is an incredibly deep and moving novel that I have no doubt I will forever remember. It is a mind-blowingly poignant debut and easily one of the best books I have read so far in 2022. This is exactly the kind of novel that will the first in my mind when I think of recommendations.

The story begins with a six-year-old girl living in a shack by the marshes and swamps, near the coast of North Carolina. Though she faces many disheartening and painful traumas from a young age, Kya matures into a beautiful and intelligent young woman. She learns to become industrious, relying on her talents and knowledge of the marshland to survive. However, after years of fending for herself, Kya has a natural guard up, save for a small number of trustworthy allies… and the gulls. The town of Barkley Cove labels her the ‘Marsh Girl’, and all eyes point to Kya when ‘golden boy’ Chase is found dead among the everglades.

I love Kya’s independence. She’s a character that’s incredibly easy to connect to, even as a reader I found myself feeling protective over this young girl. While she is sensitive and timid, she has a fierceness that’s admirable. And her courage, agility, and intuition add to her brilliance as a protagonist. I also deeply appreciate the way the author interweaved poetry with Kya’s thoughts and emotions. Furthermore, the significance of poetry to the principal figure plays out magnificently. When reading, Kya feels so real it’s almost natural to smile or frown when she does.

Secondary characters, like Tate, Jumpin’, Mabel, and Jodie infused life into the tale of Kya. They’re an additional layer to this charming coming-of-age story. The characters’ reflections and musings have an emotive depth that makes each of them feel earnestly human. But above all, Kya is an extraordinary personality and one I’d happily revisit.

Owens’ rich and eloquent reflection on humanity paints a vivid picture from the first page. The author’s passion and understanding of nature are evident in her splendidly descriptive poetic prose. As a zoologist, the author’s fascination with ethology becomes addictive. In Where the Crawdads Sing, Kya develops a love of collecting shells and feathers as she grows up. Correspondingly, Owens turns from an author to an artist as she creates a world that’s easy to dive into and fun to explore.

Her writing floats between a thick intensity and an empathetic calmness that makes it near-impossible to forget. I found the atmosphere of 1960s North Carolina effortless to imagine. Owens’ expertise and familiarity with the natural world also gave me a refreshing outlook on life and value. While the plot of Where the Crawdads Sing is very impassioned and rousing, it’s the author’s elegantly revealing voice that will remain sharp in my mind.

Where the Crawdads Sing is in two sections, Part I – The Marsh, and Part II – The Swamp. The chapters alternate between 1952 and the murder trial in 1970. With each chapter, the years grow closer, while the tension and uncertainty deepen. As a reader, my heart was pounding during the final chapters the same way I imagine Kya’s was. It’s truly a gripping and exhilarating read.

And although the narrative is written in the third person, the tone never feels shallow. Where the Crawdads Sing has the qualities of a run-of-the-mill murder mystery. But what makes it stand out is the emotive power and alluring rhythm. The story slowly draws you in, the emotion keeps you hooked, and the characters create the connection. It’s the recipe for a perfect plot and exceeds all my expectations.

Originally, this isn’t a book I originally planned on reviewing. Where the Crawdads Sing has suffered the curse of being stuck on the TBR list for way too long. But when I think of this novel now, I only wonder why I didn’t read it sooner. It’s a moving and inspiring story about survival against the odds. Themes of family, love, prejudice, poverty, and loneliness are insightfully explored in this truly gripping story. There is diversity in the characters, the style, and the emotion. It’s not only a novel that will have you sobbing by the last page, but also stuck in awe and wonder at the natural beauty of Delia Owens’ words and descriptions.