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Thursday, September 19, 2019

REVIEW: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens #deliaowens @putnambooks #bookclub

Where the Crawdads Sing 
by Delia Owens


Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publish Date: August 14, 2018
Hardcover
370 Pages
Standalone
Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction


A novel about a young woman determined to make her way in the wilds of North Carolina, and the two men that will break her isolation open.

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She's barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark.

But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning from the false signals of fireflies the real way of this world. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world--until the unthinkable happens.

My Review:



OH my poor heart.  I knew within the first 50 pages that I was going to absolutely love this story.  While it's not my usual type of read, this one vastly reminded me of Where the Red Fern Grows (my favorite book ever) in the vein of country, history, the hard work of a child and seeing them through their toughest times.  But unlike WTRFG, this one spans Kya's entire life time and just WOW.  When a member of my bookclub suggested this for our read this month I was DELIGHTED.

In discussions with people who had already read this book, I found that some readers didn't like the cadence/speech and found it jarring.  I personally enjoyed it and didn't think it was too much - it lent a feeling of more authenticity to my experience.  The base of the novel, in the prejudicing, not only with race during this time period, but with just someone different, is something that unfortunately will resonate with any era.  Why is it that we are so afraid of what we don't know?

I found the pacing of this read to be beautiful and well done.  Not a word wasted and while I could've done without the poems - at the end, I found that they were necessary as well.  The last couple of chapters I read with a chill through my skin and my hand placed over my heart.  It has probably been since I was a child with my favorite book that I felt so connected - or so emotional. 

What else can I say really? If you haven't read this book, I implore you to do so. And please, marry the Tates of this world and forget the Chase. *wink*


★★★★★

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