Where the Crawdads Sing

SUMMARY

    Kya Clark, the "Marsh Girl", doesn't need anyone's help. Kya was abandoned by her mother at a young age along with all of her siblings one by one, leaving her with her alcoholic, abusive father. After her father leaves, Kya is never surprised at one person or another leaving her life, the Marsh Girl lives off of supplies from a near-by fishing store. Kya Clark's name is whispered in hushed tones while city moms spread rumors and town boys make up stories about her "exotic beauty". 

Barefoot, wild, and unconventionally beautiful. Kya Clark is a born naturalist, as she collects species from her swamp. Drawn to two young men from town, two drastically different boys, Kya begins to learn what it means to be cared for and loved, but she also learns what it means to be taken advantage of (to put it euphemistically). 

The Marsh Girl isn't seriously spoken of until 1969 when Chase Andrews is found dead in Kya's swamp.

REVIEW

    Kya Clark's story of going from isolation to yearning to be in a group despite herself made a very good book for Delia Owens. Where the Crawdads Sing is a must-read for teenagers and adults alike. This novel is worth the hype that it has gotten since its pub-date in the summer of 2018. The love stories in this book are on two ends of the spectrum - young love and complicated, manipulative love - prove to be extremely educational for teenagers and can give perspective to adults. 

    I love Kya's spirit and talent and passion for the natural world. Her attachment to her home in the swamp and her thoughtful but mysteriously yielding spirit makes for one of the best contemporary main characters I've read in a long time. Five stars, seriously. 

Audience: 15+

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Date Published: August 14, 2018

Format: hardback

Genre: adult fiction; mysterious elements; realistic fiction