A review by james1star
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

adventurous emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I absolutely loved this book so much. I don’t want to say too much as I feel the less you know the better and more rewarding reading experience you will get from ‘Where The Crawdads Sing’ but basically, we follow Kya (or the Marsh Girl) who is abandoned as a child in the marsh of North Carolina, ostracised by society and left to fend for herself. The novel interjects the story of Kya’s child-to-adulthood with the investigation into the death of a local man where Kya is the lead suspect. I won’t say anymore about the plot.

What didn’t I like? Honestly nothing. The only thing is maybe a little disparity in terms of writing style between the nature scenes and character interactions - likely because Owens is more experienced in nature writing but overall was still really good. Also, it’s a little bit too descriptive in some parts. 

Getting that out of the way, I ab-so-fkn-lutely LOVED the nature descriptions!! They are so dense, so transportive, so beautiful. Honestly the way Owens crafts these sections it truly astonishing and captivating. Also, our protagonist Kya is so damn lovable, she is so pure and just I don’t know?! I loved her so much. And Tate is adorable!! Oh my god - dream man DREAM MAN I tell you!! Yes, they have their flaws but that’s what makes them real. And despite there flaws (very minor to other characters) they are lovely, kind, caring human beings. And Jumpin’ and Mabel - my heart!! Also the message of protracting out natural environments is so vital and put across beautifully. 

How the New York Times put it ‘at once a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative and a celebration of nature’ perfectly sums up this book. You are invested in every aspect and I felt so many emotions reading this - joy, dread, stress, love, longing, heart broken, heart warmed, betrayed and so many more. I loved this this book! Totally totally recommend, if not for the plot then the admiration of nature. 

Easy 5 starts from me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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