An almost instantaneous bestseller by Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing could happily adorn any bookshelf or kindle library. Its tale revealed through two consecutive timelines that eventually combine in one final culmination of what has been an engrossing story of one girl’s life, what happened to the boys who become enraptured with her, and how it may have led to the possible murder of one.
Left to be raised by nature as her only constant, Kya learns to look after herself, first into adolescence and then in womanhood. Relying on the beautiful swamplands of her home to provide all that she needs; hiding her from outsiders such as truant officers; learning how to hunt; and later to sell a catch of mussels at a gas dock and bait shop – the owner and his wife two of the few people Kya lets into her world. And while her knowledge of the wildlife is unsurpassable, it cannot protect her from heartache, loneliness and fear, with some lessons being painfully learnt along the way.
In living so independently, and in harmony with nature, Kya exudes an unattainable quality; a free-spirit, that matched by her beauty entices two local boys to know more about her. Although, as the book reveals early on, one of these boys will not have a happily ever after – the discovery of his corpse raising questions as to whether it was murder. From this comes prejudice, jealousy and fear, with the town’s accusing eyes narrowing at Kya.
Told in the third person, Owens gives incredible insight into Kya’s emotions, and in a later reciting of poetry (that may at first appear whimsical) we learn of the greater depths to her mind. Faced by adversity from a very young age, Kya’s steadfast in her actions to overcome it, never letting herself be defeated. But in being left alone for so long she’s shunned by the town, and comes to be known as the ‘Marsh Girl’.
Where the Crawdads Sing moves steadily forward like a tide rolling in and out towards its final destination; to the conclusion of whether the town has caught their murderer. All the while you see the footprints of Kya’s past in the sand; the events of her life slowly unfolding from her childhood in the 1950s to her early twenties in the 60s, until bringing you in line with the book’s present-day timeline of 1969. This “current” time has an investigative zeal more in-line with a country-esque thriller than the rest of the book, which is much slower in its pace. However, what makes Where the Crawdads Sing so memorable is the character Kya – her day-to-day life holding such a truth to it that you feel as though she’s not just real but as endangered as the habitat around her.
You may possibly suspect throughout the book’s narrative as to where the story is heading, the breadcrumbs tempting you to rush ahead and see its outcome, but the writing is so captivating and raw that you cannot miss a word. The author’s style melding together an undertone of a documentary, to the beautifully descriptive overtones that make everything feel alive; immersing you willingly into its luscious landscape.
It’s not hard to imagine the book will one day become an educational example of powerful writing in literature, made more impressive by the fact it’s Owens first fictional debut. There is some ringing of bells to Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird and not just the tense scenes of a courtroom already prejudiced, but more so in the leading characters – both strong, tomboy girls. But through the journey of Kya becoming a woman, Owens reveals the lead to be much more than a head-strong child; she’s part of the wilderness itself, untamed and undaunted. Her only moments of real fear come in being removed from it.
There’s also a glowing enticement to reconnect with nature in Owens writing, the author leaving you to dash off to lands unmanned. Her deep understanding of wildlife coming from a childhood exploring the forests of Georgia, to her twenty-three years as a scientist studying animals in Africa – leading her to co-author three bestselling books. Taking this knowledge, Owens makes Where the Crawdads Sing feel like a breath of fresh air after a night’s storm, for more than anything else this book enriches a love of nature that has possibly become lost in our chaotic and modernised world. Which is why the setting of the 50s and 60s works so well, it’s time adding credibility to the town’s way of life, and for Kya’s – providing a moment of great innocence, which would be lacking with today’s technology and increased building development.
Where the Crawdads Sing lulls you into a world you’ll be loathed to leave, and marks Owens as a writer to be admired across generations.
Other Notable Works by Delia Owens:
- Secrets of the Savanna 2006
- The Eye of the Elephant 1992
- Cry of the Kalahari 1984
Book Edition Information:
Publisher: Corsair (imprint of Little Brown Book Group)
ISBN: 978-1-4721-5466-8
Cover Design: Na Kim
Cover Image: Andrew Geiger (person in canoe). John & Lisa Merrill/ Getty Images (background)
Presented Edition: 2019 Paperback
Background image courtesy of Troy Taylor on Unsplash
