Author: Delia Owens
Page Number: 384 Pages
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Book Number of 2018: 53 of 60
For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.
Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.
“Go as far as you can – way out yonder where the crawdads sing” (111). Delia Owens novel,Where the Crawdads Sing,focuses on the life of Kya Clark, “the Marsh girl,” who is accused of murdering Chase Andrews, the town favorite and the love interest of Kya Clark. The story incorporates Kya’s past, present, and future, which allows readers to understand her battle to keep her name out of the murder trial.
One of the characteristics of the novel that stood out is the imagery Owens incorporated throughout the book. “They dipped until the sun, as golden and syrupy as the bourbon, slipped into the sea” (60). The descriptions throughout the book make the scenes, characters, and places come to life. Not only does Owens describe the characters and places, she gives them characteristics and adjectives to make them pop off the page. The imagery allows readers to understand exactly what Owens envisioned for us.
One characteristic of the novel that was beneficial in the end but difficult while reading was the time period. Owens wrote both in the present and the past pertaining to Kya’s life. Throughout the novel, Kya’s life in the present is focused on the trial in front of her while her past was presented only through certain glimpses. The different glimpse in the past help readers understand Kya and her difficult life. However, the back and forth between the past and present was difficult to follow at times because the past seemed like details that were not of utmost priority. At the end, though, I realized why Owens took so much time focusing on Kya’s past.
“They dipped until the sun, as golden and syrupy as the bourbon, slipped into the sea” (60).
“Maybe Ma was never coming home. Maybe some dreams should just fade away” (84).
“Crows can’t keep secrets any better than mud; once they see something curious in the forest they have to tell everybody. Those who listen are rewarded; either warned of predators or alerted to food” (86).
“Well, we better hide way out there where the crawdads sing. I pity any foster parents who take you on.” Tate’s whole face smiled.
“What d’ya mean, where the crawdads sing? Ma used to say that.” Kya remembered Ma always encouraging her to explore the marsh: “Go as far as you can – way out yonder where the crawdads sing” (111).
“Autumn leaves don’t fall; they fly” (124).
“Faces change with life’s toll, but eyes remain a window to what was, and she could see him there” (232-233).
“A deep pause in a lifetime of longing” (289).
Rader of the Books 