Where the Crawdads Sing

Summary (from the publisher): 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.

Review: For years, Kya Clark has survived virtually on her own in the marsh on the coast of North Carolina. Slowly abandoned by her family as a child, Kya learned to fend for herself while always desperately yearning for love and community. Entirely self educated and self supported, she still cannot help but fall for first one and later another man, who seem to offer the promise of love and connection that she craves. 

This was beautifully written, particularly when it comes to its vivid nature descriptions. Kya's home and interest in the nature and ecology of the marsh provided the author with the perfect opportunity to show off her knowledge and nuanced descriptive ability. Kya as a character was compelling and intriguing as well. However, there were serious holes in the plot that made the whole total isolation thing ring false. It just seemed unlikely to me that a whole town would turn a blind eye to a child living alone in the marsh, even given the historical setting. Kya's eventual source of income, while awesome, also seemed somewhat implausible for an uneducated woman during the time period. There was also a lot going on in this novel; it was at once a coming of age story, a love story, a murder mystery, a story of family abandonment and abuse, and a naturalist tale of the beauty of a coastal town. 

A beautiful first novel that was unique and lovely in both its setting, characters, and writing. 

Stars: 4