Home › review › #BookReview: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens @tialaculde71 #comingofage #murder #mystery

#BookReview: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens @tialaculde71 #comingofage #murder #mystery

Posted on Posted in review Tagged with ,

Hi everyone! Today, I have a book review for an author new to me, Delia Owens. Gwen Plano recommended both the book and the movie, and having loved the movie, I added the paperback to my Christmas list. Santa delivered! 🙂 >>>

About the Book:

The #1 New York Times bestselling worldwide sensation with more than 12 million copies sold, “a painfully beautiful first novel that is at once a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative and a celebration of nature” (The New York Times Book Review).

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.

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. Delia 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.

My Review:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A story of abandonment, rejection, prejudice, and survival against all odds

After a good friend recommended Where the Crawdads Sing, I watched and loved the movie. Got the paperback for Christmas, and absolutely adored this book! It grabbed me from the first page and held on right until the end, even though I knew the plot and outcome because of watching the film.

Delia Owens knows how to bring people to life and how to write the scenery in such a visceral way she made the swamp into a character all its own, as the opening line shows: ‘Marsh is not swamp. Marsh is a space of light, where grass grows in water, and water flows into the sky.’

This is a story of abandonment, rejection, prejudice, and survival against all odds. I defy you not to fall in love with Kya and her world. The narrative is superbly written, and here are just a few of the many wonderful lines which will stay with me >>>

‘Kya lay her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and and the marsh became her mother.’

And …

‘There was a stain across the front, a faded brown splotch under the shoulder straps, blood maybe. But it was faint now, scrubbed out like other bad memories.’

And …

‘Life had made her an expert at mashing feelings into a storable size.’

And …

‘One side of her heart shielding, the other longing.’

This is a story that you will connect with, even if–like me–you’ve never been near marsh or swamp. It is a coming of age as well as a romance and a murder-mystery-thriller all rolled into one and expertly executed. Where the Crawdads Sing gets a resounding 5 stars from me.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

 

For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …

UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/

US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/

 

28 Comments on “#BookReview: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens @tialaculde71 #comingofage #murder #mystery”

  1. Hi Harmony, I have read a few other reviews of this book and they’ve all been good. Thanks for the recommendation.

  2. I loved the book (and reviewed it a few years ago) and found the movie okay. Most movies don’t live up to the books but this one was pretty good in my opinion. 🙂 xx

  4. I saw the movie, Harmony, and thought it was great. I can imagine how good the book is. Thanks for sharing your review! I’m going to have to read this, even if its only to enjoy the craft of a story well told. <3

  7. Oooh, I love this book! I read it when it was first released, drawn by the lyrical title and all the buzz over it. I believe those accolades are well deserved. It’s such a good story, and the setting is off the charts. I have not seen the movie yet, but need to make time for it. Excellent review for an excellent book, Harmony!

  11. I’ve been on the fence about reading this one (and watching the movie) for various reasons. You might have just tempted me to take the plunge. Thanks, Harmony.

  13. Santa delivered, did he, Harmony.
    Delia Owens sounds to have done, in spades!
    I’ll know what to say when my niece asks what I want for my birthday. 🙂

    • Yep … even without a chimney! 😂 This would be a great birthday present, Sarah 💕🙂

  14. Aww. I soooo loved this book. Adored it. Reviewed it on Medium. Fantastic read. That marsh! The Marsh Girl!!
    A most phenomenal book that had all the makings of a good book for me. ((Don’t listen to the naysayers who think they can do better)) that book is tops. Read it a few years back. Thanks for reminding me.
    Haven’t watched movie.
    Thanks for sharing this review.