A review by spootilious
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I have spent two days trying to decide on a rating for this book. It can be difficult to separate a reader’s response from a literary examination of a work and this novel is a prime example of this conundrum. The truth is I adore this book. I would love to give it 5/5 stars. I have a soft spot for works that leave me with what booktok calls a ‘book hangover’; a work that causes you to stare at a wall for a period after you have put it down. A work that makes you examine life (both real and fictional) in a way that poses questions you may not have considered before. This is one of those books.

Where the Crawdads Sing, is more than a story of a young girl growing up alone, isolated, and judged. This is a book about Human Sociology. It examines the interaction between a young individual and the social world; the prejudice, hate, love, and acceptance she receives for being perceived as different.  It addresses the stereotypes that we have even now in 2020. It is moving, soul crushing and enlightening.

This book will always have a place on my shelf and in my heart. It has instantly become one of my all-time favorites. This book will no doubt be considered a classic for years to come. (I will not say that it will be read in HS classrooms due to sensitive descriptions of nudity and sex).

 

As for the reasons this novel did not get a 5/5 star rating:

When I began this novel I did not care for it. I knew immediately from the tone of the book that I would be hurt by then end which was not surprising. However, the thing that really had me pausing was the massive amount of descriptions involving swamp land and marshes. I personally love the descriptions the author writes. While I realize the novel is based in North Carolina it screamed of Louisiana, a place I once called home and is still very near and dear to my heart. I also feel that these descriptions are necessary despite slowing the reading. They are an integral part of Kya’s (the main character) personality and thoughts. However, I recognize that this could be an issue to many readers and took it into account.

Another reason for a lower review is the build up to the final chapters and the predictable plot points throughout the book. I don’t have problems with predictable plot points if they are handled correctly and I must say Delia Owens handles them beautifully. That being said, once again, I recognize that this is a downfall for some readers and take that into consideration.

The final reason for this rating is in part to the dialog written. While the things said never really felt forced or wrong, the dialect is a bit of a struggle. Having spent a number of years living in a heavily Cajun area of LA I have to say that the dialect written in this novel is not exactly ‘incorrect’ (though I cannot speak for North Carolina or the fact that this is set in the 1960s). The dialect is a bit over pronounced in some areas and is certainly difficult to read. I will say it sounds better when you read the dialog aloud than when silently reading.

Regardless, this is one book I will be recommending for years to come and will certainly never forget.