Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

53 reviews

hello_divine's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

In the beginning, it was hard, at least for me as a non-native speaker, to follow the story because of the specific vocabulary and the conversations in slang and dialect. But by the middle of the book I got better and still it is beautifully written, almost like a piece of art. It's so detailed and touching that I felt like I was right there with them! The raw and authentic portrait of the time added to that feeling. Kya's coming-of-age story is heartbreaking, but also full of heartwarming resilience. I really like Kya - she's such a lovable and fascinating character! Unfortunately, I found the ending quite weak: lots of events but very little emotion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Stalking, Sexual assault, Death, Racism, Bullying, and Murder

Minor: War and Infertility

infinitenumbers's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It is a wonderful book. I would go to bed early just so I could read it. Best recommendation I have received in a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Stalking, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Rape

marbledcalico's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment, and Bullying

Minor: Racial slurs and Racism

elizabeth_juliet's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I read this book during my study hall because I could not stay away from it. I lived the moody, southern gothic vibes, set in the 1960s in a small town surrounded by a mysteriously haunting marsh.

As someone who loves figurative language and imagery, this was a joy to read! From the first page, I was hooked! “Marsh is not swamp. Marsh is a space of light, where grass grows in water, and water flows into sky.” I’ve never been to the coast of North Carolina and I wasn’t alive in the sixties, but this novel transported me there. 

My heart ached for Kya so many times as I read this book, so was so young and innocent in a cruel world that she had done nothing to deserve. I love murder mysteries, and especially loved the way this book jumped around its timeframe. That’s all I’ll say because I’m afraid I’ll spoil it if I go on. If you love descriptions of nature, misunderstood heroines, and true love winning out, read Where the Crawdads Sing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, and Murder

Minor: Stalking and Racism

madalina0_0's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Abandonment, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Suicide

justmys's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

A good read. I felt the pacing sort of slump in the middle and then race through the trial a little but overall it was a decent book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Classism, Grief, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Racism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Blood, Car accident, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Cancer, Hate crime, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Bullying, Murder, Child death, Stalking, Misogyny, and Racism

wogslandwriter's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I did not know what to expect from this book when I started it. Honestly, it was beyond my expectations from the very beginning and it just kept going. I did not know how it was going to end.

I was pretty sure Kaya wouldn't go to jail, but I honestly did think that she had killed Tate. It made the most logical sense, but it just didn't seem like she had done it. It was definitely a surprise to have that twist at the end, but it all makes sense and it brings a sense of mildly juvenile wonder which I think really matches Kaya's personality because she was neglected for so long and stayed agoraphobic for her who life.

I laughed and cried reading this and it may be one of the best literary novels I have ever read. I am definitely interested in more books like this, with a focus on ecology and personhood. It is extremely good and I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Racism, Murder, Death, Classism, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual content, Cursing, and Misogyny

Minor: Car accident, War, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Child death, Infertility, and Sexism

Kaya, the main character of this book is subject to extreme childhood neglect from and absent mother and alcoholic father. The book focuses on her abandonment and loneliness as it follows her story.

As a teenager she has a relationship with an older boy who is technically an adult for the later part of their relationship. As a young adult, she has a relationship with an emotionally manipulative young man where he is cheating on her and lying to her regularly. After breaking it off with him, he later chases her down and attempts to rape her. She defends herself and is able to escape him.

There are also graphic flashbacks to her father beating her mother and siblings and discussion of how her town is segregated with black people living in "colored town" separate from the white people. There is mild discussion of the racism of the era, but mostly it is simply treated as matter of fact as it is viewed through the eyes of a child.

emilypolcyn's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I had a lot of problems with the dialect in this book — the inaccuracies, the classism (only “bad” or “stupid” characters have a dialect, and once someone becomes educated or good they lose the accent), the racism (white lady failing pretty hard at writing AAVE in the 60s). Plus the prose would occasionally have dialect (like saying “likker” instead of “liquor”) but inconsistently and seemingly for no real reason? Not sure what that choice was but it always threw me out of it.

Very flowery writing but also was kind of giving thesaurus.com… and lots of small details about nature and food that interrupt the action without contributing anything thematically (besides that nature is beautiful and they’re in the south, which, yeah). If she mentioned grits one more time…

Also weak character development + characters who say every thought they’re having out loud (also in well-articulated prose) (unless they’re dumb and poor)

I think this really picked up during the court sequence (which I genuinely was interested in and a bit hooked by) but then slowed down again and got detached at the end. But maybe that’s just because Owens was referring to her own connection to a murder trial (which I only heard about after finishing this book and oh my god…. That lady for sure killed someone)

Rolled my eyes SO hard at the Amanda Hamilton reveal… like omg no way this clunky bad poetry that’s been shoehorned into random scenes the whole book was actually ~her~ the ~whole time~ wow I am so shocked

Also weird sex scenes?? And every single time she gets close to having sex she uses the phrase “circling her nipple”. Literally happened like four times 🥴

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Murder, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail

ank3's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Bullying

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Violence, Classism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Alcoholism, Racism, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

jessiesnoww's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Classism, Murder, Rape, Stalking, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, and Self harm