A review by elizabeth_juliet
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

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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