A review by tanushka
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.75

This book helped me get out of reader's block and I can't be anymore thankful to it. The book covers so many aspects of sadness- including abandonment, loneliness and independence. The larger part of the first part revolves around 'how does a mother abandon her offspring?' and 'now that she is gone I can't wait for life to happen'. The six year old Kya forced to be responsible for her own needs when her family leaves one by one, shedding light on the fact how one needs to grow up and in turn abandoning their own childhood. The challenges faced by her in 1950s world as she lives near a Marsh and is named 'Marsh Girl' due to her eccentric nature. As she finds friendship and a guide in Tate who teaches her reading and later helps her find and turn her passion into something fruitful. When Tate leaves her for his own desires, Kya is left heartbroken and comes across a person who is not as kind as Tate was. Years later when the same person is found dead, the blame comes on the eccentric Marsh Girl who with her prejudiced and misunderstood past has been forced on trial. The book explores multiples issues in various depths like toxic relationships, consent, moral ambiguity, loneliness and passion. The six year old Kya might come of as an unfotunate child but that's not stopping her from doing great things. This truly serves as an inspiration.